1417. JOHN OLDCASTLE, "the good lord Cobham," the first author and an
early martyr of the reformation, hung alive in chains and burnt to
death.
1622. VALENTINE SMALCIUS, a celebrated Socinian writer, died at Cracow.
1624. CHARLES HOWARD, an intrepid English admiral, died. He commanded
the English fleet at the defeat of the Spanish armada.
1681. FRANCIS VAVASSEUR, a French Jesuit, died; distinguished as a
teacher of rhetoric and belles lettres at Paris, and as a lecturer on
the scriptures.
1704. JOSEPH DUCHE DE VANCY died; a French poet, author of several
scripture tragedies.
1710. HENRY ALDRICH died; an eminent English scholar, divine, architect
and musician.
1713. THOMAS RYMER, a famous English antiquary, died.
1715. THOMAS TENISON, archbishop of Canterbury, died; a celebrated
polemical writer against popery.
1716. WILLIAM TRUMBULL died; an English statesman, ambassador to France
and afterwards secretary of state.
1735. THOMAS TANNER, a learned English antiquary, died, leaving behind
him a valuable work, upon which he had been employed 40 years.
1759. Prof. BRAUN ascertained the congelation of quicksilver.
1769. SAMUEL KNEELAND, an eminent Boston printer, died. He published the
first edition of the Bible in America, which was in 4to, with a London
imprint, to evade the patent which was held by English and Scottish
publishers, _cum privilegio_.
1774. The citizens of New Hampshire attacked and carried the king's
castle, and removed the powder.
1775. Gen. HOWE ordered the old North Meeting and 100 other wooden
houses, to be taken down in Boston and used for fire wood.
1775. British lord DUNMORE defeated by the Americans at Norfolk, Va.
1776. British overran New Jersey.
1780. IGNATIUS SANCHO, an African author, died at London, aged 51. He
was born on board of a slave ship. His _Letters_ possess great
originality. (15?)
1781. Gen. GREENE informed the board of war that he had been unable to
advance on the British for ten days for want of ammunition; that he had
not paper with which to make returns, no camp kettles, &c.; that he lay
within a few miles of the enemy and had not six rounds per man; that he
had been seven months in the field without taking off his clothes one
night.
1782. British under Gen. LESLIE evacuated Charleston, S. C., and
embarked under cover of the king's ship Caroline. The Americans under
Gen. Wayne took immediate possession of it.
1785. JOHN BAPTIST CYPRIANI, a famous Italian painter, died. He settled
in England, but his numerous pieces were spread over Europe by the
graver of Bartolozzi.
1789. CALEB ELLIOTT died of starvation. He was a visionary enthusiast
who imagined that he was called upon to fast 40 days, and actually lived
16 days without food of any kind, having refused all sorts of
sustenance.
1792. ARTHUR LEE, an American statesman, died. He was an ardent friend
of the rights of the colonies, which he rendered essential services as
agent at London, and afterwards as minister with Franklin in France. He
is represented as a man of uniform patriotism, sound understanding,
great probity, plain manners and strong passions.
1796. ANTHONY WAYNE, commander-in-chief of the United States troops,
died at Presque isle, aged 51. He distinguished himself in the wars of
the revolution by his bravery and untiring patriotism.
1797. Great earthquake at Cumana; more than four-fifths of the city was
entirely destroyed, and a number of persons perished.
1799. GEORGE WASHINGTON, the American hero and statesman, the man on
whom, in times of danger, every eye was turned and all hopes were
placed, expired without a struggle, at Mount Vernon, in the 68th year of
his age.
1803. The British under Maj. Gen. WELLESLEY, since lord Wellington,
carried by storm the almost impregnable fortress of Gawilghar, in the
East Indies.
1807. An extraordinary large and brilliant meteor was seen in
Connecticut, exploding at three different times, each explosion
accompanied with a fall of meteoric stones, one of which was probably
200 pounds weight.
1814. British flotilla of 45 boats with 1,200 men and 43 cannon captured
several American gun boats on lake Borgne near New Orleans, manned by 23
guns and 182 men, after an action of about three hours.
1815. The prince regent of Portugal at Rio de Janeiro, proclaimed the
Brazils to be a separate kingdom.
1816. CHARLES STANHOPE, an English statesman, died. He is better known
by his numerous mechanical inventions, and as a man of science.
1818. EDWARD LAW, lord Ellenborough, an eminent English lawyer, died.
1826. CONRAD MALTE-BRUN, a Danish poet, political and philosophical
writer, and geographer, died at Paris. He was forced to leave his own
country for the tendency of his writings to liberty.
1829. Commencement of a civil war in Chili, by an action between the
armies of Luctra and Pietro, in which the latter were defeated.
1843. CHARLES GOLDSBOROUGH, author of the naval history of the United
States, died at Washington, D. C., where he was engaged in the navy
department.
1849. EDWARD DOUBLEDAY, a distinguished British naturalist, died at
London, aged 39. He visited the United States in 1835, and returned with
a large and rare collection of specimens in most of the branches of
natural history, which he distributed to several of the public
institutions of England.
1851. JOEL R. POINSETT, an American statesman, died, aged 72. He was a
native of South Carolina, was secretary of war under Mr. Van Buren, and
opposed to the revolutionary schemes of some of the politicians of his
native state.
1852. Madame D'ARUSMONT, better known as _Fanny Wright_, died at
Cincinnati, aged 57. She was born at Dundee, Scotland, and came to
America with considerable property, where she gained great notoriety by
her lectures and writings.
1855. JOEL ABBOTT, commanding the United States squadron in the East
Indies, died at Hong Kong, China; a brave and energetic officer, who
discharged his duties with signal ability and discretion.