1278. Battle of Marchfeld, in Austria, between Ottocar and Rodolph of
Hapsburg, in which Ottocar fell. This day laid the foundation of the
house of Hapsburg, which is still seated on the throne of Austria.
1346. Battle of Crecy, in France; the English, less than 30,000 under
Edward III, defeated the French, 90,000, under Philip VI, who received
two wounds, and was one of the last who fled. It is estimated that of
the French upwards of 30,000 soldiers, 1,200 knights, 80 bannerets and 9
princes fell in the battle and pursuit.
1595. ANTONIO, a pretender to the throne of Portugal, died. He was
assisted in the struggle for the crown by several of the European
powers, but was driven out, and died in exile.
1635. LOPEZ FELIX DE LA VEGA died; a Spanish divine, poet and a dramatic
writer of great fertility of genius. His works form upwards of 70
volumes.
1693. PETER BARRIERE, a French soldier, who attempted to assassinate
Henry IV, of France, broken on the wheel.
1723. ANTHONY VAN LEEUWENHOEK, a celebrated Dutch physician, died. He
became famous throughout Europe by his experiments and discoveries with
the microscope.
1762. Valentia de Alcantara, in Spain, taken by assault by the British,
under Gen. Burgoyne.
1765. Riot in Boston occasioned by the stamp act; several private houses
destroyed, and among them that of the lieutenant governor Hutchinson,
one of the best in the province; his books and papers, which he had been
30 years in gathering, were destroyed, together with his plate,
furniture, &c., and £1,000 in money.
1766. THOMAS WINSLOW, an English military officer, died, aged 146.
1775. The Americans opened their entrenchments on Plowed hill, near
Boston. The British threw about 300 shells at them.
1775. JAMES BURGH, an ingenious English moral and political writer, died
at Islington.
1776. GERMAIN FRANCIS POULLAIN DE ST. FOIX, a French historical
tourist, died. He retired from the army to devote himself to literature,
at Paris, and was appointed historiographer.
1777. FRANCIS FAWKES, an English poet, died. He translated several of
the Greek poets, and wrote many miscellaneous poems, in a pleasing and
elegant style.
1785. GEORGE SACKVILLE, an English nobleman, died. He was an officer
under Marlborough, and present at several important engagements.
1794. Sluys, in Dutch Flanders, surrendered to the French under Moreau,
22 days after the opening of the trenches. The sudden capture of this
fortress, exceedingly strong by nature and art, and defended by the
brave general Vanderduyn, so intimidated the remainder of the Dutch and
Hanoverian garrisons, that they thought only how to escape the fate of
Sluys, and evacuated several fortresses equally strong; besides nearly
30 less important forts, and all Dutch Flanders.
1795. Trincomalee, a Dutch colony in the island of Ceylon, taken by the
British under admiral Rainer.
1795. British squadron under Nelson, captured in the bay of Alaeso, 11
French vessels.
1806. EDWARD THURLOW, an eminent English lawyer, died. He became
attorney and solicitor-general to the king, a member of parliament and
lord high chancellor of England. He possessed a vigorous and active
mind, which added to close application, gave him a high rank among the
professional men of his day.
1813. Battle of Katzbach, in Silesia; the French defeated by the
Russians and Prussians under Blucher. The day was so rainy that fire
arms could not be used, and the battle was fought hand to hand. The
French were driven into the river and perished in great numbers.
1813. Battle of Dresden. The citizens beheld a spectacle of an army of
60,000 troops marching through the streets to the field of battle, under
Napoleon. An army of 120,000 allies were drawn up around the city.
1813. THEODORE KORNER, a German poet, killed in battle. Many of his
pieces have been set to music, and become national.
1832. ADAM CLARKE, an eminent English divine, died of cholera, aged 72.
He commenced his career as a methodist preacher at the age of 18, and
became so popular that few men have ever drawn so large congregations.
He was a man of great talents and extensive learning, particularly in
the oriental languages and Biblical literature, and author of a well
known and learned commentary on the scriptures, and various other
publications.
1836. Buffalo and Niagara rail road opened.
1838. CALEB STARK, an officer of the revolutionary war, died. He entered
the army at the age of 15, and commenced his career at the battle of
Bunker hill as an ensign in his father's regiment. He remained in the
army till the close of the war, at which time he was a brigadier-general.
1848. A battle took place at the cape of Good Hope, between the British
and Boors. The former were victorious, with the loss of 54 men killed
and wounded; the Boors lost 199.
1849. The senate of Hayti, having concurred in the bill of the chamber
of representatives, Faustin Soulouque submitted to the wishes of the
people, and was crowned emperor of Hayti, under the title of Faustin I.
1849. J. A. YATES, an eloquent divine and learned professor of Union
college, died, aged 49.
1850. LOUIS PHILIPPE, the exiled king of the French, died at Claremont,
England, aged 77.