Part 50

1685. Battle of Sedgemoore; the duke of Monmouth's rebel army defeated. The misguided nobleman was taken _napping_ in a dry ditch, with the George and 200 guineas in his pocket.

1715. CHARLES ANCILLON, an eminent French lawyer, died. He was made inspector of the French courts of justice in Berlin, and historiographer to the king.

1758. The English and provincials under Abercrombie embarked on lake George against Ticonderoga and Crown point, on board 125 whaleboats and 900 batteaux. The army consisted of nearly 16,000 effective men, of whom about 9,000 were provincials, and was attended by a formidable train of artillery.

1758. General lord HOWE was killed in a skirmish before Ticonderoga. With him it is said "the soul of the army expired."

1767. JOHN KEY, said to have been the first person born in Philadelphia, died at Kennet, Pa., aged 85.

1770. A naval action between the Turks and Russians took place, and while two of the leading ships of each party were grappled together, they took fire and blew up, carrying destruction and death to all around.

1775. Birthday of WILLIAM CROTCH, a musical prodigy, who excited universal astonishment at London by his performances on the organ, at the age of three years.

1779. New Haven, Conn., entered by the British under sir George Collier, and subjected to almost indiscriminate ravage and plunder till night.

1780. Action off cape Ortegal between British ships Prudent and Licorne, and French ship Capricieuse 32 guns. The latter was captured, but so much damaged that they were obliged to burn her.

1782. Fifth action between the British fleet, admiral Hughes, and the French, admiral Suffrein, in the East Indies.

1788. MATHER BYLES, a Boston divine, died; a man of talent and wit, who corresponded with Pope, Lansdowne and Watts. He was suspected of tory principles during the revolution, and frequently, on complaint, sentenced to be confined to his own house, with a sentinel over him; on one of these occasions he induced the sentinel to go on an errand for him, promising to take his place, and was seen very gravely marching before his own door, the musket on his shoulder, keeping guard over himself.

1792. ROBERT STRANGE died; styled the father of historical engraving in England. He studied in France, and had the first knowledge of the dry needle, an instrument which his genius improved and used with great success.

1797. Second bombardment of Cadiz by the British.

1807. Buenos Ayres assaulted by the British under general Whitelocke. They were forced to retire with the loss of 2,000 men, and soon after compelled to withdraw the armament.

1808. Cuenca, Spain, taken by the French under Caulincourt, and given up to pillage.

1809. Battle near Enzersdorff and Wagram. Massena having crossed the Danube during the night, which was stormy and tempestuous, compelled the Austrians under the archduke Charles to give Bonaparte battle. The action continued the whole day, but neither party gained any decided advantage.

1811. The seven provinces of Venezuela made declaration of independence.

1814. Battle of Chippewa; the United States troops under general Brown, defeated the British, and compelled them to retire within their works. British loss 198 killed, 100 wounded, and 137 taken prisoners--435; American loss 60 killed, 257 wounded, and 20 missing--337.

1816. DOROTHEA JORDAN, an eminent English actress, died. Notwithstanding her popularity and patronage, she died in France in great obscurity and penury.

1817. The golden sovereign of England first put in circulation.

1830. Algiers surrendered to the French under general Bourmont, after a siege of six days. A rich booty fell into the hands of the conquerors, of gold and silver, besides 1,500 cannon, and 12 ships of war lying in the harbor. Loss of the French previous to effecting this conquest, 2,400 men; that of the Algerines 10,000.

1836. DANIEL COLE, a native of Long island, N. Y., died in Canada, aged 106.

1839. The third centennary of the protestant reformation was celebrated with great parade and splendor at Dresden, in Saxony.

1848. The negroes at St. Croix revolted and compelled the governor to proclaim their freedom. The whites thereupon formed a provisional government, deposed the governor, attacked the negroes, and having captured 300, shot them immediately.

1852. The British minister at Washington, gave notice that to prevent encroachments of fishing vessels belonging to the United States and France, upon grounds reserved by the convention of 1818, directions had been given for stationing a force of vessels and steamers off New Brunswick, Prince Edward's island, and in the gulf of St. Lawrence, as would be deemed sufficient to prevent the infraction of the treaty.

