1066. Battle of Hastings, and defeat of Harold by William of Normandy,
which placed the latter upon the throne of England. The battle lasted
from morning till sunset. William had three horses killed under him, and
there fell about 15,000 Normans; but on the side of the vanquished, the
loss was much greater, and included Harold and his two brothers, who
were slain.
1066. The first earl created in England. Alfred in 920 used this word as
king is now used.
1292. EDWARD I, of England, declared John Baliol king of Scotland.
1519. The Spaniards under Cortez entered without opposition the strong
and populous city of Cholula, where a plot was laid for their
destruction, but which resulted in a terrible massacre of the
inhabitants.
1529. A placard appeared at Brussels, whereby all such as had any
prohibited books in their custody, not brought forth to be burnt, should
be put to death.
1537. JANE SEYMOUR, third queen of Henry VIII, died.
1644. Birthday of WILLIAM PENN, the first proprietor of Pennsylvania,
son of admiral sir William Penn.
1645. Battle of Basing, in which Cromwell at the head of the
parliamentary forces stormed and took, after an action of only
three-quarters of an hour, the fortress of Basing house, which the
royalists considered almost impregnable. There was immense booty taken
with the place, of every kind. The plunder of treasure and furniture
amounted to more than $1,000,000; in one room was found a bed which cost
nearly $6,000. The mansion was set fire to and destroyed, with most of
the valuable paintings, papers, &c., by the roundheads, who acted up to
the scripture, "cursed is he that doeth the work of the Lord
negligently."
1656. Act of the Massachusetts authorities, prohibiting the immigration
of quakers, and subjecting such as should arrive to 20 lashes, and
imprisonment at hard labor until transported, and if they returned to
suffer death.
1660. PAUL SCARRON died; an eminent French comic writer and satirist.
1660. HUGH PETERS, chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, hanged at London. His
death was the result of the most infamous trial on record. He was 7
years in New England as minister, first at Salem then in the Great
church at Boston.
1734. Birthday of FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE, a distinguished statesman and
signer of the declaration of independence. The day of his death is not
known.
1736. GEORGE CLARKE delivered his first speech to the assembly, as
governor of the province of New York; and consented to introduce the
practice which has ever since prevailed, of absenting himself from the
council while they sit as a branch of the legislature.
1747. Six ships of war taken by admiral Hawke off the isle of Aix.
1756. JOHN HENLEY, an eccentric English writer, died. He acquired the
appellation of _orator Henley_, and entertained the public by
theological orations on Sundays, and political and miscellaneous
subjects on Wednesdays; also by a weekly paper called _The Hyp Doctor_.
1758. Battle of Hochkirchen; the Prussians under their king Frederick
II, defeated by the Austrians under marshal Daun, with the loss of
7,000 men, all their tents, and baggage, &c. James Keith, a brave and
experienced Scottish general, who had distinguished himself in the
memorable wars of the king of Prussia, was killed, and general Geist
mortally wounded.
1761. Volcanic phenomenon seen at Great Malvern in Worcestershire, Eng.
1781. Two British redoubts at Yorktown taken, and included in the second
parallel, which greatly facilitated the subsequent operations of the
besiegers.
1783. ANTONIO NUNES RIBEIRO SANCHEZ, an eminent Portuguese physician and
writer, died.
1791. GREGORY ALEXANDER POTEMPKIN, a Russian statesman, died. He was
descended from a Polish family, was the favorite of Catharine, and her
minister of war.
1805. Battle of Ulm; the French under Bonaparte captured the bridge and
the Austrian position of Elchingen.
1806. Battle of Jena, or Auerstadt, in Saxony, between the French under
Bonaparte and the Prussians under king Frederick William. The Prussian
line extended 18 miles, and numbered 150,000 strong; the total number of
men engaged on both sides was over 250,000, and the number of cannon
employed over 700. The Prussians were defeated with the loss of 20,000
killed and wounded, and 40,000 taken prisoners; together with 300
cannon, and immense magazines of stores. The French admitted a loss of
only 1,200 killed and 3,000 wounded.
1813. BONAPARTE arrived at Leipsic, in Germany, having in the course of
four days assembled there an army whose numbers are variously stated at
from 150 to 400,000 men, with 600 cannon, and commanded by the ablest
generals of the age.
1831. LOUIS PONS, an eminent Italian astronomer, died at Florence.
1836. JAMES WILD, an English geographer, died; distinguished for his
numerous maps and charts.
1841. HEYER embarked at Boston for India, as the first missionary of the
Lutheran church in the United States. He established a mission at
Guntoor.
1842. Grand celebration in New York of the completion of the Croton
water works; more than 15,000 persons joined in the procession.
1843. A check was put on the progress of Irish agitation by the arrest
of Daniel O'Connell and his son on a charge of conspiracy and other
misdemeanors.
1845. WILLIAM PRIDGEN died, in Bladen county, N. C., aged 123. He was a
volunteer in the revolutionary army, although even then exempt from
service by his age. His grand children were aged people at the time of
his death.
1850. The convention for amending the constitution of Virginia assembled
at Richmond.
1854. HUGH A. GARLAND, an eminent lawyer of St. Louis, died; author of a
life of John Randolph.
1854. SAMUEL PHILLIPS died at Brighton, England, aged 39. He was some
time the literary reviewer for _The Times_ and author of _Readings on
the Rail_.