332 B. C. Gaza, in Palestine, entered by Alexander the Great, and 10,000
of her inhabitants put to the sword. This was during the Isthmian games,
and shortly after the fall of Tyre, which was taken in the month
Hecatombæon.
328. HELENA, empress of Rome, died, aged 80. She was the mother of
Constantine, and distinguished for her zeal in the cause of the
Christian religion.
852. ABDURRAHMAN II, sultan of Cordova, died, aged 65. He was the patron
of learning and scholars, though constantly engaged in war.
1187. GEOFFREY, son to Henry II, killed in a tournament at Paris.
1348. A three-fold scourge, which during this year visited the continent
of Europe, first appeared in England upon this day; earthquakes, deluges
of rain, and a vast ephemeral pestilence, traveling the belt of Asia
from Cathay to Delta; over Greece to Italy, beyond the Alps into France,
reached London in November.
1510. EDMUND DUDLEY, an English statesman, executed for treason; known
as an instrument of Henry VII in the arbitrary acts of extortion
practiced during the latter years of his reign.
1510. RICHARD EMPSON, another characteristic of the same stamp, perished
at the same time.
1559. PAUL IV (_John Peter Caraffi_), pope, died. He ascended the throne
at the age of 80, and conducted himself with so much haughtiness and
indiscretion that his death was unlamented.
1587. The first English child born in America, at Roanoke, Virginia. She
was the grand-daughter of the governor, and was baptized on the
following sabbath, by the name of _Virginia_.
1609. The Half Moon having pursued a course south and west for ten days,
arrived at the entrance of Chesapeake bay, where the first effectual
attempt to plant an English colony had been commenced only two years
before. (See Aug. 28.)
1642. GUIDO RENI, the celebrated Italian painter, died. His skill as an
artist attracted great attention, and he was loaded with honors and
wealth. His pictures are valuable, and adorn the collections of the
great.
1655. CROMWELL, as _protector_, adopted the _We_, in answering a
petition. Instead of the capital W, he had at first written the more
familiar I; then a small w, which was finally erased with his finger for
the royal character.
1670. DRYDEN created _laureate_ by royal patent.
1707. WILLIAM CAVENDISH died; first duke of Devonshire, an able English
statesman, who was active in procuring the invasion of England by
William III.
1746. WILLIAM, earl of Kilmarnock, and ARTHUR BALMERINO, beheaded in
London, as traitors for levying war against George II, in behalf of the
pretender.
1659. Action between the British fleet, admiral Boscawen, and the French
fleet, M. de la Clue, off the coast of Barbary. The French were
defeated, and on the following day, five of their largest ships were
taken or destroyed.
1765. FRANCIS I, of Germany, died. He commanded the Austrian armies in
Hungary against the Turks, and his reign of 20 years' duration was
distinguished by many memorable events.
1780. British under TARLETON attacked Sumpter on the Wateree, and
killed, captured or dispersed the whole of his party, and retook 300
British prisoners.
1780. Battle of Musgrove's mills; 500 British and tories defeated by the
Americans under colonel Williams, and 120 killed or wounded.
1783. JOHN DUNNING, lord Ashburton, died; noted for his extensive
practice as a lawyer in London. He defended Wilkes and opposed the
American war.
1783. BENJAMIN KENNICOTT died; an English prelate, well known in the
learned world for his elaborate edition of the Hebrew Bible and other
valuable works.
1798. General HUMBERT landed at Killala, Ireland, with 700 French; a few
days afterwards they were all captured.
1803. JAMES BEATTIE died; a Scottish poet and miscellaneous writer, and
professor of moral philosophy and logic.
1807. The Danish gun boats renewed their attacks upon the British army
before Copenhagen, but were finally driven back into the harbor.
1810. CHARLES PETER CLAREL DE FLURIEU, a French hydrographer, died. He
was also a statesman under Louis XVI and Napoleon.
1812. Second day's battle of Smolianovo. The French under St. Cyr
defeated with great slaughter. The battle continued 12 hours. The French
lost 2,500 killed and wounded, and 3,000 taken prisoners. Russian loss
1,000 hors du combat in both engagements.
1813. Battle of St. Antonio; the Spanish royalists under Aredonda
defeated the Mexican patriots.
1814. British admiral, COCHRANE, addressed a letter from on board the
Tonnant, in the Patuxent, to the American government, declaring his
determination to destroy and lay waste such towns and districts upon the
American coast as might be found assailable, though contrary to the
usages of civilized warfare.
1829. DAVID BAIRD, of Aberdeen, a distinguished British general, who led
the storming party at the capture of Seringapatam, died.
1834. A tremendous eruption of Vesuvius, which continued several days,
and destroyed about 1,500 houses.
1838. The first United States exploring expedition sailed, under Com.
Wilkes.
1838. Battle of Morella, in Spain; the queen's troops defeated by the
Carlists with the loss of 2,000 men; the victors left in possession of
Lower Aragon.
1840. TIMOTHY FLINT, a noted missionary in the Mississippi valley, died,
aged 60. He published an account of that region in two works, which are
interesting and valuable.
1851. EBENEZER YOUNG, a Connecticut civilian, died at West Killingly,
aged 67. He was often in public life, especially in the legislature of
his native state, and in congress.
1853. JOHN TALIAFERO, librarian of the treasury department at
Washington, died, aged 85. He had also been a member of congress
fourteen years.
1855. JABEZ D. HAMMOND, an eminent New York lawyer, died, aged 77. He
filled several important offices, and wrote a _Political History of New
York_, and some other works.
1855. THOMAS METCALFE, an American officer of the war of 1812, died in
Kentucky, aged 75. He also filled various civil offices with ability,
under the state and general government.
1855. The queen, VICTORIA, and prince ALBERT, left Osborne at day break
to visit Louis Napoleon; arrived at Boulogne, 96 miles, in 4¼ hours,
and reached Paris the same evening.
1855. ABBOT LAWRENCE, a noted Boston merchant, died, aged 63. He was a
liberal and public spirited citizen, and endowed the Lawrence scientific
school at Cambridge with $100,000.