1852. The steam boat St. James exploded her boilers on lake Ponchartrain, and burnt to the water's edge. About 20 persons were killed and 19 wounded.

1852. The convention for revising the constitution of Louisiana met at Baton Rouge; Duncan F. Kenner president.

1852. ISAAC T. PRESTON, a distinguished jurist, died near New Orleans, aged 59. He was a native of Virginia; graduated at Yale college in 1812, and suspended his legal studies to serve as captain of a company in the war with Great Britain. He rose to high distinction in the legal profession, and was elected judge of the supreme court of Louisiana, which office he held at the time of his death. He was killed by the explosion of a steam boiler on lake Ponchartrain.

1854. A fire at Philadelphia consumed the National theatre, Chinese museum, and other edifices.

JULY 6.

63 B. C. The Roman capitol fired during the night by an incendiary and consumed. The famous _sibyline verses_ perished with it.

1189. HENRY II, of England, died. He added Brittany and Ireland to his dominions, attempted to repress the ambition of the clergy, and died of a broken heart at the rebellion of his children.

1303. BENEDICT XI (_Nicholas Bacosin_), pope, died. He was the son of a shepherd, succeeded Boniface VIII, and was poisoned by his cardinals.

1439. The solemn act of reunion between the Greek and Latin churches subscribed in the cathedral of Florence, after a separation of 600 years, by the pope, the emperor of Constantinople, and principal members of both churches.

1483. RICHARD III, with his consort (Anne Beauchamp, widow of Edward, prince of Wales), inaugurated at Westminster. The train of the king was borne by the duke of Buckingham, that of the queen by the countess of Richmond, both of the opposing houses of Lancaster.

1553. EDWARD VI, of England, died of consumption, aged 16, and was succeeded by his sister Mary.

1568. JOHN OPORINUS, one of the most learned and eminent of the early German printers, died. He employed 6 presses and 50 men, and printed only his own works.

1583. EDMUND GRINDAL, archbishop of Canterbury, died; an able theological writer.

1630. A fleet of 14 sail, with men, women and children, and provisions, intended to make a firm settlement in New England, arrived in Massachusetts bay. There were on board about 1,500 passengers of various occupations, principally from the vicinity of London; among whom was governor Winthrop and his lieutenant Dudley, with several other gentlemen of wealth and quality. The expense of this equipment and transportation was £21,200.

1653. CROMWELL'S first parliament met.

1660. CHARLES II, of England, resumed touching for scrofula; placing his hands on the neck of the patient, the chaplain saying "He laid his hands on them and healed them."

1759. WILLIAM PEPPERELL died; an officer in the British service before the American revolution, and 32 years a member of his majesty's council. He was born in Maine, rose to the highest military honors, and in 1745 commanded the expedition against Louisburg, which was reduced. He was rewarded with the title of baronet of England.

1767. MICHAEL BRUCE, an elegant Scottish poet, died, aged 21.

1775. Congress issued a manifesto, setting forth the causes and necessity of taking up arms in defence of their rights, against England.

1777. Ticonderoga and mount Independence evacuated by the American general St. Clair, who retreated to fort Edward. At the same time the Americans at Skeenesborough were obliged to burn their vessels, and retreat to the same place. The British under Burgoyne had advanced their works so far as to threaten a complete inclosure of the continental army.

1779. Action off Granada between the British fleet, admiral Barrington, 21 ships, and French fleet, 27 ships, admiral d'Estaing. Although the French avoided a close action, it is supposed that their loss was 1,200 killed, owing to their ships being crowded with men. British loss 529 killed and wounded.

1781. Battle of James river; general Wayne with 800 men, intending to strike Cornwallis's rear guard, was deceived by a countryman, and met the whole army of 4,000 regulars, drawn up to receive him. He instantly attacked them and retreated. Cornwallis, from the daring singularity of the manœuvre, concluded it to be a feint to draw him into an ambuscade, therefore did not pursue him. Wayne, however, lost his artillery.

1782. Sixth action between the British fleet, admiral Hughes, and French, admiral Suffrein, in the night, in close action. Both fleets suffered much; French lost the Orient, crew saved.

