Part 48

1819. The commune of Grignoncourt, in the arrondissement of Neufchateau in France was desolated by a hail storm. M. Jacoutot, the mayor, collected and melted several weighing upwards of a pound each and having a transparent stone in the centre, flat, round and polished, and perforated in the centre. Wherever the hail had fallen, there were found, when it had melted, many similar stones, hitherto unknown in Grignoncourt.

1820. JOSEPH VON HAGER, an eminent Chinese scholar, died. He was born in Italy, studied in Germany, and resided some time in London. He published several works on Chinese literature, and detected the historical fraud of Vella, a Sicilian monk.

1826. PETER EDWARD LEMONTEY, a French dramatist, died. He was also an able statesman, and censor of the theatre.

1828. ABIEL ABBOT, an American clergyman, died; author of _Letters written in the Interior of Cuba_, and various pamphlets.

1829. Erzeroum, in Turkey, captured by the Russians. Among the prisoners were the seraskier and 4 pashas, 150 cannon.

1832. Cholera appeared in New York.

1840. LUCIEN BONAPARTE, younger brother of Napoleon, died at Viterbo, in Italy, aged 66, of a cancer in the breast, the same disease of which Napoleon died.

1843. JOHN MURRAY, a distinguished London publisher, died. He not only maintained an eminent position in his profession for a long series of years, but was much esteemed in private life.

1849. The steamer Europa came in collision with the American bark Charles Bartlett, on the ocean; the latter was sunk with the loss of 134 persons.

1857. ---- MITCHELL, a North Carolina geologist, was killed by a fall into the Caney river, while engaged alone in scientific explorations.

JUNE 28.

1059. ABDULLAH, founder of the dynasty of the Almoravides, which ruled Africa and Spain during a century, died of a wound received in battle.

1598. ABRAHAM ORTELIUS, a Dutch geographer, died. He traveled over a considerable portion of Europe, and for his knowledge was styled the Ptolemy of his age.

1632. The original charter of Maryland granted to Cecil, lord Baltimore. The draft being in Latin, the country was called _Terra Mariæ_, in honor of the queen.

1650. JOHN DE ROTRON, a distinguished French poet, dramatic writer and magistrate, died. He lost his life by administering to the necessities of the poor at a time of plague.

1675. An attack on the head quarters of king Philip, the celebrated sachem, by a body of the Plymouth colonists, who succeeded in routing the savages.

1681. First general yearly meeting of the quakers in America, held at Burlington, New Jersey.

1700. THOMAS CREECH, an eminent English translator, died by his own hand.

1734. General OGLETHORPE arrived in London from the colony of Georgia, with several Indian chiefs, among whom was Tomo Chichi.

1748. JOSEPH DE MAILLA, a French missionary, died at Pekin. His great knowledge of Chinese led to his employment at Pekin, where he became a great favorite with the emperor, at whose request he constructed a map of China and Chinese Tartary, and had it engraved in France.

1776. British under Clinton and admiral Parker made an unsuccessful attempt upon Sullivan's island. The American force was 344 regulars and a few volunteers. The British made the attack in 10 ships, one of which was abandoned and burnt. After the action was over 7,000 balls were picked up.

1778. Battle of Monmouth, between the British under Cornwallis, and the Americans under Washington. Owing to some mistakes on both sides, the action was delayed and the day far spent without much fighting. The Americans were prepared to renew the engagement in the morning, but the British had retreated during the night in great silence. British loss 246 killed, 59 died of fatigue; American loss 142 killed, 160 wounded. The day was excessively hot, and many died of fatigue on both sides.

1785. Treaty of fort Herkimer, between the Oneidas, Tuscaroras and the state of New York.

1794. Battle of Fleurus and capture of chateau de Namur, by the French. The allies lost more than 7000 men killed, and 1500 prisoners. The conquest of the Netherlands was greatly influenced by the result of this battle.

1794. The Poles under Kosciusko, armed with scythes rose upon the Russians at Cracow and defeated the regular troops.

1796. Battle of Renchen; Moreau victorious over the Austrians.

1797. GEORGE KEATS died; author of _Ancient and Modern Rome_, a poem, and an account of the Pelew islands.

1802. THOMAS GARNET died; an English physician and chemist, and an author on chemistry, &c.

1802. M. GARNERIN ascended in a balloon from Chelsea, England, and made an ærial voyage of more than 50 miles at the rate of 70 miles an hour. This was the most memorable ascent in England from the time of Leonardi.

