390 B. C. Battle of Allia, a river in Italy; the Romans defeated by the
Gauls under Brennus, who destroyed the city, except the capitol.
1009. JOHN XVIII, pope, died. He was a Roman; after him the right of
election passed from the Roman people to the clergy. He resigned the
dignity some time before his death, and died in the obscurity of a
monastry.
1100. GODFREY DE BOUILLION, one of the heroes of the crusades, died. He
was the son of a French count, defeated the armies of the sultan with
great slaughter, and made himself master of all Palestine. He was
elected king of Jerusalem, as a reward for his activity and heroism,
which he declined for the humbler appellation of the duke of the holy
sepulchre.
1390. On this and the two following days the parish clerks of London
played interludes before Richard II and his queen, at Skinnerswells.
1566. WILLIAM RONDELET, a French anatomist, died. He wrote a Latin
treatise on fishes, 2 vols. folio, and various tracts on medicine,
afterwards collected into a volume. His death was occasioned by eating
figs to excess.
1639. BERNARD, duke of Saxe-Weimar, died. He waged an active war with
Austria, in which he was successful, till death stopped his career.
1656. Battle of Warsaw, which continued three days.
1675. The Narragansets, posted in a swamp were attacked by the colonists
and defeated. They retreated to their recesses, where they remained till
they discovered that it was determined to surround and starve them out,
when they found means of escape.
1694. A body of 250 Indians under the sieur de Villieu fell with great
fury on a village at Oyster river, in New Hampshire, and killed and
captivated about a hundred persons, and burnt 20 houses.
1683. Battle under the walls of Vienna; the Turks defeated by the
combined armies under John Sobieski of Poland. The vanquished fled with
precipitation, leaving behind them the standard of Mahomet.
1705. The duke of MARLBOROUGH defeated the French near Tirelemont, for
which victory a thanksgiving was ordered in England.
1761. THOMAS SHERLOCK, an eminent English prelate, died. His
controversial works and sermons are well known. His private virtues were
adorned with the purest acts of benevolence and humanity.
1775. A party of Americans under col. Ashe entered fort Johnson, on cape
Fear river, in the dead of night, and burnt it, with the houses and
other buildings. The governor, Martin, retired on board the king's ship
Cruzier.
1782. GABRIEL FRANCIS COYER, a French writer, died. He was originally a
Jesuit, but abandoned the society for literature. He wrote bagatelles,
morals, history, biography, travels, &c., all in a popular style, and
translated Blackstone.
1786. JOHN BASEILLAC DE ST. COSME, an eminent lithotomist, died at
Paris. His instruments were much used formerly.
1790. ADAM SMITH, a celebrated Scottish philosopher, died. His _Wealth
of Nations_ procured him immediate fame and emolument. His _Life of
Hume_ marks him a deist.
1792. KOSCIUSKO at the head of 5,000 Poles, gave battle to the Russians,
14,000 in number, and was defeated with the loss of 1,100.
1792. JOHN PAUL JONES died in Paris. He was distinguished as a seaman.
Yet though both in the United States and Russian service, he died in
neglected poverty.
1794. The French under Moreau took Nieuwpoort, in Belgium; 300 emigrant
prisoners taken were shot.
1802. DUMARESQ, a British admiral, died, aged 73. He boasted that he had
never employed a physician or a lawyer.
1806. Sale of the Leverian museum concluded. It was pronounced by those
who had visited the most celebrated museums of Europe to be superior to
any of them. The sale occupied 65 days. It was founded by sir Ashton
Lever.
1806. The strong fortress of Gaeta surrendered to the armies of France,
after a desperate resistance.
1814. AKIM NICHOLAEVITCH MAKHIMOV, a Russian poet, died. His poem called
the _Speaking Monkeys_, composed in derision of Napoleon's attempt to
take Moscow, is much admired.
1817. JANE AUSTEN, an English authoress, died. Her writings were
principally novels, which have lately been republished.
1820. The first chain bridge in England thrown over the Tweed, captain
Brown architect. The river 437 feet wide.
1835. WILLIAM COBBETT, a powerful and original English writer, died. He
was editor of the _Register_ more than thirty years, during which time
he made himself sufficiently conspicuous as a violent and somewhat
fickle politician. He was an extraordinary man, and the oracle of a
multitude of his countrymen.
1839. Rev. WILLIAM WHITE, bishop of Pennsylvania, died. He was one of
the first elected as chaplain to the United States congress.
1844. JESSE BUSHYHEAD, a person of great distinction among his tribe,
and chief justice of the supreme court of the Cherokees, died. He was a
correct translator.
1848. The Mexican agitator, PAREDES, defeated by Bustamente at
Guanajanto, and totally routed. The belligerent priest, padre Jurauta
was captured and immediately shot.
1848. The Indians, in Yucatan, repulsed at all points, and the towns in
their possession retaken by the whites. The Indians at this time were
waging a war of extermination against the whites.
1853. The Atlantic and St. Lawrence rail road, from Portland to
Montreal, was opened throughout its whole length of two hundred and
ninety miles.
1854. A tremendous hurricane prevailed at Davenport, Ill., causing great
destruction of life and property.
1854. A negro woman died in Virginia, aged 140.
1855. W. R. HENRY, a late captain of the Texas volunteers, issued a
proclamation to the people of Texas and the Mexicans, that he and his
companions intended to cross the Rio Grande, to aid in overthrowing
Santa Anna, and in establishing a government more favorable to the
interests of Texas.