1790. Some workmen engaged in digging near Donadea, Ireland, discovered a vault, 12 feet by 8, and 6 f. 3 in. deep, containing a stone coffin in which rested a skeleton measuring 8 feet 3½ in. in length, by the side of which was a spear 7 feet in length and two brass urns, having the sun and moon engraved on them in a most curious, though antique manner. The vault was seventeen feet from the surface of the ground and no clue could be found to the identity of the body, or the time of its deposit there.

1790. GEORGE AUGUSTUS ELIOTT, lord Heathfield, died. He gained much celebrity in the Prussian service, and during the seven years' war in Germany; but his constancy and talent in defence of Gibraltar during three years of constant investment, in which all the powers of Spain were employed, excited the admiration of the world.

1796. ADAM STANISLAUS MARUSZEWICH, a Polish poet and historian, died.

1801. Action off Algesiras between the British and French fleets. A British 74 grounded and was captured.

1809. British sloop of war Bonne Citoyenne captured in 6 hours 50 minutes French frigate La Furieuse. British loss 1 killed, 5 wounded; French loss 35 killed, 37 wounded.

1809. Battle of Wagram, between the French army of 180,000 under Napoleon, and the Austrians under the archduke Charles, of about half the force. The battle commenced on the 5th, and was decided on the 6th. The Austrians were compelled to retreat, after having taken 7,000 prisoners and 12 eagles, and retired fighting three days in succession, leaving the field of battle covered with their slain. It is stated that 27,000 fell on both sides. The French reckoned their loss 15,000 killed, about 4,000 wounded. Of the Austrians 12,000 were wounded, and 20,000 taken prisoners; 19 generals were killed or taken, and 40 cannon lost.

1813. GRANVILLE SHARP, a learned English philanthropist, died. He interested himself in the abolition of slavery, and to his exertions "England owes the verdict of her highest court of law, that the slave who sets his foot on English ground becomes that instant free."

1815. SAMUEL WHITBREAD, member of the British parliament and one of the most extensive brewers in the world, died by his own hand.

1823. PIUS VII (_Gregory Barnabas Chiaramonti_), pope, died. He was a prisoner under Napoleon from 1808 to 1814, during which time he rejected with firmness the offers of the emperor.

1835. JOHN MARSHALL, chief justice of the United States, died, aged 80. He was an extraordinary man, and the object of universal respect and confidence, on account of his extraordinary talents, his unsuspected integrity, his exemplary private virtues, and his important public services, which by some are deemed second only to those of Washington. He wrote the _Life of Washington_, 5 vols.

1838. ALEXANDER AIKMAN, late printer of the _Jamaica Royal Gazette_, died. His exertions spread much light in that island.

1839. Great fire at Eastport, Me., by which the larger portion of the business part of the town was destroyed.

1849. Successful sortie of the Danes besieged in the fort of Frederick by the Schleswig Holsteiners, of whom 3,112 were slain and taken prisoners.

1851. DAVID MACBETH MOIR, a Scottish writer, died at Dumfries, aged 53. He was the _Delta_ of _Blackwood's Magazine_, to which he was long a contributor, and in whose pages first appeared _Mansie Wauch_, which was long ascribed to Galt.

1857. JOHN LAURIS BLAKE, an American divine, died at Orange, N. J., aged 68. His principal work is a _Biographical Dictionary_, of which several editions were printed.

JULY 7.

715 B. C. ROMULUS, founder and first king of Rome, disappeared on the _nones_, during the _quirinalia_, in a chariot of fire, _patriis equis_, as he was reviewing his people. There seems to be no other way of explaining this account, than that he was a victim of some of the elements.

587 B. C. The city of Jerusalem, with the temple, palaces and walls, razed to the ground, the inhabitants carried into captivity, and the entire Israelitish monarchy terminated (after it had stood 468 years from the accession of David), in the 11th year of Zedekiah, on the seventh day of the Hebrew month _Ab_. It is still observed as a day of lamentation.

1307. EDWARD I, ninth king of England, died in the 35th year of his reign, aged 69. He was distinguished for his wisdom and the equity of his laws, as well as for his military abilities. (See Jan. 2, 1774.)

1415. JOHN HUSS, a celebrated German reformer, burnt by the council of Constance. He was the first opposer of the doctrine of transubstantiation, and the defender of Wickliffe.

