1096. WALTER the Pennyless departed from France with the van of the
Crusaders.
1639. DUDLEY DIGGES, master of the rolls under Charles I, died. He was
noted for his patriotism, and was the author of several literary
performances.
1663. The great frost at Paris, which had endured three months, broke up
on this day.
1702. WILLIAM III of England, died. He was celebrated as a politician,
and formidable as a general. (16th?)
1721. Pope CLEMENT XI died, aged 72. He reigned over twenty years.
1748. The British squadron, Admiral Knowles, attacked and carried Port
Louis, in St. Domingo, which he also destroyed. The French lost about
130 killed; British loss 20 killed and 50 wounded.
1750. An earthquake at London which shook the whole city. It occurred at
half past five in the morning, awoke people from their sleep, threw some
persons out of bed and rung the bells.
1757. THOMAS BLACKWELL, an eminent Scottish writer, died. His modesty
was such that he published his works anonymously.
1766. The bill repealing the American stamp act received the royal
assent, and was passed.
1766. WILLIAM CHAMBERS, the architect, died. He was born in Sweden, but
was brought over to England at two years of age. As an architect, the
building of Somerset house will place his name with the best of the
British schools. He was the author of several works, principally on
architecture.
1775. An inhabitant of the town of Billerica, Mass., tarred and
feathered by the British troops. The British were the first to introduce
this practice, which, afterwards became a popular mode of punishing
tories.
1793. The French national convention abolished imprisonment for debt,
and decreed that all actually confined for debt in the republic should
be set at liberty. From this law however were excepted all defaulters in
public money.
1793. The city of Liege in Belgium, taken by the Austrians.
1796. A viscid and resinous substance fell near Bautzen, in Upper
Lusatia, composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Several distinguished
men of science examined specimens of it. It had the smell of the
yellowish and very much dried gum of the juniper.
1796. Banda, an East India island, taken by the British under Admiral
Rainer. A large quantity of spices and considerable money fell into the
hands of the victors.
1799. Cayuga county, New York, erected.
1799. MASSENA took by assault the fortress of Luciensteig, cut out of
the rock in the channel of the Rhine. This opened a passage through the
Rhætian Alps.
1801. The British effected a landing in Egypt, at Aboukir bay, with the
loss of 700 men. The French under Menou opposed their landing with great
bravery.
1803. FRANCIS EGERTON, duke of Bridgewater, died. He is styled the
father of canal navigation in England. He planned the Worsley canal,
near Manchester, which he completed with the assistance of Brindley. He
died immensely rich.
1804. Goeree, an island of the Netherlands, which had fallen into the
hands of the French a few weeks previous, was retaken by the British on
this day.
1807. SAWREY GILPIN, an English painter, died. He excelled particularly
in delineating animals. His masterpiece is a group of tigers.
1808. Third day's action between the British frigate St. Fiorenza and
the French frigate Piedmontaise, 50 guns, off cape Comorin. The action
lasted one hour and twenty minutes, when the French struck, having 48
killed and wounded. The British lost 17 killed besides their commander,
Capt. Hardinge.
1814. Lord WELLINGTON defeated the French and entered Bordeaux.
1814. Unsuccessful attack by the British under Gen. Skerret upon
Bergen-op-Zoom. Of 4,500 British it is supposed that not more than 1,500
escaped.
1815. Action between the British ship Tiber, Capt. Dacres, and the
American privateer Leo, 7 guns, 93 men, Capt. Hemes, which resulted in
the capture of the latter.
1819. REGNAULT DE ST. JEAN D'ANGELY, a French statesman under Bonaparte,
died at his ancient seat, on the day following his return from exile, of
gout in the stomach.
1844. CHARLES JOHN BERNADOTTE, king of Sweden, died, aged 81. He rose
from the humble rank of a sergeant in the army, to the highest rank
under Bonaparte; and in 1810 founded a new dynasty in Sweden. Having
fortunately joined the allied powers in 1812 against Napoleon, he
survived the overthrow of the other newly erected dynasties, and
transmitted the crown to his son, Oscar I.