1024. BENEDICT VIII, pope, died. To the arts of the politician he added
the valor of the warrior, and exterminated the Saracens who invaded
Italy. He also defeated the Greeks, who were ravaging Apulia.
1212. Burning of London bridge, when 3000 persons inhabiting that
borough perished in the flames.
1440. An anniversary was held in Haarlem for two days, commemorating the
invention of printing on movable wooden types in this year, by Lawrence
Coster. The emblems on his monument are a branch of beech, a winged A,
a wreathed snake and a lamp. It was also celebrated by the printers of
Dortrecht and Rotterdam.
1460. Battle of Northampton, England; the forces of Henry VI defeated by
earls Warwick, Salisbury and March, with great slaughter among the
gentry and nobility on both sides, and Henry was taken prisoner.
1472. The siege of Beauvais, France, raised by Charles the Bold, duke of
Burgundy, who had invested it with an army of 80,000 men. An anniversary
is still held on this day in memory of the heroine Jeane Hachette, and
her regiment of women, who signalized themselves at this famous siege.
1559. HENRY II, of France, died. He was a persecutor of the protestants,
and during the thirteen years of his reign, much embroiled in war. He
recovered Calais from the English, and was wounded at a tournament, of
which he died. (See June 26, 1574; 29, 1559.)
1579. WILLIAM WHITTINGHAM, dean of Durham, died. He was one of the
translators of the Genevan or German Bible, usually called the _Breeches
Bible_.
1584. WILLIAM I, prince of Orange, assassinated. He is styled the father
of the Dutch republic, having brought about the union of the provinces.
He was shot in the breast with three balls by an assassin supposed to
have been employed by the king of Spain, who claimed the sovereignty of
the Netherlands.
1634. DE VRIES sailed from the Texel in the ship King David, 14 guns,
with 25 head of cattle, and 30 planters, intending to form a colony on
the coast of Guyana.
1680. LEWIS MORERI, a learned French writer, died, aged 37; author of
the great historical dictionary, which appeared 1674, and was afterwards
enlarged to 10 vols. folio, and greatly improved in the numerous
editions it underwent.
1683. FRANCIS EUDES DE MEZERAI, a French historian, died. He entered
upon the laborious character of historian of France at the age of 26,
and his work was received with universal applause. Several other books
were also published by him, reflecting great honor upon his integrity,
candor and faithfulness.
1686. JOHN FELL, an English prelate, died. During the civil war he bore
arms for the king, and lost his offices by his loyalty. He was
distinguished for learning and assiduity, and published many excellent
works.
1688. The city of Smyrna in Asia destroyed by an earthquake.
1689. "Here lyeth the Body of Mr. David Gardiner, of Gardiner Island,
deceased IVLY 10, 1689, in the Fifty-fourth year of his Age. Well,
sick, dead, in one hour's space. Hartford, Con." He was the first white
child born in Connecticut.
1704. The fortress of Gibraltar in Spain taken by the British.
1733. Nearly 800,000 quarters of grain exported from England to
Portugal; cost, £1,000,000 sterling.
1767. ALEXANDER MONROE, a Scottish physician, anatomist and writer,
died. His _Osteology_ has been translated into several languages.
1776. New York declared an independent state.
1777. Major-general Prescott, commander of the British army at Newport,
surprised at night in his quarters, and carried off by a party of 40
Americans.
1780. French fleet under admiral Ternay, arrived at Rhode Island, having
on board 6000 French troops under count Rochambeau, intended for the
American service.
1791. Battle of Maclin; a body of 70,000 Turks under the grand vizier,
defeated by the Russians. The Turks lost 4000 killed, and the whole of
their camp; 30 cannon, and 15 standards were taken. The flower of the
Asiatic troops, with their chiefs were in this battle.
1792. CHABANON, a French dramatist and translator, died. His best works
belong to a species of criticism which is characterized by learning and
taste.
1794. Battle in India between the British army, and the Hindoos under
Viziaram Rauze, rajah of Vizigapatam. The rajah and most of his officers
were killed; British loss 10 killed, 50 wounded.
1796. Island of Elba seized by the English under Duncan and lord Nelson.
1799. The French under LA GRANGE surprised the Mamelukes at Sababier, in
Egypt, took their baggage, 50 horses and 700 camels.
1799. Action between American ship Planter, captain Watts, 18 guns and
43 men, and a French privateer of 22 guns, which was beaten off "after
an action of 5 glasses." Two female passengers, Mrs. MacDowell and Miss
Mary Harley, dressed the wounded and supplied cartridges. The Planter
had 4 killed, 8 wounded.
1804. FRANCIS AMBROSE DIDOT, a learned and ingenious French printer,
died. He made some important improvements in the printing press and
paper mill, and is supposed to have hastened his death by a too close
application to the revision of an edition of Montaigne's works.
1810. Ciudad Rodrigo surrendered to the French under Massena, with a
garrison of 6000, after having been bombarded 25 days, a great quantity
of artillery, ammunition and rich stores were taken. This fortress was
built by the Spanish as a rampart against Portugal, from which it is
distant only 8 miles. (See Jan. 19.)
1810. Holland incorporated with the French empire, by which all the 17
provinces of the Netherlands were united under the dominion of Napoleon.
1826. LUTHER MARTIN, an eminent lawyer and one of the delegates from
Maryland in forming the constitution of the United States, died, aged
82.
1828. LOUIS AUGUSTIN GUILLAUME BOST, a well known French naturalist and
professor at the Jardin du Roi, died.
1834. Abolition riots in New York.
1850. JAMES LOVEL, oldest member of the society of the Cincinnati, died
at St. Matthews, S. C., aged 92.
1852. A fire in Boston destroyed the Mariner's church, the Sailor's
home, the Boylston school house, and many dwellings and stores.
1855. The British bombarded the Redan tower at Sebastopol, for one day.
1856. JOHN LOCKE, an American physician and naturalist, died at
Cincinnati, aged 64. He was a native of Maine, but spent a considerable
portion of his life in Cincinnati; was connected with the geological
survey of the state, and of lake Superior, and seems to have had a
knowledge of various other sciences.