Part 67

1781. An indecisive engagement took place off the Chesapeake between the British fleet, admiral Graves, and the French fleet under de Grasse. While the two admirals were manœuvering, count de Barras with a French fleet of eight line of battle ships passed the British at night and got within the capes of Virginia; by this combination the French had a decided superiority, and the British took their departure.

1785. LUNARDI made the first balloon ascent in Scotland. He ascended at Edinburgh, and traversed a distance of fifty miles over sea and land in one hour and a half.

1786. JONAS HANWAY, an English merchant and philanthropist, died. He undertook a laborious and dangerous course of travels through Russia into Persia, with a view of opening trade. The city of London owes many useful improvements and institutions to his enterprise and benevolence.

1794. JOHN HELY HUTCHINSON, an Irish lawyer and statesman, died. He was noted for his avidity after lucrative offices; of whom lord North remarked, that if England and Ireland were given him he would solicit the Isle of Man for a potato garden.

1800. The capitulation of the fortress of Valetta, at Malta, was signed, two years after it had been taken from the knights by the French. It was agreed that the French troops should march out with the honors of war as far as the sea shore, where they should ground their arms, and then be embarked for Marseilles as prisoners of war until exchanged, and Malta has remained in the hands of the British.

1808. CLEMENT CRUTTWELL died; an English divine and author, whose literary performances, for labor, extent and utility, have rarely been equaled.

1812. First battle of Borodino, in Russia; the French under Bonaparte and his favorite generals; the Russians under Koutousoff. The Russians made a desperate resistance, till night separated the combatants.

1813. Action off Seguin between United States brig Enterprise, 17 guns, Lieut. Burrows, and British brig of war Boxer, 18 guns, Lieut. Blythe; the latter was captured in 40 minutes, with the loss of upwards of 20 killed and 14 wounded; American loss 4 killed and 10 wounded. Both commanders were killed, and were buried together at Portland, on the eighth.

1819. At Studein, in Moravia, at noonday, the atmosphere being serene and tranquil, there was a fall of little pieces of earth from a small cloud isolated and very bright.

1824. PETER LOUIS LACRETELLE died; a distinguished French lawyer and writer.

1837. BOROWLASKI, a celebrated Polish dwarf, died in England, aged 98. His height was short of 36 inches, though his person was of complete symmetry. In former years he traveled on the continent, but for the last 40 years had resided in England. He excelled as a wit and humorist, was acquainted with several languages, and his company was much courted. He had brothers and sisters, some of whom were above six feet in stature.

1841. GRENVILLE MILLEN, an American poet, died at New York, aged 41. He relinquished the profession of the law to devote himself to poetry and literature, of which he published a volume in 1833.

1848. The city of Messina, in Sicily, was bombarded and taken by the king's troops.

1848. An insurrection occurred at Leghorn, and the city was placed by the insurgents in the hands of a provisional government.

1849. SAMUEL BUNCH, a congressman from Tennessee, died, aged 63. He commanded a regiment under Gen. Jackson in the Indian war, and in the charge of the battle of the Horse Shoe, was the first or second man over the breast works of the enemy.

1852. WILLIAM MACGILLIVRAY died; professor in the university of Aberdeen, who published works upon birds, and in other departments of natural history.

1852. JOHN PITKIN NORTON, professor of agricultural chemistry at Yale college, died, aged 30.

1853. I. L. MASON, a United States engineer, died at San Francisco. He was born in Providence, educated at West Point, and constructed the fortifications at fort Adams, and was one of the most skillful and scientific officers of the engineer corps. He was sent out to superintend the construction of the fortifications at San Francisco.

1853. GEORGE POINDEXTER, a Mississippi statesman, died at Jackson. He was the second governor of Mississippi, and in 1811 killed Abijah Hunt in a duel.

1854. ROBERT M. PATTERSON, director of the United States mint, died at Philadelphia. He was president of the American philosophical society, and had been a professor in the universities of Pennsylvania and Virginia.

SEPTEMBER 6.

972. JOHN XIII, pope, died. He was elected by the power of the emperor, against the wishes of the Roman people. A violent dissention was the consequence, and the new pontiff was banished the next year by the prefect of Rome; he was reinstated by the emperor, and his opponent in turn sent into exile.

