Part 62

1857. A block of pure chrystalline ice weighing 25 lbs. was discovered in a meadow near Cricklewood, England. On the day previous a destructive hail storm passed over the spot. Mezray, in his history of France mentions a block of ice that fell of the weight of 100 lbs., during a thunder and hail storm in the year 1510.

AUGUST 18.

332 B. C. Gaza, in Palestine, entered by Alexander the Great, and 10,000 of her inhabitants put to the sword. This was during the Isthmian games, and shortly after the fall of Tyre, which was taken in the month Hecatombæon.

328. HELENA, empress of Rome, died, aged 80. She was the mother of Constantine, and distinguished for her zeal in the cause of the Christian religion.

852. ABDURRAHMAN II, sultan of Cordova, died, aged 65. He was the patron of learning and scholars, though constantly engaged in war.

1187. GEOFFREY, son to Henry II, killed in a tournament at Paris.

1348. A three-fold scourge, which during this year visited the continent of Europe, first appeared in England upon this day; earthquakes, deluges of rain, and a vast ephemeral pestilence, traveling the belt of Asia from Cathay to Delta; over Greece to Italy, beyond the Alps into France, reached London in November.

1510. EDMUND DUDLEY, an English statesman, executed for treason; known as an instrument of Henry VII in the arbitrary acts of extortion practiced during the latter years of his reign.

1510. RICHARD EMPSON, another characteristic of the same stamp, perished at the same time.

1559. PAUL IV (_John Peter Caraffi_), pope, died. He ascended the throne at the age of 80, and conducted himself with so much haughtiness and indiscretion that his death was unlamented.

1587. The first English child born in America, at Roanoke, Virginia. She was the grand-daughter of the governor, and was baptized on the following sabbath, by the name of _Virginia_.

1609. The Half Moon having pursued a course south and west for ten days, arrived at the entrance of Chesapeake bay, where the first effectual attempt to plant an English colony had been commenced only two years before. (See Aug. 28.)

1642. GUIDO RENI, the celebrated Italian painter, died. His skill as an artist attracted great attention, and he was loaded with honors and wealth. His pictures are valuable, and adorn the collections of the great.

1655. CROMWELL, as _protector_, adopted the _We_, in answering a petition. Instead of the capital W, he had at first written the more familiar I; then a small w, which was finally erased with his finger for the royal character.

1670. DRYDEN created _laureate_ by royal patent.

1707. WILLIAM CAVENDISH died; first duke of Devonshire, an able English statesman, who was active in procuring the invasion of England by William III.

1746. WILLIAM, earl of Kilmarnock, and ARTHUR BALMERINO, beheaded in London, as traitors for levying war against George II, in behalf of the pretender.

1659. Action between the British fleet, admiral Boscawen, and the French fleet, M. de la Clue, off the coast of Barbary. The French were defeated, and on the following day, five of their largest ships were taken or destroyed.

1765. FRANCIS I, of Germany, died. He commanded the Austrian armies in Hungary against the Turks, and his reign of 20 years' duration was distinguished by many memorable events.

1780. British under TARLETON attacked Sumpter on the Wateree, and killed, captured or dispersed the whole of his party, and retook 300 British prisoners.

1780. Battle of Musgrove's mills; 500 British and tories defeated by the Americans under colonel Williams, and 120 killed or wounded.

1783. JOHN DUNNING, lord Ashburton, died; noted for his extensive practice as a lawyer in London. He defended Wilkes and opposed the American war.

1783. BENJAMIN KENNICOTT died; an English prelate, well known in the learned world for his elaborate edition of the Hebrew Bible and other valuable works.

1798. General HUMBERT landed at Killala, Ireland, with 700 French; a few days afterwards they were all captured.

1803. JAMES BEATTIE died; a Scottish poet and miscellaneous writer, and professor of moral philosophy and logic.

1807. The Danish gun boats renewed their attacks upon the British army before Copenhagen, but were finally driven back into the harbor.

1810. CHARLES PETER CLAREL DE FLURIEU, a French hydrographer, died. He was also a statesman under Louis XVI and Napoleon.

1812. Second day's battle of Smolianovo. The French under St. Cyr defeated with great slaughter. The battle continued 12 hours. The French lost 2,500 killed and wounded, and 3,000 taken prisoners. Russian loss 1,000 hors du combat in both engagements.

1813. Battle of St. Antonio; the Spanish royalists under Aredonda defeated the Mexican patriots.

1814. British admiral, COCHRANE, addressed a letter from on board the Tonnant, in the Patuxent, to the American government, declaring his determination to destroy and lay waste such towns and districts upon the American coast as might be found assailable, though contrary to the usages of civilized warfare.

1829. DAVID BAIRD, of Aberdeen, a distinguished British general, who led the storming party at the capture of Seringapatam, died.

1834. A tremendous eruption of Vesuvius, which continued several days, and destroyed about 1,500 houses.

1838. The first United States exploring expedition sailed, under Com. Wilkes.

1838. Battle of Morella, in Spain; the queen's troops defeated by the Carlists with the loss of 2,000 men; the victors left in possession of Lower Aragon.

