Part 18

1808. The Portuguese royal family arrived in Brazil, fleeing before the arms of Napoleon to the colonies.

1809. Schenectady county, New York, taken from Albany.

1810. CUTHBERT COLLINGWOOD, the English admiral, died in his ship off Minorca. He entered the British navy at an early age, and by his talents rose to the highest rank. His most distinguished service was the part he bore at the battle of Trafalgar. On the fall of Nelson in that conflict, the command devolved on him. The victory on that occasion was attributable to the nautical skill, prudence and courage of Collingwood; and his ship was the first to break through the French line.

1814. Battle of Craonne in France, in which the French under Victor and Ney defeated the allies, took 6 generals and about 6,000 prisoners.

1828. RICHARD STOCKTON, a son of the signer of the Declaration of American Independence of that name, died at Princeton, New Jersey. He was one of the foremost supporters of Washington's administration.

1844. Florida admitted into the Union.

(Query 3d.)

MARCH 8.

1096. WALTER the Pennyless departed from France with the van of the Crusaders.

1639. DUDLEY DIGGES, master of the rolls under Charles I, died. He was noted for his patriotism, and was the author of several literary performances.

1663. The great frost at Paris, which had endured three months, broke up on this day.

1702. WILLIAM III of England, died. He was celebrated as a politician, and formidable as a general. (16th?)

1721. Pope CLEMENT XI died, aged 72. He reigned over twenty years.

1748. The British squadron, Admiral Knowles, attacked and carried Port Louis, in St. Domingo, which he also destroyed. The French lost about 130 killed; British loss 20 killed and 50 wounded.

1750. An earthquake at London which shook the whole city. It occurred at half past five in the morning, awoke people from their sleep, threw some persons out of bed and rung the bells.

1757. THOMAS BLACKWELL, an eminent Scottish writer, died. His modesty was such that he published his works anonymously.

1766. The bill repealing the American stamp act received the royal assent, and was passed.

1766. WILLIAM CHAMBERS, the architect, died. He was born in Sweden, but was brought over to England at two years of age. As an architect, the building of Somerset house will place his name with the best of the British schools. He was the author of several works, principally on architecture.

1775. An inhabitant of the town of Billerica, Mass., tarred and feathered by the British troops. The British were the first to introduce this practice, which, afterwards became a popular mode of punishing tories.

1793. The French national convention abolished imprisonment for debt, and decreed that all actually confined for debt in the republic should be set at liberty. From this law however were excepted all defaulters in public money.

1793. The city of Liege in Belgium, taken by the Austrians.

1796. A viscid and resinous substance fell near Bautzen, in Upper Lusatia, composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Several distinguished men of science examined specimens of it. It had the smell of the yellowish and very much dried gum of the juniper.

1796. Banda, an East India island, taken by the British under Admiral Rainer. A large quantity of spices and considerable money fell into the hands of the victors.

1799. Cayuga county, New York, erected.

1799. MASSENA took by assault the fortress of Luciensteig, cut out of the rock in the channel of the Rhine. This opened a passage through the Rhætian Alps.

1801. The British effected a landing in Egypt, at Aboukir bay, with the loss of 700 men. The French under Menou opposed their landing with great bravery.

1803. FRANCIS EGERTON, duke of Bridgewater, died. He is styled the father of canal navigation in England. He planned the Worsley canal, near Manchester, which he completed with the assistance of Brindley. He died immensely rich.

1804. Goeree, an island of the Netherlands, which had fallen into the hands of the French a few weeks previous, was retaken by the British on this day.

1807. SAWREY GILPIN, an English painter, died. He excelled particularly in delineating animals. His masterpiece is a group of tigers.

1808. Third day's action between the British frigate St. Fiorenza and the French frigate Piedmontaise, 50 guns, off cape Comorin. The action lasted one hour and twenty minutes, when the French struck, having 48 killed and wounded. The British lost 17 killed besides their commander, Capt. Hardinge.

1814. Lord WELLINGTON defeated the French and entered Bordeaux.

1814. Unsuccessful attack by the British under Gen. Skerret upon Bergen-op-Zoom. Of 4,500 British it is supposed that not more than 1,500 escaped.

1815. Action between the British ship Tiber, Capt. Dacres, and the American privateer Leo, 7 guns, 93 men, Capt. Hemes, which resulted in the capture of the latter.