1492. COLUMBUS sailed from the Canaries, where he had been detained since the 12th of August, in refitting for the voyage.

1521. JOHN SEBASTIAN DEL CANO, having on the death of Magellan, been appointed captain of the Spanish expedition for the discovery of a western passage to the Molucca or Spice islands, conducted the remainder of the voyage, which was finished this day. This was the first voyage round the world. It sailed August 10th, 1519, from Seville, and consisted of five ships and 236 men. Only one ship of this squadron ever reached Spain. (8th?)

1578. DRAKE having passed the straits of Magellan, entered the Pacific ocean, on his memorable campaign against the Spanish treasure ships.

1581. WILLIAM POSTEL, a French mathematician, died. He possessed great learning, but was a visionary. His works are twenty-six in number, on curious and strange subjects.

1609. HUDSON having anchored at Sandy Hook, sent forward five men in a boat, who passed through the Narrows, sounding as they went. They were attacked by two Indian canoes, and John Colman, an Englishman, who had accompanied Hudson in his polar voyages, was killed. This was the first European blood that was shed in these waters. The place where he was interred is still called Colman's point.

1620. The Mayflower, with its company, consisting of 101 passengers, sailed from Plymouth, England, for America; having been obliged to put back twice, on account of the leaky condition of the Speedwell, which was to sail with her. This was the company of Pilgrims which landed at Plymouth rock, and commenced the settlement of New England.

1645. A general thanksgiving was ordained by governor Kieft, to be observed through the limits of New Netherland, for the restoration of peace with the Indians; showing that this festival, which is by many asserted to be exclusively puritanical, was also observed by the Dutch occasionally.

1652. PHILIP ALEGAMBE died; a Dutch Jesuit whose works were in high estimation.

1676. The Massachusetts forces, having subdued Philip, turned their arms against the eastern Indians, and surprised about 400 of them at Cocheco, in Maine, who were all taken; those found accessory to the late rebellion, being about half the number, were sold into slavery, and several who had committed murders were hung.

1678. TONGE and OATES furnished a narrative of a plot to overturn the English government.

1683. JOHN BAPTIST COLBERT, marquis of Segnelia, died. He was an illustrious French statesman, deservedly respected as a minister who ably restored the navy, the commerce and finances of the country, patronized learning and science, and invigorated genius by his mild and active generosity.

1689. Mentz, in Germany, surrendered to the imperialists.

1748. EDMUND GIBSON, bishop of London, died; an eminent antiquarian, theological, political and controversial writer.

1769. Great jubilee at Stratford, England, in honor of Shakspeare. The pageant continued three days, and attracted much attention.

1775. JOHN BAPTIST BULLET, a French author, died. He possessed a most retentive memory, and his works are learned and useful.

1781. Fort Griswold taken by the British under Arnold, and the garrison put to the sword. Colonel Ledyard, who commanded the fort, was run through the body with his own sword, after he had surrendered. Of the garrison, 73 were killed, 30 or 40 wounded, and 40 taken prisoners. British loss 48 killed, and 142 wounded.

1781. New London was set on fire, 60 dwellings and 84 stores burnt.

1781. American privateer, Congress, captured British sloop of war Savage, 20 guns.

1783. ANNA WILLIAMS, a blind English authoress, died, aged 77.

1784. GEORGE ALEXANDER STEVENS, an English writer, died. He possessed the rare faculty of entertaining an audience four hours at a sitting. By his lectures on heads he realized about 50,000 dollars; but died finally in a mad house.

1796. WILLIAM BENWELL, an elegant English scholar, died.

1808. LOUIS PIERRE ANQUETIL DU PERRON, a French divine and historian, died. He traveled in Asia, where he acquired the language of the ancient Persians, and became acquainted with the original writings of Zoroaster, and brought home a large amount of literary spoil.

1810. Battle of Rudschuck; the Russians defeated the Turks, killed the seraskir and 5,000 men, and took an immense number of prisoners, with all their artillery and equipage.

1813. WILLIAM BURROWS, a gallant naval officer of the United States, was slain in the action between the Enterprise, United States, and British ship Boxer. (See 5th.)

1814. British under general Provost took Plattsburgh.

1816. THOMAS CLARKE died in London, aged 80. He came to the city at the age of 22, and obtained the place of a porter; by the strictest economy and well directed effort, he accumulated the fortune of one and a half million dollars.