1808. Valencia, in Spain, assaulted by the French under Moncey; they were repulsed with the loss of 1000 men.

1809. First steam boat on lake Champlain, arrived at St. Johns, Canada, from Burlington, Vt. She was 120 feet long, 10 wide, and drew 3½ feet water.

1811. Battle of Tarragona, in Spain; the city carried by the French under Suchet, with horrible slaughter; 10,000 prisoners taken, 384 cannon, 40,000 balls, and 500,000 quintals powder, &c.

1814. United States sloop of war Wasp, 20 guns, Capt. Blakeley, captured in 19 minutes British sloop of war Reindeer, 19 guns, 118 men. British loss Capt. Manners and 24 killed, 42 wounded; American loss 9 killed, 17 wounded.

1815. Commodore DECATUR arrived off Algiers with the American squadron.

1815. Russians under Blucher defeated the French at Villers Coterets, took 1500 prisoners and six cannon.

1815. Allies under Colloredo engaged the French near Befort; allies lost 300.

1815. French 8000 strong driven through Chevannes at the point of the bayonet.

1815. General CRENEVILLE attacked Carouge, crossed the Arve near Geneva, which was also taken.

1815. Troops of Gen. Bubna passed mount Cenis, one of the loftiest peaks of the Alps, in Savoy.

1815. The head of the bridge of Arly in Savoy carried by assault by the allied Sardinians, Piedmontese and Austrians, with the loss of 1000 men.

1835. CHARLES MATTHEWS, an eminent English comedian, died, aged 79; author of a monodramatic entertainment called _Matthews at Home_, which was extremely popular in England and America.

1836. JAMES MADISON, 4th president of the United States, died, aged 86. He was distinguished for his great talents and acquirements, for the important offices which he filled, and for his virtues in private life.

1838. Coronation of Victoria celebrated in London with great splendor and parade.

1839. Indian battle in Arkansas between the Ross and Ridge parties of Cherokees; about 50 were killed on both sides, and among them John Ross, head of the Ross party; John Ridge the leader of the other party, having been previously killed. (See June 10.)

1847. ALEXANDER HILL EVERETT died at Canton, China. He was some time editor and principal proprietor of the _North American Review_, and at his death commissioner of the United States to China.

1848. The revolution in Wallachia ended in the flight of the prince and the establishment of a provincial government.

1854. A military insurrection broke out in Spain.

1855. Battle of Rivas, in Central America. Col. Walker arrived in brig Vista and landed his forces and those of Gen. Castillon; but was forced to retire.

1855. FITZROY JAMES HENRY SOMERSET, baron Raglan, commander of the British forces in the Crimea, died of cholera at Sebastopol, aged 66. He served with Wellington on the Peninsula, and lost his right arm at the battle of Waterloo. During the arduous duties of the campaign in Turkey, he won the confidence of the army by his calmness, quick perception and fortitude, and performed great and brilliant services. He was succeeded by Maj. Gen. James Simpson.

JUNE 29.

65. PETER, the apostle, crucified at Rome, in the reign of Nero. On the evening of this day, St. Peter's church at Rome is splendidly illuminated.

455. The sack of Rome under Genseric, the Vandal, terminated. It had continued 14 days. The spoils of Jerusalem were removed to Carthage.

794. OFFA, a powerful English king, died. He corresponded on flattering terms with Charlemagne, and fixed a seal to his charters.

1033. A great eclipse of the sun was observed. In France it caused almost midnight darkness at noon.

1215. King JOHN signed magna charta, or the great charter of liberties, which is esteemed the basis and palladium of British freedom, on this day, at Runemede, a meadow on the banks of the Thames, between Staines and Windsor, now occupied as a race course. Of 26 barons who subscribed this document, only 3 could write their own names. (This event is attributed to various days.)

1450. WILLIAM ASCOUGH, bishop of Sarum, murdered at the altar by Jack Cade and his followers.

1502. COLUMBUS arrived at Hispaniola on his fourth voyage.

1509. MARGARET OF LANCASTER, mother of Henry VII, died. She was a munificent patron of learning, and the founder of St. John's and Christ's colleges at Cambridge. She sustained an excellent character.

1519. CHARLES V declared emperor by the electoral voices.

1559. HENRY II of France wounded in the eye with a spear, at a famous tournament, by the English count de Montgomery, of which he died. (See July 10.)

1573. GASPARD SANLY DE TAVANNES, a distinguished French general, died. He was an honor to the military profession, and by his exertions the king of Navarre and the prince of Conde escaped the massacre of St. Bartholomews.