1840. TIMOTHY FLINT, a noted missionary in the Mississippi valley, died, aged 60. He published an account of that region in two works, which are interesting and valuable.

1851. EBENEZER YOUNG, a Connecticut civilian, died at West Killingly, aged 67. He was often in public life, especially in the legislature of his native state, and in congress.

1853. JOHN TALIAFERO, librarian of the treasury department at Washington, died, aged 85. He had also been a member of congress fourteen years.

1855. JABEZ D. HAMMOND, an eminent New York lawyer, died, aged 77. He filled several important offices, and wrote a _Political History of New York_, and some other works.

1855. THOMAS METCALFE, an American officer of the war of 1812, died in Kentucky, aged 75. He also filled various civil offices with ability, under the state and general government.

1855. The queen, VICTORIA, and prince ALBERT, left Osborne at day break to visit Louis Napoleon; arrived at Boulogne, 96 miles, in 4¼ hours, and reached Paris the same evening.

1855. ABBOT LAWRENCE, a noted Boston merchant, died, aged 63. He was a liberal and public spirited citizen, and endowed the Lawrence scientific school at Cambridge with $100,000.

AUGUST 19.

335 B. C. The city of Thebes demolished by Alexander, during the mysteries.

14 (A. U. C. 766). OCTAVIUS CÆSAR AUGUSTUS, the great and virtuous emperor of Rome, died at Nola. This day is also the anniversary of his first exaltation to the consular dignity.

1493. FREDERICK III, of Germany, died. He was fifty-eight years emperor of Austria, and fifty-three emperor of Germany, during which time he was constantly embroiled in troubles, and suffered many humiliations and indignities from the neighboring princes, who took advantage of his imbecility. During his reign the Turks took Constantinople, and the art of printing was discovered.

1579. LOUIS DE CLERMONT BUSSY D'AMBOISE assassinated; a French nobleman distinguished for his bravery and his crimes.

1601. WILLIAM LAMBARDE, an eminent lawyer and antiquary, died at Westcombe, in England. His collection and translation of the Saxon laws was among the first of his works.

1617. Sir WALTER RALEIGH sailed from Cork on his last voyage, with fourteen vessels.

1646. Ragland castle, in Montgomeryshire, England, surrendered to the parliament forces. This was one of the last fortresses that held out for Charles.

1648. IBRAHIM, son of Achmet, sultan of Turkey, assassinated.

1662. BLAISE PASCAL, a French divine, died; noted for his mathematical abilities. His works are published in 5 vols.

1680. JOHN EUDES, the founder of the sect of Eudists, died at Caen, in France.

1692. Five persons executed at Salem, Mass., for witchcraft.

1699. GEORGE BURROUGHS, a New England minister, hung for witchcraft. He was a man of unblemished character, and fell a victim to one of the most astounding delusions that ever disgraced the name of religion.

1702. Action near Santa Martha, in South America, between the British fleet, admiral Benbow, and the French squadron, Du Casse. The cowardice of the English lost them the battle.

1708. The British under sir John Leake and major general Stanhope took Minorca, which was retained by the government.

1744. JOHN BAPTIST SILVA, a distinguished French physician, died at Paris.

1763. Under cover of a severe hail storm and an unusual darkness in the neighborhood of London, the populace attempted the rescue of a criminal to be executed, but though they detained the execution till eight in the evening, they were unsuccessful.

1772. GUSTAVUS, king of Sweden, effected a revolution, which totally overturned the Swedish constitution of government, without any bloodshed. It was a masterly stroke of policy, that placed him in the attitude of absolute master over the laws.

1772. Revolution in Poland; the prerogatives of the crown, lost more than half a century before, were restored.

1777. NICHOLAS HERKIMER, a brave officer, wounded at the battle of Oriskany, died at his house near Little Falls, New York.

1782. Battle near the Blue Licks, between the Kentucky pioneers, 176 in number, under colonel Boone, and 500 Indians. The Indians were defeated with the loss of 71; Boone's loss 63 killed, 7 taken.

1782. British man-of-war, Royal George, 100 guns, sunk off Spithead. Admiral Kempenfeldt, with 400 seamen and 200 women, perished. The wreck was visited by means of a diving bell in 1817, and found to be a mass of shapeless timber.

1792. The grand army of the allies entered France.

1807. The Danish gun boats again attacked the British before Copenhagen. The latter gained some advantages.

1811. The French under Macdonald captured Figueras, in Spain, after a desperate resistance by its famished defenders.

1812. Action between United States frigate Constitution, captain Hull, and British frigate Guerriere, 49 guns, captain Dacres. The Guerriere was sunk in 30 minutes, with the loss of 15 killed, 61 wounded, 24 missing. Constitution lost 7 killed, 7 wounded.

1812. Battle near Gedeonovo, in Russia, between the French, 90,000 and the Russians, stated at 40,000. The French drew off at night with the loss of 600 killed, 2,500 wounded. The Russians admitted the loss of 1,000 killed, 3,000 wounded. Not a prisoner was taken.