1520. Battle of Otumba; the retreating army of Cortez being hotly pursued by the Mexicans, that general resolved to halt and risk a battle. The Tlascalan allies were of incalculable service to the maimed and wretched band of soldiers, who now faced about to resist the whole Mexican force, determined not to leave a trace of the Spaniards upon the earth. This battle lasted four hours; the Spaniards performed prodigies of valor, and were victorious. The cavalry penetrated the masses of Mexicans and struck down the chiefs when they began to give way, and the Tlascalans mowed down all before them with the arms which were thrown away by the fugitives.

1572. SIGISMUND II, king of Poland, died, and with him the Jaghellon race became extinct.

1573. JAMES BORAZZIO VIGNOLA died; an eminent Italian architect.

1607. The national anthem, _God save the King_, written by Ben Jonson, and composed by Dr. Bull, first _vocalized_ in Merchant Taylor's hall, by the choir of the royal chapel, the king being present.

1640. The inhabitants of Providence, 40 in number, united in forming a civil government, after their own model.

1647. Revolt in Naples against the Spanish authorities, headed by the famous Thomas Aniello (_Massaniello_) a fisherman.

1647. THOMAS HOOKER, an English dissenting divine, died. He emigrated to Holland to escape persecution, and thence to America, and settled in Connecticut. In 1647 he removed with his whole congregation to the banks of the river, and may be considered the founder of the town of Hartford. He was a rigid puritan, and a man of learning and talent.

1648. Battle of St. Neots in England.

1667. The British admiral sir JOHN HARMAN destroyed the entire French fleet, 33 sail, at Martinique, and left the vessels to rot on the strand.

1696. A party of French and Indians under count Frontenac left the island of Montreal to invade the country of the Five Nations with a great army. The expedition was unsuccessful.

1708. CONRAD SAMUEL SCHURTZFLEISCH died; professor of history, poetry and Greek at Wittenberg, and counselor and librarian to the duke of Saxe-Weimar.

1713. WILLIAM COMPTON, bishop of Oxford, died. He was a dissenter, and took a conspicuous part in the politics of the day, particularly in the cause of William of Orange, whom he crowned.

1721. Sir WILLIAM KEITH, governor of Pennsylvania, held a council with the Indians at Connestogo.

1725. Treaty of Vienna between the emperor Charles VI and Philip V of Spain concluded by the baron de Ripperda, of Pragmatic sanction memory.

1776. JEREMIAH MARKLAND died; a very learned and acute English critic.

1777. Action between the United States frigate Hancock, 32 guns, captain Manley, and three British ships, under sir George Collier. The Hancock was captured; she wanted upwards of 60 of her complement, they being on board her prize, the British frigate Fox, which was soon after recaptured.

1779. British under governor TRYON plundered and burnt at Fairfield, Conn., 2 churches, 82 dwellings, 55 barns, 15 stores and 15 shops; and at Green Farms 1 church, 15 dwellings, 11 barns, and several stores; and sailed thence to Norwalk.

1784. Fort Dauphin, St. Domingo, entered by a negro, Jean Francois, a lieut. general in the Spanish service, with several hundred men, who massacred the white French, about 771 in number. The town had been delivered to the Spaniards for protection, conditioned that the negroes should not be permitted to enter it.

1791. THOMAS BLACKLOCK, an eminent Scottish poet and divine, died. His talents and acquirements were the more extraordinary, when it is considered that he lost his eye sight at the age of six months, by small pox.

1797. Congress declared the existing treaties with France no longer obligatory.

1798. WASHINGTON appointed lieutenant general of the armies of the United States.

1799. WILLIAM CURTIS, a distinguished English botanist, died. His great work, the _Flora Londinensis_, gave him an enduring reputation.

1799. The Kennet and Avon canal in England was opened.

1808. Desperate action, at night, between the British ship Sea Horse and Turkish frigate Badere Zaffer, 52 guns and 500 men, and another Turkish ship of 24 guns. At daylight the Badere struck, having 165 killed and 195 wounded; the other escaped. Sea Horse had 5 killed, 9 wounded.

1809. Cuxhaven, a fortified town of Hanover, taken by storm, by the boats of a British squadron.

1809. St. Domingo surrendered to the British and Spaniards.

1814. The three estates of the British realm offer public thanksgiving at St. Paul's for the peace of Europe.

1814. The United States troops under major general Brown, attacked the British at Chippewa; the latter retreated, and in the evening the Americans occupied their works.