1586. PRIMUS TRUBER, a Lutheran minister, who gave the first edition of the Vandalie scriptures, died.

1612. A lottery drawn in London for the benefit of the Virginia plantations, the profits of which amounted to nearly £30,000.

1644. Battle of Cropredy bridge; the parliament forces under Waller, defeated by the royalists.

1667. The French, Dutch and Danes concluded a peace with England at Breda.

1674. CHARLES II granted to his brother, the duke of York, the territory of the state of Delaware, then a part of New Netherland.

1678. Grenadiers introduced into England.

1716. ERNESTUS AUGUSTUS, duke of Brunswick, Lunenburg, and bishop of Osnabruck, brother to George I, created duke of York and Albany, in Great Britain, and earl of Ulster in Ireland.

1734. Battle of Parma, in Italy; the imperialists defeated by the French, and their general and 5,000 men killed.

1754. Lieutenant-governor DELANCEY opened at Albany a treaty with the Indians, who had been tardy in assembling at the convention of the provinces. A preconcerted speech was delivered, and the presents were distributed in the name of all the colonies.

1779. ANTHONY RAPHAEL MENGS, an eminent Bohemian painter and author, died at Rome.

1793. FRANCIS CHARLES VIVOT DE SOMBREUIL, a French general, guillotined at Paris, together with his eldest son, for their attachment to the king.

1794. MOREAU entered Bruges--British quitted Ostend--French defeated at Guadaloupe.

1810. British ships Amphion, Cerberus and Active, burnt 26 vessels in the harbor of Grao, Spain, and brought off 26 with their cargos.

1811. French took fort Olivo by stratagem, and captured 900 Spaniards without firing a gun.

1813. British sloop of war Persian, wrecked on the Silver keys, in chasing the American privateer Saucy Jack.

1813. VALENTINE GREEN, an English mezzotinto engraver, died. Besides his great merit as an artist, he is also known as the author of a valuable work on antiquities.

1816. Pope PIUS VII issued his bull against Bible societies, and prohibited the circulation of Bibles published by heretics, as eminently dangerous to souls.

1816. DAVID WILLIAMS, an English miscellaneous writer, died. He founded the literary fund.

1836. EDWARD SMEDLEY, prebendary of Lincoln, died; author of several poems, a history of the reformed religion in France, and editor of the _Encyclopedia Metropolitana_.

1837. HOFRATH ALOYSIUS HIRT died at Berlin, Prussia, aged 78; an eminent archæologist, distinguished for his attainments in literature and the fine arts, one of whose chief works was on the architecture of the ancients.

1840. THOMAS SIMPSON, companion of Mr. Dean in the discovery of the north-west passage, died by his own hand at Turtle river, aged 32. He was a native of Scotland, and for four years had been actively engaged in the prosecution of the discoveries which will immortalize his name, and for which he is represented to have possessed uncommon qualifications.

1848. Croton aqueduct bridge over the Harlem completed; 1,400 feet long, resting on 15 arches, 8 of them 80 feet span; a work of surpassing skill and magnitude.

1850. Part of the Table rock at Niagara falls gave way.

1852. HENRY CLAY, an eminent American statesman, died, aged 75. Having received a common school education, he commenced the study of the law at the age of 19, and became one of the most distinguished orators of his day. He was an earnest supporter of the colonization society, and twice an unsuccessful candidate for the office of president of the United States.

JUNE 30.

1513. HENRY VIII embarked with his forces at Dover for the invasion of France, appointing his "most dear consort, queen Catharine, rectrix and governor of the realm."

1520. MONTEZUMA, the Mexican monarch, died. The situation of the Spaniards becoming desperate, Cortez persuaded the captive monarch to address his people from a terrace, and request them to desist from their attacks and allow the Spaniards to evacuate the city. The Indians were silent while he spoke, but answered that they had promised their gods never to stop till the Spaniards were totally destroyed. A shower of stones and arrows then fell about the spot where he stood, which were warded off by the shields of the soldiers. At the moment they removed their shields, that the king might renew his address, three stones and an arrow struck him to the ground. He died, less of his wounds than of sorrow and indignation, at the age of 54.

1543. Battle of Atherton moor, in England; lord Fairfax defeated by the royalists, and totally routed.

1607. CÆSAR BARONIUS, an Italian cardinal, died. His works are numerous and valuable, especially the _Ecclesiastical Annals_, 12 vols. folio.