1819. REGNAULT DE ST. JEAN D'ANGELY, a French statesman under Bonaparte, died at his ancient seat, on the day following his return from exile, of gout in the stomach.

1844. CHARLES JOHN BERNADOTTE, king of Sweden, died, aged 81. He rose from the humble rank of a sergeant in the army, to the highest rank under Bonaparte; and in 1810 founded a new dynasty in Sweden. Having fortunately joined the allied powers in 1812 against Napoleon, he survived the overthrow of the other newly erected dynasties, and transmitted the crown to his son, Oscar I.

MARCH 9.

1403. BAJAZET I, sultan of Turkey, died. He was celebrated as a warrior, but his disposition was cruel and tyrannical. Being conquered by Tamerlane, and exposed by him in an iron cage, he dashed his head against the bars of his prison, and killed himself.

1405. Battle of Grosmont, in which Henry IV defeated the Welch under Griffith Glendowr.

1566. DAVID RICCI (or Rizzio), an Italian musician, residing at the court of Mary, queen of Scots, assassinated in her presence. His skillful performance of the national melodies of Scotland, tended not a little to their general improvement with the higher classes.

1609. WILLIAM WARNER, an English poet, died; author of _Albion's England_.

1615. FRANCIS BEAUMONT, an English dramatist buried. He was jointly concerned with Fletcher in the production of several excellent plays, and assisted Jonson in some of his. He died under 30 years of age.

1649. The duke of Hamilton, earl of Holland, and Lord Capel beheaded with others who were suspected of royalism. Bad faith is attributed to their judges.

1661. JULIUS MAZARIN died; cardinal and prime minister of France under Louis XIV. His name is identified with the history of his time.

1678. Ghent surrendered to Louis XIV of France.

1679. A declaration forbidding pardon to be granted to any who killed another in a duel, issued by the council of England.

1694. GASPARD SAGITTARIUS, a German historian, died. He was an able supporter of the doctrines of the reformation.

1735. Violent hurricane occurred at Kilverton in Norfolk rolling the lead of the roofs of houses and doing in the few minutes it lasted, incredible damage. A strong smell of sulphur followed.

1762. JOSEPH CALAS, a merchant of Toulouse, executed on the wheel. He was unjustly condemned for the murder of his own son. His innocence was confirmed by a public _arret_, on this day the next year.

1770. WILLIAM GUTHRIES, a voluminous Scottish writer, died. He became celebrated as a bookmaker, and lent his name to the works of less popular authors.

1778. Great council at Johnstown between the Six nations and New York company.

1782. Mangalore, a seaport of Hindostan, surrendered to the British under General Matthews.

1783. MICHAEL ETMULLER, a German physician, died. His works have been published in 5 vols. folio.

1793. Congress passed the act to organize the militia; enacting the enrollment of every able bodied white male citizen between the ages of 18 and 45.

1795. The Fingal, or 118th regiment, mutinied at Birmingham, England.

1796. CHARETTE, the famous Vendean chief, tried and shot at Nantes, aged about 33. He refused to have his eyes bandaged, and gave the signal to fire himself.

1801. JOHANN CHRISTIAN ACKERMANN, a celebrated German physician and bibliographer, died, aged 45.

1810. London rendered impassable for several hours by a heavy rain.

1811. Battle of Pombal, in Portugal, in which the French were defeated with the loss of 470, by the British.

1812. JOHN HENRY'S plot to dismember the Union disclosed to congress. Henry received $50,000 public money for disclosing it, and sailed immediately for France.

1814. Battle of Laon, in which Napoleon was defeated by Marshal Blucher.

1822. EDWARD DANIEL CLARKE, professor of mineralogy at Cambridge and a celebrated traveler and tourist, died.

1823. JOHN HENRY VAN SWINDEN, a Dutch philosopher, died. He was an author on various subjects, and a man of great erudition.

1825. ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD, an English authoress of great reputation in her day, died. She was early taught the languages, and became distinguished for her learning. She retained great vigor of mind and body to the extreme age of 90.

1834. Snow fell at Rome, the first event of the kind on record in 240 years. (See March 25, 1595.)

1840. GEORGE GLEIG died at Stirling, Scotland, aged 87; distinguished for more than half a century as a scholar, critic, metaphysician and theologian.