1821. VICESSIMUS KNOX died; a learned English divine and miscellaneous writer.

1839. An insurrection at Zurich, in Switzerland, in consequence of the city government having enacted a new law, enforcing a system of government, independent of the clergy, and differed from the routine of the old catechism, and having called from Germany to fill the theological chair of the university, professor Strauss, whose neological doctrines had given much offence. Several thousand peasants assembled and marched into the city headed by their pastors. A few lives were lost, the government declared itself dissolved, the peasants withdrew, and the city became tranquil.

1848. The British forces under general Whish, besieged the city of Moulton, in northern India, and were forced on the 14th to withdraw with much loss.

1848. THOMAS TRENOR, an Irish exile, died in New York, aged 86. In 1798 he was a merchant in extensive business, joined the patriots, and became treasurer of the United Irish society. He was arrested for treason, and spent four years in prison. Ruined in fortune, and with impaired health, he came to America; for 17 years was occupied in the iron manufacture in Vermont, and for the last 15 years was employed in the New York custom house.

1855. Colonel HENRY L. KINNEY was appointed by acclamation civil and military governor of San Juan del Norte, or Greytown, at a mass meeting of the citizens.

SEPTEMBER 7.

70. Jerusalem demolished, and her foundations broke up on this day, Gregorian time. The walls were crossed on Friday, the last day of August, the conquest was completed on the sabbath and the calends of September, and the havoc consumed about six days. There were slain or butchered one million _beards_. (See 8th Aug. Gorpeius is a tropical month, beginning 25th Aug.)

1069. The Danes again made a descent on England, and landed at Dover.

1134. ALFONSO, king of Arragon, killed in battle.

1493. FREDERICK IV, of Germany, died. He was a weak, indolent and superstitious monarch, who saw his subjects revolt with indifference, and was afterwards reduced to beg his bread.

1533. Birthday of ELIZABETH, afterwards queen of England; daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

1566. NICHOLAS ZRINYI, a Hungarian Leonidas, killed. He had thrown himself into the castle of Szigeth, with 3,000 men, and was besieged by the Turks. This number was dwindled down to 600 by repeated sallies. The sultan died of rage at his obstinacy, and the grand vizier made a general assault. Zrinyi rushed out at the head of his band, and was killed by three balls; the whole garrison shared his fate. Above 20,000 Turks had been killed during the siege.

1644. GREY BENTIVOGLIO, an Italian cardinal, died. He wrote an account of Flanders, and a history of its civil wars.

1655. NICHOLAS ABRAM, a French Jesuit, died; distinguished for his proficiency in the dead languages.

1671. A great training in Boston, says Winthrop's journal, which lasted two days; 1,200 men in the field, not an oath uttered, nor any body drunk during the whole time, though there was much wine and strong beer in town.

1706. Battle of Turin; the French under count Marisin defeated by prince Eugene, with the loss of 2,000 killed, and all their baggage and ammunition, and the military chest.

1736. The door of the Tolbooth, of Edinburgh, burnt, and John Porteus, who had been sentenced to death, but reprieved by the queen, taken out of jail by a mob, and hanged on a lamp post.

1760. Montreal surrendered to the English. By the reduction of this place, Gen. Amherst completed the conquest of Canada, and the subversion of the French empire in North America, which was added to the British possessions.

1772. An unprecedented rain and consequent flood happened in Inverary, Scotland.

1776. GEORGE SMITH, an eminent English landscape painter and author, died.

1779. JOHN ARMSTRONG, a celebrated Scottish poet, died.

1783. LEONARD EULER, a Swiss mathematician, died. He possessed great erudition, and was perfect master of ancient mathematical literature; and had the history of all ages and nations, even to the minutest facts, ever present to his mind.

1784. ANN LEE, known by the appellation of the "elect lady," or mother of Zion, and head of the sect called Shakers, died at Nisqueunia, near Albany, N. Y.

1798. PETER FREDERICK SUHM, an eminent Danish historian and miscellaneous writer, died. His histories form 16 quarto volumes, and his other works 15 vols.

1799. JOHN INGENHOUZ, an eminent Belgian natural philosopher, died in England. His chemical discoveries were applied to medical and agricultural improvements.

