January–June
- January 1
- Martin W. Bates, American senator (b. 1786)
- James B. Longacre, fourth Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint (b. 1794)
- January 30 – William Carleton, Irish novelist (b. 1794)
- February 15 – Mirza Ghalib, Indian poet (b. 1796).
- March 8 – Hector Berlioz, French composer (b. 1803)
- March 20 – John Pascoe Grenfell, British admiral of the Brazilian Navy (b. 1800)
- March 24 – Antoine-Henri Jomini, French general (b. 1779)
- April 20 – Carl Loewe, German composer (b. 1796)
- June 16 – Charles Sturt, Australian explorer (b. 1795)
- June 20 – Hijikata Toshizou, Japanese military commander (b. 1835)