1847. Battle of Vera Cruz.

MARCH 10.

222. HELIOGABALUS, emperor of Rome, assassinated. He was a cruel, vindictive and licentious tyrant.

1333. LADISLAUS III of Poland died. He oppressed the people till they revolted and placed Wenceslaus upon the throne. On the death of the latter he was reinstated and governed with justice and moderation.

1668. JOHN DENHAM, a British poet, died. One of his poems, _Cooper's Hill_, is commended by the ablest critics.

1673. HENRIETTA COLIGNI, a French poetess of much celebrity, died.

1683. The first council and assembly of Pennsylvania met at Chester. The session occupied 22 days.

1686. JAMES II granted a general pardon to many of his subjects, excepting among others the girls of Taunton who gave a Bible and sword to Monmouth. James never favored the Bible.

1726. The Lyford giant born; when five years of age he could lift one hundred weight with one hand.

1736. WILLIAM COSBY, captain general and commander in chief of the province of New York, died, almost universally detested.

1774. WILLIAM BROWNE, an English physician, died. The active part he took in the contest against the licentiates, occasioned his being introduced by Foote into his play of the _Devil upon Two Sticks_. He is distinguished by many lively essays in English, and Latin prose and verse.

1776. ELIAS CATHERINE FRERON, a French _litterateur_, died. He was the constant subject of Voltaire's satire, who called him the tyrant, rather than the king of literature.

1776. The British soldiery, contrary to orders, plundered Boston.

1783, ANTHONY LOYDI, a farmer of Amezquet, Spain, died, aged 114. He had never been sick until a few days before his death, always abstained from wine and tobacco, and retained his senses, his teeth and hair until he died.

1785. N. SABLIER, an eminent French author, died at Paris.

1789. The city of London brilliantly illuminated on account of the convalescence of the king.

1792. JOHN, earl of Bute, died. He was made prime minister of England, from which he voluntarily retired to enjoy a life of learned leisure.

1797. The city of Albany made the capital of the state of New York.

1797. Delaware county, in the state of New York, erected.

1812. BONAPARTE issued a decree _denationalizing_ all flags that should submit to the British orders in council.

1813. Action at night in Chesapeake bay between the United States schooner Adeline and the British schooner Lottery; the latter it is supposed was sunk.

1819. FREDERICK HENRY JACOBI, a German philosophical writer, died.

1820. BENJAMIN WEST, the painter, died at London, aged 82. He was born at Springfield, Penn., 1738. The first indications of his genius were elicited at the age of seven years, by drawing the portrait of his sleeping sister in red and black ink. He began painting as a profession at the age of 18, and four years after went to England. He was subsequently induced by Sir Joshua Reynolds to take up his residence in London, where he acquired a reputation seldom attained, and at the time of his death was president of the Royal academy.

1826. JOHN PINKERTON, an eminent and voluminous Scottish author, died at Paris, aged 68.

1829. The William and Anne, a British trading vessel, wrecked at the mouth of Columbia river, on the north-west coast of America, and the whole crew, 16 Europeans and 10 Sandwich islanders, murdered by the natives.

1833. SAMUEL TUCKER, an American revolutionary commodore, died at Bremen, Maine. He was distinguished as a brave and able commander, and at the time of his death, was supposed to have been, next to Lafayette, the highest surviving officer of the revolution.

1855. JAMES BROWN, an eminent book-publisher of Boston, Mass., died, aged 55. He not only was eminent in his profession, but possessed the taste and spirit of a scholar.

1855. CARLOS, the claimant of the Spanish throne from the time of the death of Ferdinand in 1833, died at Trieste, where he was known as the conde de Molina.

1855. The college building at Princeton, N. J., known as Nassau hall, was destroyed by fire. It was built in 1756 and in the Revolutionary war was used for barracks, by both the British and Americans.

MARCH 11.

1302. The marriage of ROMEO MONTOCCHIO with JULIET CAPELLETTO was solemnized at the church of the Minorites, at Citadella. These were Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

1444. The university of Paris issued a circular addressed to all the French clergy, expressing the opinion of the church, that the _feast of fools_, about the calends of January, was a well imagined institution, connected with Christianity, and that those who attempted to suppress it should be curst and excommunicate.

1513. JOHN MEDICI elected pope and assumed the title of Leo X. From his grave appearance it was often said he seemed never to have been a child.