1799. PETER CHARLES LE MONNIER, a celebrated French astronomer, died. He was one of those who made the journey to the north in 1785, for the admeasurement of the globe.

1805. THOMAS BUTLER died; he was a brave officer in the American revolutionary army, but refusing to comply with the general order, to cut the hair close to the head, he was involved in much difficulty with general Wilkeson.

1807. Copenhagen surrendered to the British after a long bombardment, in which six thousand were killed and wounded, and 1,800 houses destroyed.

1811. PETER SIMON PALLAS, a distinguished writer of Prussia, died. He accompanied empress Catherine's famous expedition to Siberia, for the observation of the transit of Venus, &c. He was subsequently tutor to the grand dukes Alexander (afterwards emperor) and Constantine.

1812. Battle of Borodino; the Russian army consisted of 120,000, and the French had an equal number. There were also 500 cannon employed by each. The slaughter was dreadful; of one of the Russian divisions that mustered 30,000 in the morning, only 8,000 survived. These had fought in close order under a fire of 80 cannon. It is computed that not less than 30,000 Russians, and 50,000 French were killed; and night found either army on the ground they had occupied at day break.

1820. Great solar eclipse in England.

1827. Abo, the capital of Finland, nearly destroyed by fire. Only 800 volumes of the public library escaped destruction, and nearly 100 persons perished.

1831. Warsaw captured by the Russians under Paskiewitch after two days' fighting. Russian loss estimated at 20,000.

1833. HANNAH MORE, a celebrated English authoress, died, aged 88. Her works are very numerous, by which she realized upwards of $140,000.

1836. JOHN POND, an eminent English astronomer, died. He was named by Dr. Maskelyne as the fittest man to succeed him as astronomer royal, which office he held during 25 years with consumate ability.

1838. WILLIAM COLFAX, an officer of the revolution, died. He was one of the life guards of Washington, and supposed to have been the last survivor of that corps.

1839. ANDREW HALLIDAY died; a Scottish medical and historical writer of merit.

1847. Letters from St. Petersburgh of the 7th Sept. state, that that city has been visited with the most terrific storm of wind and rain ever experienced within the memory of the oldest inhabitant. It rained incessantly for forty-eight hours, whilst the wind blew with intense violence. The result of this visitation was the destruction of above 400 houses. At one period fears were entertained for the safety of the entire city, and some timid and superstitious persons apprehended the end of the world was at hand.

1850. The bill admitting California as a state and Utah as a territory of the United States, passed the house of representatives.

1851. LEVI WOODBURY, an American statesman, died at Portsmouth, N. H., aged 64.

1855. The first Hebrew temple in the Mississippi valley was consecrated at St. Louis.

1855. LEONARD MAELZEL, the inventor of several musical and automatic instruments, and who exhibited the famous chess player in this country, died at Vienna, aged 79.

SEPTEMBER 8.

70. Jerusalem taken by TITUS after a most obstinate resistance on the part of the inhabitants. More than 1,000,000 are said to have perished.

1636. Harvard college founded at Cambridge, Mass.

1644. FRANCIS QUARLES, a celebrated English poet, died.

1650. The princess ELIZABETH, daughter of the unfortunate Charles, died at Carisbrook castle in the isle of Wight, aged 15.

1656. JOSEPH HALL, "the first professed English satirist," died. He was bishop of Norwich, and acquired the title of the Christian Seneca. He is universally allowed to have been a man of great wit and learning.

1664. The colony of New York surrendered to the English.

1705. According to De Foe, it was on this day that the apparition of Mrs. Veal appeared to Mrs. Bargrave, at Canterbury, to say that _Drelincourt on Death_ was the very best book on that subject.

1755. Battle of lake George, between the English under colonel Johnson and the French and Indians under baron Dieskau. The French force was nearly 2,000; that of the provincials greatly superior. A detachment of 1,000 men and 200 Indians which were sent out from the fort were ambuscaded and narrowly escaped destruction. A grand attack was then made on the fort by the French regulars, the Canadians and Indians being employed on the English flanks. After a battle of four hours, the enemy was compelled to retreat in disorder, and were pursued by a party from the camp, which fell on their rear and precipitated their flight. Dieskau was taken prisoner, and the remnant of his army completely routed by a detachment of 200 New Hampshire militia, from fort Edward, who had been sent to the assistance of the main army. The loss of the provincials was 327 killed and wounded--that of the enemy about 600. King Hendrik killed here.

