795. ADRIAN I, pope, died. He was a Roman patrician, who on his
elevation to the pontificate highly embellished St. Peter's church, and
displayed his benevolence and humanity during a famine occasioned by the
inundation of the Tiber.
1135. STEPHEN crowned king of England on St. Stephen's day.
1292. JOHN BALIOL performed homage to Edward of England at New Castle.
1300. EDWARD I of England forbade the circulation of crockards,
pollards, rosaries, and other foreign coins, as sterlings. They were all
called in and a new _sterling_ money coined, so called from the
Easterlings, who were the first coiners of silver of that fineness in
England.
1530. ZAHIR-EDDIN MOHAMMED BABER, founder of the Tartar empire in
Hindostan, died, aged 47. He made the first irruption into Hindostan in
1505, which was unsuccessful; but in 1524 he again undertook the
invasion, defeated and killed the sultan in battle, and extended his
conquests far and wide with astonishing rapidity. He was one of the most
distinguished sovereigns that ever sat upon an Asiatic throne.
1552. CHARLES V raised the siege of Metz, with the loss of 30,000 men.
1679. THOMAS BLOUNT, an English barrister at law, died; distinguished
for his talents and learning, and as a respectable writer.
1729. HONORE TOURNELY, a distinguished French ecclesiastic, died. He was
professor of philosophy at Douay, and a popular preacher.
1731. ANTHONY HOUDART DE LA MOTTE, an ingenious French critic and
miscellaneous author, died. His works consist of epic poetry, tragedy,
comedy, lyric, pastoral, and fable; besides a vast variety of
discourses, critical and academical.
1732. WILLIAM LELAND, of Lisnaken, in Ireland, died, aged 139. He was
alike remarkable for his stature and longevity.
1762. EVERARD TITON DU TILLET, a French Jesuit, died; distinguished for
his learning, and for a brazen Parnassus which he planned and erected in
honor of Louis XIV.
1771. CLAUDE ADRIAN HELVETIUS, a French writer, died. He was a wealthy
and benevolent man, but his works were irreligious.
1776. Battle of Trenton, New Jersey. The Americans under Washington
crossed the Delaware on a cold and stormy night, and surprised the
Hessians at sunrise. Col. Rhalle and 20 men were killed and the
remainder surrendered, to the number of 1,000. Of the Americans 2 were
killed and 2 frozen to death. This well judged and successful
enterprise revived the depressed spirits of the colonists and produced
an immediate and happy effect in recruiting the American army.
1780. JOHN FOTHERGILL, an eminent London physician, died. He was of the
sect of quakers, and distinguished himself by his public and private
benefactions, his encouragement of science, and attention to the health,
the police and the conveniences of the city, as well as his great
medical skill.
1782. HENRY HOME, lord Kaimes, died. He was one of the senators of the
college of justice in Scotland, and eminent as a critical and
philosophical writer.
1784. OTHO FREDERIC MULLER, a Danish naturalist, died. His works show
much method and great accuracy.
1797. JOHN WILKES, a famous English politician and an elegant scholar,
died. He was a member of parliament, lord mayor of London, and
afterwards chamberlain.
1800. MARY ROBINSON died; an elegant English poetess, novelist and
dramatic writer.
1806. Battle of Pultusk in Poland, between the Russians under Beningsen
and the French under Lannes. The latter were defeated with the loss of
8,000; Russian loss 5,000. The French drew back with such haste that the
advancing Cossacks were unable to overtake their rear guard next day.
Lannes was glanced by a ball, and had two aids killed.
1806. Battle of Soldau; French under Ney defeated the Prussians under
Lestocq.
1806. Battle of Alawa, in Prussian Poland; French under Marchand gained
a brilliant victory.
1806. Battle of Golymin; Russians defeated by the French under Murat and
Davoust. The Russians on this eventful day lost 80 cannon, 12,000 men,
and a great amount of baggage, &c.
1811. Destruction of Richmond theatre, in consequence of the scenery
taking fire, when 123 persons perished, among whom was the governor of
the state, and a great number of females.
1812. JOEL BARLOW, an American poet and statesman, died at Garnowitch,
in Poland, while on an embassy from the United States to Bonaparte. His
principal work is the _Columbiad_, a poem.
1820. JOSEPH FOUCHE, duke of Otranto, died. He was one of the most
flagrant of the French revolutionists; but had the adroitness to escape
punishment by shifting his opinions with every variation of the public
sentiment and policy.
1831. STEPHEN GIRARD, a wealthy Philadelphia banker, died. He was a
native of France; was first a cabin boy, then mate of a ship, then
keeper of a toy shop, afterwards a merchant, and finally a banker. He
left an estate of ten or fifteen millions, which was bequeathed to
charitable and public purposes.
1843. Rev. JAMES HARVEY LINSLEY, a writer in the _American Journal of
Science_, died at Stratford.
1851. The town of Lagos, on the coast of Africa, destroyed by an English
force, with a loss of 30 killed and 60 wounded, because the native chief
refused to sign a treaty for the effectual suppression of the slave
trade. The chief was deposed, and another substituted in his place.
1851. A large portion of the Chinese part of Hong-Kong destroyed by
fire, including all the printing offices, the finest edifices and public
buildings; involving the loss of nearly 500 houses and many human lives.