1544. Birthday of TORQUATO TASSO, styled the prince of Italian poets.

1669. The memorable eruption of Mount Etna began at sunset.

1722. JOHN TOLAND, a very famous English political, polemical and miscellaneous writer and antiquary, died at Putney.

1732. PETER CHIRAC, a French author and physician to the king, died.

1732. KOULI KHAN, usurped the Persian throne.

1738. It was ascertained that 12,000 persons were convicted in London in a few months for selling gin without a license, and 3,000 paid a fine of £10 rather than be committed to the house of correction.

1744. Action off Toulon between part of the British fleet under Matthews and Lestock, and the combined French and Spanish fleets.

1797. Two discharged servants informed the police that Ladies Buckinghamshire, Luttrel and Stuart played faro, in consequence of which their ladyships were fined.

1800. The Royal institution of London for the promotion of the fine arts held their first sitting.

1808. Franklin, Chatauque, Cattaraugus and Niagara counties in the state of New York, erected.

1809. HANNAH COWLEY died, aged 66. She was born at Tiverton, England, and distinguished as a poetress, and a dramatic writer.

1811. Badajos in Spain surrendered to the French under Soult. About 9,000 prisoners were taken, 170 cannon, 80,000 quintals of gunpowder, a large quantity of infantry cartridges, and two complete bridge equipages.

1812. PHILIP JAMES DE LOUHTERBOURG, a distinguished landscape painter, died at London. He was born at Strasburgh, 1740, and studied under Casanova. He gained considerable reputation by his paintings at Paris, after which he went over to England. Here he got up under the name of _Eidophusikon_, a novel and highly ingenious exhibition, displaying the changes of the elements and their phenomena, in a calm, a moonlight, a sunset and a storm at sea.

1813. Action off Surinam river between the United States privateer schooner Gen. Armstrong, 18 guns, and a British 24 gun frigate. The privateer sustained the attack 45 minutes within pistol shot, and succeeded in escaping with the loss of 6 killed and 16 wounded.

1848. HENRY WHEATON, an American statesman, philanthropist and classic writer, died at Roxbury, Mass.

1856. President RIVAS, of Nicaragua, declared war against Costa Rica.

MARCH 12.

1470. Battle of Erpingham, in England, and defeat of the rebels under Sir Robert Welles.

1507. CÆSAR BORGIA killed by a cannon shot before the castle of Biano. He was the natural son of Pope Alexander VI, and by him invested with the purple. He was a man of such conduct and character that Machiavel has thought fit to propose him, in his famous book, called _The Prince_, as a pattern to all princes who would act the part of wise and polite tyrants. He allowed no one to stand in his way to promotion from any scruples to removing them by the foulest means.

1578. ALEXANDER PICCOLOMINI died; author of dramatic and other pieces. He was the first who used the Italian language in philosophical subjects.

1581. WILLIAM FULKE preached a sermon within the tower of London in the hearing of such obstinate papists as were there imprisoned.

1612. The third charter of Virginia granted, by which new privileges and immunities were given for the encouragement of the colony.

1664. CHARLES II, of England, granted to his brother the duke of York, all Mattawacks, now Long Island; all Hudson's river, and all the lands from the west side of Connecticut river to the east side of Delaware bay, together with the royalties and rights of government.

1676. Action between the French fleet under Duquesne, and the Spanish and Dutch fleets under De Ruyter, who was mortally wounded.

1682. Chelsea hospital, England, founded.

1683. The first assembly of Pennsylvania was holden at Philadelphia, two years from the time that Penn obtained the charter.

1697. LUDOVICK MUGGLETON, a schismatic English tailor, died. He entertained notions peculiar to himself, and damned all who differed from him. He was pilloried and imprisoned, and his books burnt by the hangman.

1703. AUBREY DE VERE died. His father was the valiant Robert de Vere, who married the daughter of a Friesland boor, named Beatrix Van Hemims. He was lord of the bed chamber to Charles I; was found so passive under Cromwell, that he escaped even the fine; conformed to the manners of the court of Charles II; went over from James II to William the conqueror; and was graceful in old age at the court of Queen Anne. He had been privy councilor to each of these sovereigns, and was hereditary lord chamberlain, senior knight of the garter, and premier earl of England.

