1170. THOMAS BECKET, archbishop of Canterbury, assassinated in his
cathedral, aged 53.
1563. SEBASTIAN CASTALIO, a French writer, died. His writings are very
considerable, both for their number and quality, discover great
knowledge of the languages, and are chiefly on scripture subjects.
1594. JOHN CHASTEL, the son of a woolen draper at Paris, executed for an
attempt to assassinate the king, Henry IV.
1674. Battle of Mulhausen; the French under Turenne, gained a victory
over the Germans.
1680. WILLIAM STAFFORD, an English nobleman, beheaded. He was convicted
of high treason as a conspirator in the popish plot, said to have been
contrived by the catholics for the assassination of Charles II.
1689. THOMAS SYDENHAM died; an excellent English physician and medical
writer.
1699. GEORGE MATTHIAS KŒNIG, a learned German writer, died;
distinguished for his knowledge of belles lettres, divinity and oriental
languages; principally known by a biographical dictionary which has been
of great service to subsequent compilers.
1713. JOHN CHARDIN, a famous French _voyageur_, died. He was driven to
England on the revocation of the edict of Nantes, where he was knighted
by Charles II. His _Voyages_ have always been much esteemed as very
curious and accurate.
1731. BROOK TAYLOR, an English mathematician and philosopher, died. His
works were valuable and often republished.
1737. JOSEPH SAURIN, a French mathematician, died. He devoted his life
to geometrical pursuits, and is conspicuous for a controversy with
Rousseau who wished to palm upon him some of his own libelous verses
against persons of distinction.
1755. GABRIELLE SUSANNE BARBOT DE VILLENEUVE, a celebrated French novel
writer, died.
1761. ELIZABETH, queen of Russia, died. She was the daughter of Peter
the Great, and ascended the throne, 1741.
1774. TOUSSAINT GASPARD TACONNET died; a French actor and dramatic
writer, noted for his eccentricity.
1778. Savannah taken by the British. A negro conducted the British by a
private path to the rear of the Americans, who being attacked in front
and flank, made a fatal retreat. Upwards of 100 Americans were killed,
453 taken; the town and fort, 48 cannon, 23 mortars, with ammunition and
stores, the shipping in the river, and large quantities of provisions
fell into the hands of the enemy.
1783. SAMUEL COOPER, a Boston clergyman, died. His sermons were
evangelical and perspicuous, and unequaled in America at that time for
taste and elegance.
1783. DANIEL WRAY, a learned English antiquary, died, aged 82.
1790. JOHN GEORGE LA FRANC DE POMPIGNAN, a learned French prelate, died.
He was author of sixteen works on different subjects.
1794. The town of Grave, considered a masterpiece of fortification,
surrendered to the French under Pichegru, after a blockade of two
months.
1797. General DUPHOT, assassinated by the populace at Rome, which was
made a pretext of the French directory for dethroning the pope, Pius VI.
Duphot had distinguished himself on several memorable occasions, and had
repaired to Rome for the purpose of espousing the sister of Bonaparte,
afterwards married to Murat.
1798. American government issued orders to the commanders of their armed
vessels to repel by force the mustering and searching their vessels, and
detaining them; but when overpowered by a superior force, to strike
their colors and surrender ship and men.
1812. Action between United States frigate Constitution, 54 guns, 480
men, Capt. Bainbridge, and British frigate Java, 49 guns and 500 men
including supernumerary officers, which resulted in the capture of the
latter in 55 minutes. Loss of the Java 60 killed and 101 wounded
including the captain, Lambert, mortally. Constitution lost 34 killed
and wounded.
1825. JAMES LOUIS DAVID, a celebrated French painter, died. He was one
of the wildest idolators of Robespierre and Marat, but finally lost his
repugnance to monarchy under Bonaparte. He was banished on the
restoration of the Bourbons, and died at Brussels. His works are
numerous, and attest a splendid genius.
1832. Baron COTTA died. He was the originator of the daily political
paper, the _Algemeine Zeitung_, so extensively circulated in Europe.
1832. JAMES HILLHOUSE, an American statesman, died at New Haven, Ct.,
aged 79. He took an active part in the revolution, and was eighteen
years a member of congress. He was entrusted with the construction of
the Farmington canal.
1834. T. R. MALTHUS, an English writer on political economy, died. His
most celebrated work is an _Essay on Population_, which has passed
through many editions, and been translated into various languages.
1836. DEBORAH TRIPP died at Poughkeepsie, aged 10 years and six months,
and weighing 360 pounds. A few years before, herself and a younger
sister were exhibited about the country for their extraordinary fatness.
The younger sister died two or three years previous.
1837. WILLIAM MAVOR, a popular English author and compiler, died, aged
80. His _Voyages_ and _Universal History_, in 25 vols. each, are well
known, and his _English Spelling Book_ passed through between four and
five hundred editions.
1837. The imperial palace at St. Petersburg burnt, the weather at the
time being 22° below zero. The palace was built in the reign of
Elizabeth, at a cost of upwards of $5,000,000, and was the largest in
Europe, sufficient to lodge 12,000 persons. The loss of treasures,
pictures, statues, ornaments and furniture was immense.
1837. Steamer Caroline, a vessel in the service of the Navy island
patriots, destroyed.
1839. Battle of Cagancha between the forces of Uruguay, under Rivera,
and those of Buenos Ayres under Echague. The latter had an army of 5,000
men, and was defeated with the loss of 800 killed, and prisoners,
baggage, &c., taken. Rivera's loss about 200.
1845. Texas admitted into the union.
1848. Wisconsin admitted into the union.
1848. The Roman chambers were dissolved and a constituent assembly
convened.
1849. Great crevasse in the Mississippi banks at Bonnet Carré, about
forty miles above New Orleans.
1850. The British forces had an engagement with the Caffres, in South
Africa, were defeated with considerable loss, and obliged to retreat to
their fort.
1852. ROBERT FORREST, an eminent Scottish sculptor, died, aged 63. He
was originally a stone mason, in the quarries of Clydesdale; but the
products of his chisel are seen in the most conspicuous points of
Glasgow and Edinburgh.
1855. The French imperial guard made a triumphal entry into Paris on its
return from the Crimea.