284. Era of Diocletian (or the martyrs), commenced, still used by the
Copts and Abyssinians. It receives its name from the persecution of the
Christians in the reign of Diocletian, and was much used by the
Christian writers until the introduction of the Christian era, in the
sixth century.
1350. Great naval battle in the English channel, off Winchelsea, between
the English under Edward III and the mariners of Biscay. Fourteen
Castilian ships were carried triumphantly into port.
1353. Action between the Genoese fleet under Antonio Grimaldi, and the
combined Venitian and Catalonian fleets, under Pisani, in which the
former suffered so great a defeat that only 17 vessels escaped.
1445. PAUL, of Burgos, a learned Jew, died. He was converted to
Christianity, and was baptized at the same time with his three sons, who
all distinguished themselves.
1527. Battle of Mohatz, between the Turks under Solyman, and the
Hungarians under Louis II, in which the latter were defeated with the
loss of 20,000 killed. The Turks carried nearly 200,000 persons into
captivity.
1583. STEPHEN PARMENIUS BUDEIUS, a learned Hungarian, shipwrecked on the
coast of Newfoundland. He accompanied sir Humphrey Gilbert's squadron of
discovery, for the purpose of recording their discoveries and exploits
in Latin. He was on board the Delight, which carried down more than 100
persons with her.
1657. JOHN LILBURNE, a famous English enthusiast, died. He was the
ringleader of a party called the levelers.
1660. The act of indemnity signed by Charles II, out of which most of
those called regicides were excepted.
1692. Col. BENJAMIN FLETCHER arrived at the port of New York, with a
commission as governor of the province, which he published the next day.
1708. Haverhill, on the Merrimack, surprised by the French and Indians,
who burnt part of the town, killed about 40, and carried away 100
prisoners.
1749. MATHIAS BEL, died at Presburg; a Hungarian ecclesiastic, ennobled
for his literacy.
1750. LETITIA PILKINGTON, a lady of great wit and literary celebrity,
died at Dublin.
1764. JOHN BERNARD, a distinguished London merchant, died. He
represented the city in parliament forty years, and was so highly
esteemed by the public that his statue was placed in the Royal Exchange
during his life time.
1769. EDMUND HOYLE died; author of a celebrated treatise on whist and
other games.
1776. Americans retreated from Long Island. Gen. Mifflin commanded the
rear guard, with whom Washington remained until the retreat was
effected. The army amounted to 9,000.
1778. The rear of the American army under Gen. Sullivan attacked by the
British, who were repulsed. British loss 260; American loss 206.
1779. The Indians defeated by Sullivan at Elmira.
1780. JAMES GERMAIN SOUFFLOT, an eminent French architect, died.
1782. British ship Royal George, 108 guns, sunk while careening. Admiral
Kempenfelt and about 1,000 persons were lost, of whom 300 were women and
children. (This is put down by other authorities on the 19th, and
differently stated.)
1799. PIUS VI (_John Angela Braschi_), pope, died. He rendered his name
famous by draining the Pontine marshes. Bonaparte entered his state
twice, making him a prisoner the second time, and carried him over the
Alps to Valentia, where he died of excessive fatigue, aged 82.
1804. Com. PREBLE'S fifth attack on Tripoli. The Constitution fired
upwards of 300 rounds, besides grape and canister: sunk a large Tunisian
galliot, and silenced two of the batteries and the castle. American loss
3 killed, 1 wounded.
1816. SCHETA, the celebrated astronomer of Liliennthal, died.
1833. Great fire at Constantinople, in which a circuit of three miles,
said to comprise 12,000 houses and 50,000 inhabitants, was devastated,
and many lives lost.
1843. A treaty of peace between Great Britain and China concluded. The
Chinese to pay twenty-one millions of dollars, open 5 of their principal
ports and cede the island of Hong-Kong to the British.
1849. The fortress of Achulga, the residence of Schamyl, a celebrated
Circassian chief, was carried by assault by the Russians, after a siege
of four months.
1851. LOPEZ, who had invaded Cuba with American volunteers, after
sixteen days of reverses, and having lost nearly all his followers, was
captured in the mountains by the aid of bloodhounds.
1851. A convention of twenty-five delegates assembled in Lewis county,
Oregon, and appointed a committee to prepare a memorial to congress, to
procure a division of the territory, and the organization of a separate
territorial government.
1853. The Austrian minister, M. Hulsemann, addressed a note to the
American government, complaining of the conduct of Capt. Ingraham in the
Koszta affair.
1854. Petropaulowski, a Russian town, attacked and bombarded by the
allied English and French fleet. The town was defended by 1,200 men and
120 guns.
1854. A new asteroid, named Euphrosyne, was discovered at the Washington
observatory, by James Ferguson, assistant astronomer.