1191. The Saracen hostages, 2500 in number, put to the sword beneath the
walls of Acre, by order of Richard, with the sanction of his
confederates. The galls of the murdered infidels were converted into
Christian medicines.
1380. JOHN of Gaunt erected a _court of minstrels_ at Tutbury, England,
with legal jurisdiction over the men in that profession in five
counties. It consisted of a king and four other officers, who had
sovereign authority upon this day.
1424. Battle of Verneuil, in France; the French and Scotch under Buchan,
constable of France, defeated by the English. The Scottish auxiliaries
were nearly annihilated.
1494. FERDINAND and Isabella addressed letters of approbation to their
high admiral of the Indian seas, Columbus, from Segovia, wishing "to
know all the seasons of the year, such as they take place there in each
month separately: some wish to know if there are two summers and two
winters in the same year."
1513. Battle of the Spurs, in France, between the French, and the
English under Henry VIII, at Guingette. It received its title from the
flight of the French gendarmerie, and the pursuit of the English, in
which the contest was one of speed.
1519. CORTEZ set out from his colony of Villarica on his expedition to
Mexico, with 415 Spanish infantry, 16 horses, 200 Indians to transport
his artillery and baggage, and some native troops, among which were 40
nobles, whom he took as auxiliaries in war, and hostages of the
Totonecas.
1604. HUBERTUS GIFANIUS, a Dutch critic and civilian, died at Prague. He
wrote notes and commentaries on Homer, Aristotle, Lucretius, and other
authors, and was a noted professor of philosophy.
1654. Onondaga salt springs discovered.
1677. The second ship from England arrived at West Jersey, bringing 230
passengers, most of whom were quakers, some of good estates in England.
1681. NIKON, a celebrated person in the annals of Russia, died. He was
the sixth patriarch in the Russian church.
1705. Battle between the French and Imperialists at Cassino in Italy.
Both claimed the victory and sang a Te Deum.
1718. Action off Sicily, between the British and Spanish squadrons, in
which the latter were defeated, and several large vessels taken or
destroyed.
1721. No. 1 of the _New England Courant_ was issued. James Franklin,
brother to Benjamin, was the publisher. It lived only about six years.
1730. LAWRENCE ECHARD, an English historian and divine, died. His works
were creditable performances.
1733. MATTHEW TINDAL, a celebrated English polemical writer, died.
1738. JOSEPH MILLER, better known as _Joe Miller_, died. He was an
English comedian, and the compiler of a popular jest book.
1777. Battle of Bennington; general Stark with about 1600 New Hampshire
militia, attacked and defeated a detachment of 1500 British regulars and
100 Indians, sent out by Burgoyne, under the command of the Hessian
generals, Baum and Breyman, to take a magazine at Bennington. British
loss 226 killed, and 33 officers and 700 privates prisoners; they lost
four cannon, with all their baggage, wagons and horses. Americans lost
less than 100 killed and wounded.
1780. Battle of Camden; the Americans under general Gates totally
defeated by the British under Cornwallis. Baron De Kalb received 11
wounds in this engagement, which proved mortal.
1792. First theatre opened in Boston. It was called the _New Exhibition
Room_; the statute of the state prohibiting dramatic performances, they
advertised to represent the moral lecture of _Douglas!_ One evening,
about two months after, as sir Peter, and lady Teazle were representing
their parts of the moral lecture of _School for Scandal_, the sheriff
made his first appearance on that stage, and arrested them by virtue of
a peace warrant.
1800. SAMUEL BARRINGTON died; a distinguished admiral in the British
navy.
1806. Action between the French ship Veteran, under Jerome Bonaparte,
and 6 British vessels of the Quebec fleet, homeward bound, which were
captured.
1812. Detroit surrendered by general Hull to the British under general
Brock, without firing a gun from the fort or consulting an officer. The
American force amounted to 1100 men. The British took about 40 cannon,
2500 stand of arms, 400 rounds 24lb. shot fixed, 40 barrels powder,
100,000 musket cartridges made, and 15 days' provisions.
1814. The United States fleet, employed in the expedition to Mackinaw
having failed in its object, colonel Croghan re-embarked his troops.
1824. CHARLES THOMSON, died, aged 94. He was the first secretary of
congress, in which office he continued 15 years. The Indians called him
_The man of truth_. He translated the _Septuagint_ in 4 vols. 8vo.
1825. The northern sea discovered by captain Franklin, who traced the
Mackenzie river to its source.
1844. TURHAND KIRTLAND, aged 89, died at Poland, Ohio. He was one of the
pioneers of the Northern Ohio, then called New Connecticut.
1848. An immense conflagration at Constantinople consumed about 2500
shops and 500 houses.
1848. A serious insurrection took place at Ceylon against the British
authorities, which was subdued by strong measures.
1851. GEORGE MCCLURE, a general in the war of 1812, died at Elgin,
Illinois, aged 80. He resided a long time at Bath, Steuben county, N.
Y., was many years member of assembly from that county, and at different
times judge, surrogate and sheriff.
1851. STEPHEN OLIN, an eloquent Methodist divine, died at Middletown,
where he was president of the University, aged 54. He held the
presidency of Macon college also, in 1833; and is known as an author.
1851. The division of the forces of Lopez under colonel Crittenden
having been driven to the coast, where they embarked in open boats,
were captured and shot at Havana.
1854. The Russians blew up the fortifications at Hangho, in sight of the
allied fleets; the evacuation of the Principalities by them was
continued.
1854. The allied fleets in the Baltic accomplished the final conquest of
the Bomarsund forts, situated on the largest of the Aland islands,
accompanied by the capture of 2000 Russians.
1855. Battle of Tchernaya; the Russians under Gortschakoff attacked with
great force the lines of the allies, and drove in the outposts, defended
by the Sardinians; but after a severe contest were driven back with
great loss; 4000 supposed to have been killed, and 2200 left prisoners
and wounded. Loss of the allies 1200, of whom 200 were Sardinians.
1856. HENRY COLBURN, an eminent London publisher, died. He brought out
the works of Bulwer, D'Israeli, Hook, Maryatt and James, and originated
several very popular magazines.