Sorry for so little activity recently. I've had dealings with Korporal Nooij and his TL, JJohnson and 'Groß-Deutschland' and of course Christmas. But here it comes:
The Battle of Manassas:
On February 16, 1861, a battle breaks out between the Union and the Confederacy, in Manassas, Virginia (modern-day Vandalia). The Union forces in the area have been trying to break out from a pocket just south of the Potomac, and in early February the Confederate troops moved west, and the Union Army responded by attacking. The battle lasted two days, but in the end the Union armies won, and marched on toward Richmond*.
Kansas gains statehood:
The violence known as Bleeding Kansas had ended by early 1861, and the free-soilers appeared to be on the winning side. When the violence finally died down, the Senate appointed a comittee to analyze the consequences of granting Kansas statehood. The committee finds that there would be no major implications, as the South has already left the Union, rendering pro-slavery agitation almost completely moot. Thus, Kansas is officially granted statehood on March 26, 1861. The capital is moved from Lecompton to the nearby Lawrence, which is a larger city, and thus better suited for administration.
*NOT the Confederate capital ITTL. They chose to stay in Montgomery.