480 B. C. The great victory of Themistocles over the Persians at
Salamis, is also placed upon this day by some authorities. (See Aug.
20.)
61 B. C. The great and unrivaled triumph of Pompey, which continued two
days, for having concluded a war of 30 years, in which he had
vanquished, slain and captured 2,183,000 men; sunk or taken 846 ships;
reduced under the empire 1538 towers and fortresses, and subdued all the
countries between the Mœotian lake and the Red sea. The golden vine
of Aristobulus, king of the Jews, a little chapel of pearl consecrated
to the Muses, surmounted by a sun-dial, and twenty kings and princes,
with a string of barbaric gods, were among the trophies which preceded
the car of the conqueror.
420. JEROME, one of the fathers of the Christian church, died. He was
famous for his eloquence, his virtue and his extensive learning.
788. ABDURRAHMAN I, founder of the dynasty of Beni Umeggah in Spain,
died, aged 62. On the defeat of his house in the east, he subdued Spain
and founded a dynasty which continued 300 years.
1139. A revolt from king Stephen in favor of the empress Maud, daughter
of Henry I, of England.
1283. DAVID, brother of Llewellyn of Wales, executed by Edward as a
traitor. This opened the way for the title of prince of Wales to the
princes of England.
1291. RODOLPH I, emperor of Germany, died. He added Austria, Styria and
Carniola to his dominions by conquest.
1400. OWEN GLENDOWER erected his standard as prince of Wales.
1435. ISABELLA of Bavaria, queen of France, died. She was a licentious
and intriguing woman, who preferred the interests of England to the
prosperity of her own country.
1517. LUTHER maintained his ninety-five propositions at Wittemberg.
1572. Pope PIUS V died. He issued the famous bull, absolving the
subjects of queen Elizabeth from their allegiance, but the lioness of
England heeded not such bellowings.
1628. FULK GREVILLE, lord Brooke, assassinated; a literary character of
considerable celebrity in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I.
1630. ISAAC JOHNSON, one of the principal founders of the city of
Boston, died. He was the first magistrate who died in the colony, and
was buried on his own lot. The first burying place in Boston was laid
out around his grave. The spot is now built upon, being bounded by
Tremont, Cornhill, Court and School streets.
1632. THOMAS ALLEN died; an Englishman, eminent for his knowledge of
mathematics and philosophy.
1659. JUAN DE PALAFOX, an illustrious Spanish ecclesiastic, died. He was
appointed bishop of Los Angelos in America, where he displayed an
admirable character.
1662. A rencontre between the French and Spanish ambassadors, at which
many were killed. The contest was precedency.
1682. Colonel THOMAS DONGAN preferred by the duke of York to the
government of his province of New York in America.
1707. JOHN REINHOLD DE PALKUL, a Livonian gentleman, who resented the
oppression his country suffered from the Swedes, was basely broken on
the wheel, by order of Charles XII.
1719. BERNARD RENAU D'ELISAGARAY, a French mathematician, died. He
obtained a pension for his improvements in the construction of ships.
1747. THOMAS HALL died, aged 6 years; four feet six inches high, and
weighing upwards of seven stone. He died as if of extreme old age.
1761. JOHN DOLLOND died; an eminent English optician and inventor of the
achromatic telescope.
1770. GEORGE WHITEFIELD, one of the founders of the sect of the
methodists, died at Newburyport, Mass., aged 55. He visited America
seven times, and preached in all parts of the Atlantic states with great
power and success.
1775. British ship Rose, captain Wallace, cannonaded Stonington. The
town was considerably injured, 2 persons killed and a loaded schooner
and two sloops carried off.
1779. Colonel JOHN WHITE, with 6 volunteers and his servant, captured a
company of 141 British, posted on the Ogeeche river, and brought them
safe to an American post 25 miles distant. He also took 5 vessels, one
of 12 and another of 10 guns. The exploit was effected by kindling large
fires round the post, and making such other parade as demonstrated a
large encampment.
1781. Yorktown invested by the American and French armies under
Washington and Rochambeau, assisted by the French fleet under count
d'Estaing.
1789. Nova Castella and several villages in Italy destroyed by an
earthquake.
1790. General HARMER with 320 regulars and 1133 militia, defeated the
Indians at Miami village, in Ohio, but with the loss of 141 killed and
31 wounded. The loss of the Indians was estimated at about 100 killed
and 300 wigwams burnt. They also destroyed 20,000 barrels of corn, and
a great quantity of other provisions.
1793. A furious riot occurred at Bristol, England, on the erection of a
new toll gate on the bridge. Several persons were killed and wounded by
the military. But the tumults were allayed by the Bristoleans' agreeing
to raise the money some other way than by toll.
1795. GEORGE BUTT, an English prelate and poet, died.
1797. The state road having been completed, the first stage started from
fort Schuyler (Utica) and arrived at Geneva in the afternoon of the
third day, with four passengers.
1811. THOMAS PERCY, a learned English prelate, died. Besides his
_Reliques of Ancient English Poetry_, a valuable work, he published
translations from the Chinese, Icelandic and Hebrew languages.
1824. WILLIAM WINDHAM SADLER, an English æronaut, killed by a fall from
his balloon. The accident occurred by the car being driven against the
chimney in the descent. He was a skillful chemist and engineer, cut off
at the early age of 28.
1826. JOSEPH PETER PICOT CLORIVIERE, director of the monastery in
Georgetown, D. C., died. He was a royalist of France, and the reputed
inventor of the infernal machine for which he had to leave his country.
1826. A magazine of powder near Ostend, containing 1,300 barrels, or
about 60 tons, exploded, damaging many houses by the concussion, and
destroyed several lives.
1830. Independence of the South American republics acknowledged by
France.
1849. SILAS JENISON, for several years governor of Vermont, died at
Shoreham, an esteemed and valuable citizen.
1849. Mrs. MAURY died in Virginia; an artist, linguist and authoress,
known in the United States by her _Statesmen of America_.
1849. ROBERT GOLDSBOROUGH, for many years president of the medical and
chirurgical society of Maryland, died at Centreville.