1666. ALEXANDER DE BROME, an English poet, died; author of innumerable odes and sonnets written during the English revolution, in which the round heads are treated with great keenness and severity.

1670. HENRIETTA, duchess of Orleans, and sister to king Charles II, died in her 26th year. Suspicions were entertained that she had been poisoned by her husband for infidelity.

1685. ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL, duke of Argyle, beheaded at Edinburgh for seditious measures. His father was also beheaded there 24 years before, as a traitor.

1690. Battle of Fleurus, in the Netherlands; the allies defeated by the French under Luxembourg, with the loss of 6,000 killed, 8,000 prisoners, and all their artillery and baggage.

1690. The Dutch and English fleets under Torrington, engaged the French fleet off Beachey head, and were defeated. English loss 2 ships, 400 men; Dutch loss 2 admirals, 6 ships; the king, William, was wounded by a cannon ball.

1694. ADAM LITTLETON, an excellent English philologist and grammarian, died.

1697. THOMAS POPE BLOUNT died; an eminent English writer and a man of great learning and research.

1703. Battle of Eeckeren, between the French and confederated armies of the English and Dutch, in which the slaughter on both sides was very great.

1733. Twenty sail of merchant ships destroyed by a hurricane at St. Christophers.

1734. Dantzic, in Prussia, surrendered to the Russians.

1777. British evacuated Amboy, N. J., and encamped opposite, on Staten island.

1785. JAMES OGLETHORPE, the first governor of Georgia, died in England, aged 97. He took an active part in the settlement of Georgia, and founded the town of Savannah. He displayed great courage and address in protecting the colony from incursions of the Spaniards.

1797. RICHARD PARKER hanged; author of the noted rebellion in the English fleet at the Nore.

1797. The chief officers of the Cisalpine republic installed by Bonaparte. This like the French republic, was but of short continuance.

1802. Treaty of Buffalo creek, when the Senecas sold their land west of Genesee river to the state.

1803. Two British ships captured off St. Domingo the French frigate Creole, 44 guns, having on board 100 blood hounds for the French army against the blacks.

1815. Action in the strait of Sunda, between United States sloop of war Peacock, and British king's ship Nautilus. The latter was captured in 15 minutes, but was given up next day, as hostilities had ceased twelve days before between the two countries.

1815. Treaty of peace concluded between the United States and Algiers, in which the dey relinquished the payment of tribute to the Algerines, released the prisoners, and made restitution for American property captured by his cruisers.

1815. Allied army from the heights of Belleville, commenced their attacks on Paris.

1817. The Prussian government prohibited the further use of the term _protestant_ in the country, as being obsolete and unmeaning, since the protestants did not any longer protest, and ordered the word _evangelical_ to be substituted for it.

1817. CHRISTOPHER DANIEL EBELING, a German geographer, died. His great work, the _Geography and History of North America_, was completed and published at Hamburg 1799, in 5 vols. His collection of books in relation to America, nearly 4,000 in number, were purchased by Israel Thorndike of Boston, and presented to Harvard college.

1821. JOSE FERNANDEZ ABASCAL died, aged 78; long engaged in the military service of Spain, and viceroy of Peru during the early part of the war of independence in South America.

1831. WILLIAM ROSCOE, an English biographer and miscellaneous writer, died. He was of humble parentage, but his lives of Lorenzo the Magnificent, and Leo X, give him an exalted and enduring reputation.

1832. Silistria, in Bulgaria, surrendered to the Russians. The trophies were 8,000 prisoners, 2 three-tailed pashas, 250 cannon, &c.

1835. BENJAMIN PRITCHARD, the Kentucky giant, died. His disease was dropsy; his weight 525 pounds.

1840. The sub-treasury, or independent treasury bill passed the house of representatives in congress, by a vote of 124 to 105.

1855. The yellow fever became epidemic in New Orleans.

JULY.

JULY 1.

1452 B. C. AARON, the Jewish high priest, died on the first day of the month Ab, at the age of 123.

1190. The crusaders under Richard Plantagenet and Philip de Valois, amounting to 100,000 warriors and pilgrims, assembled in the plains of Vezelai.

1270. LOUIS IX of France sailed from Aigues Mortes, on his fatal crusade against the infidels of Tunis.

1413. PIERRE DES ESSARS, a French nobleman, executed. He served in the Scottish army against England, 1402, and was taken prisoner. On his return to France he became a statesman, but was suspected of some political heresies, which forfeited his life.

