1434. LADISLAUS IV, king of Poland, died, aged 80; universally respected
for all those virtues which should grace a throne.
1521. The siege of Mexico having been begun by Cortez, Sandoval with a
division of the Spaniards and more than 35,000 allies marched to the
assault of the city of Iztapalapan, situated about 8 miles from Mexico,
on the eastern border of the lake. Great havoc was made upon the people
and the city, devastated by fire. The inhabitants attempting to escape
by water, were met by Cortez, who rushed among their frail boats with
his brigantines, and destroyed immense numbers of them.
1589. WALTER MILDMAY, an English statesman, died; founder of Emanuel
college.
1658. Kingston, Ulster county, N. Y., founded.
1672. Union between the colonies of Massachusetts, Connecticut and
Plymouth.
1680. CHRISTOPHER DAVENPORT, died; a learned Englishman, who became a
Franciscan, and published several theological works.
1707. SIMON PATRICK, an English bishop, died, aged 80. He rose from the
lowest condition by his own worth.
1723. WILLIAM BAXTER, an English critic and grammarian, died, aged 73.
Few _litterateurs_ have commenced their career more unpromisingly; for
at the age of 18 he could neither read a word, nor could he speak any
thing but Welch; yet he became a noted linguist, translated several
Latin authors, and compiled a _Dictionary of British Antiquities_.
1731. PHILIP WHARTON, died; an English nobleman, remarkable for his
eccentricities.
1740. FREDERICK WILLIAM, king of Prussia, died. He was a wise and
politic monarch, who sought the prosperity of his subjects and the
kingdom.
1745. Shah NADIR, defeated the Turks at Erzeroum.
1775. The Americans landed on Pettick's island, near Boston, and carried
off 500 sheep and 30 cattle.
1778. Col. ETHAN ALLEN arrived from England, and was received with
discharges of cannon.
1779. Stoney Point evacuated by the Americans, and taken possession of
by Gen. Clinton.
1791. Punishment by the wheel abolished in France.
1793. An armed force beset the palace of the Tuilleries, and demanded
the arrest of the Brissotine party.
1796. BONAPARTE dissolved the great council and took possession of
Venice.
1830. FREDERICK A. WILSON, inventor of gaslight, died at Paris.
1832. MAXIMILIAN LAMARQUE, died at Paris; a distinguished French
officer, and defender of liberal principles.
1833. JOHN MALCOLM, a distinguished philanthropist and faithful servant
of the English East India Company, died. A tasteful obelisk 100 feet
high is raised to his memory in his native Eskdale, Scotland.
1835. WILLIAM SMITH, an English statesman, died. He was 46 years a
member of the British parliament.
1839. Great Western steamship arrived in New York from Bristol, in 13
days 8 hours, the shortest voyage from Europe to America theretofore
made.
1847. THOMAS CHALMERS, the eminent Scottish divine, whose powers of
oratory were the admiration of the world, died at Edinburgh, aged 67.
1853. THOMAS M. PETIT, director of the United States mint, died at
Philadelphia.
1853. The second American arctic expedition left New York in search of
Sir John Franklin, and for scientific purposes.
1854. The British transport Europa, having troops on board, was totally
destroyed by fire opposite Brest, and 21 lives lost.
1854. Three wagon loads of powder, 11,250 pounds, exploded in the street
at Wilmington, Delaware, killing several persons, and badly injuring 75
houses in the vicinity.
1855. CHARLOTTE NICHOLLS, died; an English authoress under the _nom de
plume_ of Currer Bell. Her fame was established by the novel of _Jane
Eyre_.
1855. The propeller Arctic and barque Release, left Brooklyn navy yard
under command of Lieut. Hartstein, in search of Dr. Kane and his
companions in the Arctic sea.
1856. JOHN M. NILES, a Connecticut statesman, died, aged 68. He
commenced the practice of the law in Hartford, in 1816, and was
concerned in establishing the _Hartford Times_, which he principally
edited. He held various offices with distinction; among others that of
post master general under Mr. Van Buren.