1816. RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN, an English dramatist, wit and orator, died. His dramas were undertaken for a subsistence; afterwards, for thirty-two years, he pursued a splendid parliamentary career, but died in great poverty.

1820. PIERRE LOUIS LOUVEL executed for the murder of the duke de Berri.

1843. JOHN HOLMES died at Portland, Me. He was the first United States senator sent from that state.

1844. The disgraceful riots of Philadelphia again commenced; many were killed.

1848. JULIA RUSH, widow of Dr. Rush, died, aged 90.

1848. OLIVER W. P. PEABODY died; an accomplished scholar, and able contributor to the _North American Review_.

1849. During the week closing with this day, 21,297 immigrants arrived at the port of Quebec, Lower Canada.

1853. A plot to assassinate the emperor of France while on his way to the opera, was discovered. Many armed conspirators were seized near the theatre, of whom 21 were convicted on trial.

1854. Battle of Giurgevo; the Turks defeated the Russians, and drove them from their position, with a loss in the conflict of 1,700 killed and wounded.

1855. WILLIAM EDWARD PARRY, the noted Arctic explorer, died at Ems, aged 64. He succeeded in extending his expeditions beyond those of his predecessors, for which he received the parliamentary reward, and was knighted in 1829.

JULY 8.

17. The isle of Thia, one of the scattered cluster called the Sporades, in the Grecian archipelago, rose brightly from the sea.

1117. ADAM DE ST. VICTOIRE, a French ecclesiastic and writer, died.

1174. HENRY II of England performed severe penance before the shrine of Thomas a Becket in the cathedral of Canterbury.

1497. The Indian expedition of Emanuel, king of Portugal, sailed from the Tagus. It consisted of three vessels, under Vasco de Gama.

1520. The retreating and almost annihilated army of Cortez entered the dominions of their faithful allies, the Tlascalans. Here the Spaniards rested to repair their fortunes, and the Mexicans meanwhile employed themselves in restoring their devastated capital.

1524. JAMES VERRAZZANUS, the Florentine discoverer, dated his letter to the king of France from Dieppe, giving an account of his voyage along the coast of the United States, in which he is supposed to have visited the outer harbor of New York.

1533. LUDOVICO ARIOSTO, the Italian poet, is by some authorities said to have died on this day. (See June 6.)

1550. The king of Denmark entered into a written contract to bind the Danish Bible in whole leather with clasps, for two marks Danish a copy and lodging; and to complete 2,000 copies in a year and a day. It was a middle sized folio, of 1,090 pages and sold for three rix dollars a copy.

1560. A peace between England, France and Scotland concluded.

1623. GREGORY XV (Alexander Ludovisio), pope, died. He erected the see of Paris into an archbishopric, and assisted the emperor and the king of Poland in their wars.

1639. BERNARD, duke of Weimar, a German officer in the 30 years' war, died, supposed to have been poisoned by Richelieu. With him fell one of the chief supports of the protestants.

1709. Battle of Pultowa, in Russia, between the Swedes under Charles XII, and the Russians under Peter the Great. The Swedes were entirely routed, and forced to take refuge within the dominions of the sultan of Turkey. The czar had his hat pierced by a ball, and prince Menzikoff had three horses killed under him.

1716. ROBERT SOUTH, a celebrated English divine, died, aged 83, and was buried with great honors to his memory. He shone as a polite scholar and a wit, and is famous for his controversy with Dr. Sherlock on the subject of the trinity. His sermons were published in 11 vols. octavo.

1721. ELIHU YALE, the benefactor of Yale college, died. He was descended from an ancient and wealthy family in Wales; born in New Haven 1748; acquired an estate in the East Indies, and on his return was chosen governor of the East India company.

1738. JOHN PETER NICERON, a popular French preacher, died; also author of _Memoirs of Men illustrious in the Republic of Letters_, of which the 39th volume was finished in the year of his death. He addicted himself to laborious studies and had an extensive knowledge of ancient and modern languages.

1747. Unsuccessful attempt of the French and Spaniards to force the pass aux Exiles in Dauphiny; the chevalier Belleisle and 5,000 men were left dead on the field of battle.