1450. JACK CADE took possession of Southwark, and two days after entered London, cutting the ropes of the draw bridge with his sword.

1520. CORTEZ secretly evacuated the city of Mexico with the remains of his army. The Spaniards commenced their retreat a little before midnight, which was soon discovered by the Mexicans, who assailed them on all sides, so that it was with the utmost hazard of entire destruction that they effected their escape, with the loss of 600 Spaniards and 4,000 allies. All their artillery, all the riches they had amassed, the manuscripts of Cortez, were lost; together with 40 horses, most of their prisoners, and the men and women in the service of the Spaniards, were killed. It was one of the most horrible and disastrous scenes on record, and acquired the name among the Spaniards of the _noche triste_.

1555. JOHN BRADFORD, an English martyr in the reign of queen Mary, and an eloquent preacher, burnt at Smithfield for heresy.

1582. JAMES CRICHTON (_the admirable_) assassinated at Mantua. He was a native of Scotland, and altogether a most extraordinary character, about whom authors differ also most extraordinarily, some even treating his existence as fabulous. Urquhart places his death on the 27th February, at the carnival.

1614. ISAAC CASAUBON, a celebrated Swiss critic and theologian, died at London. Nearly all the ancient classics are indebted to his valuable researches.

1626. Chaplains first appointed to each ship in the British navy.

1627. King CHARLES I of England dismissed his queen's French servants, which occasioned a war with France.

1643. The great assembly of divines met at Westminster in the Jerusalem chamber; 118 preachers and 26 laymen.

1676. New Jersey divided into East and West Jersey; the former granted to George Carteret, the latter to William Penn and others.

1681. OLIVER PLUNKET, primate of Ireland, executed at Tyburn. It was afterwards discovered that he was guiltless of the crimes imputed to him, and that he fell a sacrifice to the intrigues of some of his priesthood.

1690. Battle of the Boyne, in Ireland, which decided the fate of James II and the Stuart dynasty, and established William III on the British throne. The duke of Schomberg, one of the ablest generals of the time, was killed, at the age of 82. Also the Irish rector, George Walker, famous for his heroism. The forces of James were but 27,000, opposed to 36,000 strong.

1709. EDWARD LHUYD died; a celebrated antiquary and linguist, and keeper of the Ashmolean museum.

1731. JOHN MONTGOMERY, governor of New York, died. He possessed a kind and human disposition, and his death was much lamented.

1743. Action between the British ship Centurion, 60 guns, 400 men, Com. Anson, and Spanish ship Acapulco, 64 guns, 550 men. The latter was captured, with above a million and a half of dollars on board. Spanish loss 67 killed, 84 wounded; British loss 2 killed, 17 wounded. (See June 15, 1744.)

1762. JOHN BAPTIST NOLIN, a French geographer, died at Paris.

1766. JOHN FRANCIS LEFEVRE DE LABARRE, a young French nobleman, executed. A wooden crucifix had been defaced on a public bridge, at which the bishop of Amiens was greatly enraged, and demanded a disclosure of the perpetrators. Labarre was arraigned on the false accusation of his enemy, Duval de Saucourt, and the indictment also charged him with having passed a procession of monks without taking off his hat. He was sentenced to have his tongue cut out, his right hand cut off, and to be burnt alive. This sentence the parliament of Paris commuted, by a small majority, into decapitation before burning. Labarre was scarcely nineteen years old, and was one of the latest victims of that religious fanaticism in France which led to the revolution. Voltaire exerted himself as warmly against this infamous act, as he had against the execution of Calas.

1780. Action off cape Finisterre between British ship Romney, 50 guns, and French frigate Artois, 40 guns, 460 men. The Artois was captured in 45 minutes, 20 killed, 40 wounded; British 2 wounded.

1780. JOHN BELL, a celebrated Scottish traveler, died, aged 91. He commenced his travels about the year 1714, in the employ of Peter the Great of Russia, with whom he was on terms of great intimacy; and extended his travels into many different countries; was afterwards for several years a merchant at Constantinople, and finally in 1747 returned to his native country to spend the remainder of his life in ease and affluence on his estates of Antermony.

1781. Battle of Porto Novo, in Hindostan; 7,000 British under sir Eyre Coote defeated Hyder Ally and 150,000 men. English loss about 400 killed and wounded; Hyder lost many of his best officers and 4,000 killed.

1782. The marquis of ROCKINGHAM, first lord of the English treasury, died. His merit was his patriotism, and his patronizing such men as Burke, and bringing them into influence.