1756. The Indian village of Kettaning, in Pennsylvania, destroyed by the colonists under colonel Armstrong. The Indians had fortified their village and provided a supply of powder for 10 years, and great quantities of arms and merchandise. The place was surprised, the chief, colonel Jacobs, killed, and as the Indians refused to accept quarter, they were exterminated. This affair was of so great importance that the authorities caused a silver medal to be struck on the occasion.

1757. The duke of CUMBERLAND in behalf of England signed the convention of Closter Seven, by which the electorate of Hanover was left in the hands of the French and the whole army consisting of 40,000 Hessians, Brunswickers, &c., disarmed.

1760. Canada surrendered to the British at Montreal under lord Amherst. This was hailed with universal joy by the colonies, as the end of the cruel wars and bloody massacres which had hung over their towns and plantations nearly a century, in which the French and Indians had been uniformly the aggressors, and had vied with each other in murder, barbarity and rapine. Under the brief repose which followed the colonies rapidly increased in number and wealth, till the gigantic struggle for independence again plunged the country in scenes of desolation and ruin, in which the British armies in a degree emulated the French and Indian foe.

1761. BERNARD FOREST DE BELIDOR, a Spanish mathematician, died at Paris. He wrote on fortifications and engineering, several valuable works.

1772. The first court of general quarter sessions of the peace for the county of Tryon was held at Johnstown, so called after sir Wm. Johnson; Guy Johnson, judge.

1775. JOHN LEYDEN, afterwards a poet and famed oriental scholar, was born at Denholm, Roxburghshire.

1781. Battle of Eutaw Springs; the British regulars, 2,000 in number, under colonel Stewart, were defeated by the Americans under general Greene, 1,400 regulars and 500 militia. British loss in killed, wounded and prisoners about 1,000; American loss about 500. This battle closed the war in South Carolina.

1782. Tremendous cannonade and bombardment from Gibraltar with red hot balls and carcasses, upon the Spanish besiegers. Two floating batteries were consumed.

1793. The British under the duke of York raised the siege of Dunkirk, in France, defended with great bravery and resolution by Hoche.

1794. Battle of Brescia; the Poles defeated by the Russians under Suwarrow, with the loss of 8,000 men, and their whole park of artillery.

1795. A monument by FLAXMAN to the memory of Collins, the poet, was set up at Chichester, England.

1797. RICHARD FARMER died; a celebrated scholar and critic. He is noted for a single work, his _Essay on the Learning of Shakspeare_, in which he maintains that the bard obtained his knowledge of ancient history and mythology from translations and not from original classic authors. It is probably the best commentary which has been produced.

1798. The first number of the _Allgemeine Zeitung_ (General Gazette) published at Augsburg, in Bavaria. Under the charge of baron Cotta, it is probably the most celebrated newspaper in the world. It has correspondents in all countries of Europe, and in America.

1798. Battle of Standtz, in Switzerland. The hardy mountaineers defended their homes against the French with clubs, spears and fragments of rock; but were forced to retire before the regular artillery and muskets of their enemy, their beautiful valley was destroyed by fire, and neither age nor sex spared by the furious soldiery.

1804. Great storm at Savannah, by which the city suffered to an immense amount in damages to buildings and other property, as well as loss of life. The storm extended to a considerable distance, carrying destruction with it in every quarter.

1817. JOHN CARTER, an eminent English antiquary, draftsman and critic, died. He was many years a laborious contributor to the _Gentleman's Magazine_.

1837. SAMUEL EGERTON BRIDGES, an English nobleman, died near Geneva, in Switzerland. He was a man of considerable talents and learning, and a voluminous writer in various branches of literature, but possessed of a most unhappy temper and disposition.

1838. BENJAMIN BOOTH ROYD, pastor of the independent church, Huddersfield, England, died. He was a lively example of piety and a life of industry.

1846. GEORGE MIFFLIN BACHE, lieutenant commanding United States brig Washington, died at sea off cape Hatteras. His hopes of thoroughly exploring the Gulf stream were thus cut off.

1847. Battle of El Molino del Rey, in Mexico, where many a brave American fell.