1713. STEELE commenced his paper _The Guardian_.

1716. ISAAC BRIAND was fined £2000 by the court of aldermen, London, for marrying Miss Elizabeth Watson, an orphan of 13 years of age and a great fortune, without their consent.

1761. The shock of an earthquake felt in Massachusetts and the adjoining states, at half past two in the morning.

1768. Six students of Edmund hall, Oxford, were expelled the university for methodism. Their crime was praying, expounding the scriptures and singing psalms.

1772. Montgomery (originally Tyron) county, N. Y., erected.

1775. The earl of Effingham resigned his command in a regiment ordered to America. He refused to bear arms against his fellow subjects in the colonies.

1780. The British garrison at Mobile, Capt. Durnford, capitulated to the Spaniards under Don Bernardo de Galvez. The garrison consisted of 284 regulars, 54 inhabitants and 51 armed Indians.

1797. The French under Serrurier crossed the Piave, having defeated the Austrians who opposed their passage.

1801. The British fleet sailed from Aboukir bay, Egypt, and the army under Abercrombie, having effected their landing, took up their line of march for Alexandria.

1807. British order in council, interdicting all trade between port and port in France.

1809. GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS IV, king of Sweden, dethroned, and the reigns of the government assumed by his uncle the duke of Sudermania, afterwards Charles XIII. (By some authorities, March 15.)

1811. The French under Massena attacked at Redinha, Portugal, by the duke of Wellington, and compelled to fall back.

1813. Warren county, N. Y., erected.

1814. The allied British and Portuguese, under Marshal Beresford, took possession of Bordeaux in France, in the name of Louis XVIII.

1819. ROBERT WATT, author of the _Bibliotheca Britannica_, died. His family were severe sufferers by the failure of Constable & Co., of Edinburgh.

1837. M. DE PRADT, archbishop of Malines, died at Paris, aged 78. He bore a conspicuous part in the political history of France, was often employed in important missions, and was the author of many political publications.

1843. LITTLETON HUNT, aged 107, died at Guinett, Ga. When a soldier of the revolutionary army he was severely wounded at the battle of Eutaw springs.

1844. EDWARD R. SHUBRICK, a brave and accomplished American naval officer, died on board his ship, the Columbia, off the coast of Brazil, aged 50.

1846. JONATHAN ELLIOT, a well known newspaper editor and political writer, died at Washington, D. C.

1854. HUGH MACPHERSON died, aged 86; for 61 years professor of Greek at the university of Aberdeen.

1857. Rail road accident on the Great Western railway in Canada, by which a great number of persons were killed at a bridge over the Des Jardins canal.

1857. JOHN JOHNSON, an old revolutionary soldier, died in Alleghany township, Westmoreland county, Penn., aged 103. He served in the continental army during the whole of the revolutionary war; fought at the battles of the White plains, Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, Stony point, Guilford court house, and Yorktown where Lord Cornwallis capitulated and surrendered to Gen. Washington, in all the battles and skirmishes of Gen. Anthony Wayne; and at the storming of Stony point by Wayne, he formed one of the _forlorn hope_.

MARCH 13.

565. BELISARIUS, a distinguished Roman general, died. He is memorable for his signal and momentous victories, and for his misfortunes. He was degraded to beg alms at the gates of Constantinople by the ungrateful emperor Justinian, to whom he had rendered the most important services.

1470. Battle near Stamford, England, in which Edward IV gained an important victory over his adversaries.

1493. COLUMBUS arrived at Palos, from his first voyage of discovery.

1519. CORTEZ, on his expedition for the conquest of Mexico, landed at the mouth of the river Tabasco, and prepared to attack the town of the same name, in which about 12,000 warriors had assembled. Calling upon _St. Jago_, he fell upon the Indians, who were repulsed.

1521. MAGELLAN discovered the Phillipine islands, on one of which he was killed by the natives.

1573. MICHAEL DE L'HOSPITAL, chancellor of France, died. He was distinguished for the ability, integrity and mildness of his administration, which was cast in the midst of turbulence and faction.

1604. ARNAUD D'OSSAT, a celebrated French cardinal and statesman, died. His _Despatches_ is highly recommended to the ambassador who hopes to succeed in his object.

1614. BARTHOLOMEW LEGAT burnt at Smithfield for the heresy of Arianism, under the reign of James I.