This day was kept by the Jews as a fast, instituted by Esther
in memorial of the day appointed by Haman for the extirpation
of her countrymen. The same day was afterwards decreed as a
feast for the death of Nicanor, the Syrian captain, who was
slain at Bethhoron, B. C. 161.
1098. London bridge carried away by a flood and tax imposed to erect
another.
1570. BENVENUTO CELLINI, a Florentine sculptor, engraver and goldsmith,
died. His works in gold and silver are sold now at immense prices. In
his autobiography, which has been translated, he claims to have aimed
the balls which killed the constable of Bourbon, and the prince of
Orange, at the siege of Rome.
1579. JOHN FOWLER, an eminent English printer, died at Louvain, in
Belgium, where he had a press and issued various controversial
treatises, leveled at protestantism. He was well skilled in languages,
a tolerable poet and orator, a theologist not to be contemned, and well
versed in criticism, and polite literature.
1585. ALPHONSUS SALMERON, of Toledo, died. He wrote commentaries on the
scriptures, was a zealous follower of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits
and distinguished for his learning.
1602. ALEXANDER NOWELL, an English divine, died. His _Catechism_,
published 1572, was in extensive use and much admired.
1662. ELIZABETH, queen of Bohemia, and eldest daughter of James I, of
England, died and was buried in Henry VII's chapel.
1689. Revolution in England; William, prince of Orange, and the princess
Mary, a daughter of the abdicating monarch, were proclaimed, by the
lords and commons, sovereigns of England. (Holmes says 16th.)
1694. The highland massacre at Glencoe, in Scotland.
1699. The government of England sent an order to the play-houses that
nothing should be enacted contrary to religion or good manners.
1726. WILLIAM WATTON died; an English divine, critic, historian, and
miscellaneous writer of great learning.
1727. The British under Col. Campbell precipitately evacuated Augusta,
Georgia, in the night.
1727. The Spaniards under the marquis de la Torras, commenced the siege
of Gibraltar. This was the twelfth siege, and proved unsuccessful.
1727. COTTON MATHER died at Boston, aged 65. He was the most learned man
in America, and one of the most superstitious. His achievements in one
year were 72 sermons, 60 fasts, 20 vigils and 14 books. His publications
amounted to 382, some of them being of large dimensions. The _Magnalia_
is his chef d'œuvre. He lived in the age of witchcraft, and fell in
with the delusion, hand, heart and pen.
1752. SAMUEL CROXALL, an English author and translator of good repute,
died.
1781. A troop of Tarleton's dragoons, under Capt. Miller, were cut to
pieces by Lieut. Col. Lee: the captain and all were taken, except two;
18 were killed. Lee had ordered his Lieut. Lewis, to give no quarters,
on account of Miller's having refused quarter to Lee's bugler, an
unarmed boy, whom they had overtaken and sabred. Lee halted his men at a
farm, was suddenly come upon by the advance of Cornwallis, but escaped
by a sudden and bold movement.
1784. JEREMIAH MILES died; an eminent English divine and antiquary. He
was ardently engaged in the Chattertonian controversy, and the author of
the supposed Rowley's poems.
1787. CHARLES GRAVIER, count de Vergennes, a French statesman, died. As
secretary of state for foreign affairs to Louis XVI, he assisted the
Americans in their struggle for independence.
1789. ETHAN ALLEN, an officer in the revolutionary army, died. He took
Ticonderoga and Crown-Point; was himself captured near Montreal, sent to
England, and after experiencing much cruelty, exchanged. He sustained
the character of an infidel, and in his writings ridiculed the
scriptures.
1790. The French convention abolished monastic establishments, and
confiscated their lands. (See Jan. 16.)
1794. The French convention ratified the treaty of peace with the grand
duke of Tuscany.
1794. The canal of Merthyr Tydvil, in Wales, opened, another great
improvement.
1798. CHRISTIAN FREDRICK SCHWARTZ, an eminent German missionary to
Hindostan, died. His labors were of nearly half a century's duration,
and had a great influence over the affairs of the country.
1801. British frigate Success, 40 guns, captured by a French squadron.
1805. Action between the British ship St. Fiorenza and the French
frigate Psyche, 36 guns, and the prize ship Thetis, which resulted in
the capture of the two latter. French loss 57 killed and 70 wounded;
British 12 k., 36 w.
1814. General WILKINSON burned his boats in Salmon river, and broke up
cantonment at French mills; Gen. Brown went to Sacketts harbor, and Gen.
Macomb to Plattsburg; the snow being 2 feet 10 inches deep.
1817. GEORGE ROGERS CLARKE died; an officer in the service of Virginia
against the Indians in the revolutionary war, where he distinguished
himself greatly, and was for some time the protector of the people of
the frontiers of Virginia and Pennsylvania against the inroads of the
tribes.
1817. The elegant sword voted by the state of New York to Com.
McDonough, was presented to him at Hartford.
1820. CHARLES FERDINAND duc de Berri, assassinated. He was the youngest
son of Charles X., a man of talents and intrepidity, and popular with
the army. His assassin was actuated to the deed by a desire to
exterminate the Bourbon family, which he had vowed to accomplish, and
had begun with the duke, in whom the line was to be perpetuated. (See
July 7, Louvel.)
1833. STANISLAUS PONIATOWSKI died at Florence. He was a nephew of
Stanislaus Augustus, the last king of Poland. Having defended the
interests of his country with manly eloquence in the diet of Poland, he
retired to Florence, and was noted as a liberated patron of the arts and
literature. This prince was the first who set the example of a useful
and glorious reform by emancipating the serfs of his extensive domains.
1840. WILHELM WILLINK, a friend of Washington and of the United States,
died at Amsterdam, aged 91. He furnished the first loan to the colonies
after their revolt from the British dominion.
1843. Gen. ROBERT PORTERFIELD died at Augusta county, Va., aged 90. He
served in the Revolutionary army.
1843. ISAAC HULL, a distinguished American commodore, died, aged 68.