50 B. C. The civil wars of the Romans began in which Cæsar and Pompey
were arrayed against each other.
615. COLUMBANUS, an Irish missionary and reformer of monastic life, died
in Italy. In his character he was intrepid, violent and fearless.
741. CHARLES MARTEL, duke of Austrasia, died. He was the actual
sovereign of France during 25 years, under the titles of mayor of the
palace, and duke of the Franks. He repeatedly vanquished the Suevians,
Frisons, Allemans and Saxons, and at the famous battle near Poictiers
defeated the Saracens with such great slaughter, that it is said 375,000
of them were destroyed.
1322. HUGH, the illuminator, died at Cairo in Egypt, on his way from
Dublin to the holy land.
1495. JOHN II (_the Great_) of Portugal, died. He carried war into
Africa against the Moors, and extended the settlements of the Portuguese
in Africa and India.
1658. Interment of Oliver Cromwell, with great pomp. "It was the
joyfulest funeral I ever saw," says Evelyn; "for there were none that
cried but dogs, which the soldiers hooted away with a barbarous noise,
drinking and taking tobacco in the streets as they went."
1685. Edict of Nantes revoked by the imbecile Louis XIV, who imagined
the protestants in his kingdom were nearly extirpated. The protestants
were now deprived of their religious and civil rights, which they had
enjoyed nearly a century. They were driven in great numbers into
different countries of Europe by the persecutions which followed, where
they established the silk and other manufactures, to the great prejudice
of their own country.
1707. CLOUDESLEY SHOVEL, a celebrated English admiral, wrecked off the
Scilly isles, as he was returning with his fleet from the coast of
Spain; 900 seamen also perished with him.
1708. HERMAN WITSIUS died; a learned Dutch divine, and theological
writer.
1710. Birthday of MARIE ANNE LE PAGE DU BOCCAGE, a French lady greatly
celebrated for her writings.
1724. WILLIAM WOLLASTON died; a celebrated English divine, author of the
_Religion of Nature_.
1726. The island of Jamaica visited by a fearful hurricane which
destroyed much property on the plantations and a fleet of ships.
1746. The assembly of New York brought in a bill to raise £2,250 by
lottery towards erecting a college.
1757. Alum first discovered in Ireland.
1764. Battle of Buxar, in Bengal; the British defeated Mir Cassim, who
lost 4,000 killed, 133 cannon, and all his tents, &c., taken.
1775. PEYTON RANDOLPH, first president of the American congress, died.
He was a native of Virginia, and one of the most distinguished lawyers
and patriots of that state.
1777. Battle of Red Bank; the Hessians under count Donop in their attack
upon the American fort, were defeated with the loss of about 500 killed.
Donop was mortally wounded. Fort Mifflin was attacked at the same time
by water, without success, and two British men-of-war were lost.
1784. Treaty at fort Stanwix (now Rome) between the Six Nations and the
United States.
1788. GEORGE III, king of England, became insane.
1791. JOHN DAVID MICHAELIS, a German theological writer, died. His works
are 49 in number.
1793. British took possession of Grand Ance and Nicola Mole, in St.
Domingo.
1802. SAMUEL ARNOLD, an eminent English musical composer, died in
London.
1812. VINZINGERODE, the Russian general, with his aid Narishkin, rode up
to Warsaw with a white flag to offer terms, was made prisoner, and
despatched towards Hesse; but was retaken by a party of Cossacks.
1812. The city of Moscow wholly evacuated by the French, after a
possession of 1 month and 8 days. Russian troops entered it immediately
afterwards, in time to preserve the Kremlin, which had been undermined
to be blown up; and within a few hours, so completely had the Russian
peasants baffled Napoleon, that the town swarmed with people and the
markets were stocked with provision.
1818. JOACHIM HEINRICH CAMPE, a German theologian, died. His
philosophical works, as well as those which he composed for the
instruction of youth, display a noble and philanthropic spirit; some of
them have been translated into most of the European languages.
1824. CHARLES VAN ESS, a German ecclesiastic, died. He wrote some
historical works, and a translation of the New Testament was published
under his name.
1840. HENRY RICHARD VASSALL, lord Holland, an English statesman, died.
He was a man of literary accomplishments, and particularly distinguished
for his knowledge of Spanish literature. He is characterized as a wit
without a particle of ill-nature, and a man of learning without a taint
of pedantry.
1841. ROBERT BISSETT SCOTT, an English writer on military jurisprudence
and a military advocate, died at London, aged 67.
1846. BATIS STONE, another of those long lived patriots of the
revolution of the American colonies, died at Philadelphia, aged over 103
years. Though in nearly every battle he escaped unwounded.
1846. The steamship Great Britain ran aground on the coast of Ireland,
and became too deeply imbedded to be lifted by subsequent tides. The
passengers and most of the cargo saved.
1848. ALEXANDER G. MCNUTT, an eminent Mississippi lawyer, died, aged 47.
1850. The city council of Chicago passed resolutions nullifying the
fugitive slave law, and releasing the police from the obedience of it.
They subsequently reconsidered this action.
1855. WILLIAM MOLESWORTH, a Welsh baronet, died, aged 45. He began to
make a figure before the public at a very early age, and distinguished
himself in parliament and elsewhere.