1814. GUSTAVUS MAURICE, count of Armfelt, a distinguished Swede, whose chief misfortune was that of being in advance of his age, died at Czarshoesels.

1814. BENJAMIN THOMPSON, count Rumford, died. From the humble station of a yankee schoolmaster he rose by his talents to distinction and wealth. His inventions and discoveries will perpetuate his name.

1823. ROBERT BLOOMFIELD, an English poet, died. He learned the trade of a shoemaker, but was constrained to write poetry by nature. The one sustained his body while the other was perpetuating his memory.

1825. JUAN DIAZ (or _John Martin_), a Spanish partisan officer, executed; distinguished for his conduct during the French invasions.

1826. PAUL ALLEN, an American poet, historian and editor of considerable merit, died at Baltimore, aged 51.

1838. The United States exploring expedition, consisting of 6 vessels, sailed from Hampton roads.

1839. AARON OGDEN, an officer during the revolution, died at Jersey City, aged 83. He was governor of New Jersey in 1812; was also senator of the United States, and practiced law with reputation.

1851. "The great aggregate meeting" of Roman catholics from all parts of Great Britain, was held at Dublin for the inauguration of the catholic defence association.

1852. A destructive tornado, accompanied with hail, passed over an extensive district in Hancock county, Me. Utter devastation followed its track, which was a fourth of a mile wide, and 40 miles long.

1853. GEORGE COCKBURN, who ordered the destruction of the public property at Washington, on the capture of the city by the English, died at the age of 82.

1854. GRISI and MARIO, the two most renowned artistes of the old world, arrived at New York.

AUGUST 20.

480 B. C. Battle of Salamis, in Greece, and defeat of the Persians under Xerxes. This great achievement occurred on that day of the _mysteries_ devoted to the solemnities of Bacchus.

332 B. C. Tyre taken by ALEXANDER, which with the subsequent conquest of Gaza, gave to him Egypt.

984. JOHN XIV, pope, died. He was imprisoned in the castle of St. Angelo, by Boniface VIII, where he died, either of poison or grief.

1153. ST. BERNARD, of Clairvaux, died, and was cannonized on this day. He was an extraordinary character, who obtained great influence over the ecclesiastical affairs of Europe, by the mere force of personal character, without any adventitious advantages, and is styled the last of the fathers.

1485. The earl of RICHMOND, afterwards Henry VII, halted with his army at Atherstone, two nights previous to the decisive battle of Bosworth field. The troops encamped in a meadow to the north of the church, which now bears the name of the Royal meadow. During the night, Henry held a conference in the town with the two Stanleys, when the measures were agreed upon which resulted in the defeat and death of Richard III.

1513. Norham castle taken by the Scots; its ruins yet remain about eight miles west from Berwick.

1580. JEROME OSORIO, an able Portuguese divine and author, died.

1639. MARTIN OPITIUS, an elegant German poet, died of the plague at Dantzic.

1648. EDWARD HERBERT died; an eminent English statesman, and writer on history, philosophy and criticism.

1648. Battle of Lens; the French under Conde defeated the Spaniards and imperialists, under the archduke Leopold, of whom 3000 were killed, and general Beck and 5000 taken prisoners.

1660. JOHN LUGO died; a Spanish Jesuit, professor of theology at Rome. He introduced _Jesuit's bark_ into France, was created cardinal, and wrote 7 vols. folio.

1677. PETER PETIT died; a learned Frenchman, celebrated for his mathematical and philosophical writings. (Penny Cyc. says 1667; other authorities 1687.)

1680. WILLIAM BEDLOE, the famous witness in the Titus Oates plot, died, charging the queen and the duke of York with being concerned in the plot, except the assassination of the king.

1694. WILLIAM PENN was reinstated in his province of Pennsylvania, which had been taken from him and annexed to New York.

1701. CHARLES SEDLEY, an English poet, died. He flourished at the court of Charles II. (1703?)

1704. Battle of Narva; the town taken by assault by Peter the Great, who on the occasion killed several of his soldiers with his own sword, for disobedience in committing excesses upon the inhabitants. He had been defeated here four years previous by Charles XII.

1724. LOUIS I, king of Spain, died of small pox; in consequence his father, the abdicated monarch, resumed the throne.

1746. Fort Massachusetts, situated in the town of Adams, surrendered to the French and Indians. It was garrisoned with 22 men under captain Hawks, when attacked by 900 French and Indians. The little band kept the horde at bay while their ammunition lasted, and then capitulated on promise of protection--to be humanely treated, and none delivered to the Indians. In violation of the terms, Vaudreuil delivered one half to the irritated savages. Hawks lost but one man in the siege; while the loss of the enemy was afterwards ascertained to have been 47.

1756. THOMAS WINSLOW, a native of Ireland, died, aged 146.

1760. JAMES M'DONALD, died at Cork, Ireland, aged 117, and 7 feet 6 inches in stature.

1768. JOSEPH SPENCE, an eminent English poet and critic, drowned in a canal in his garden.

1783. JOHN DEMESTE died; chaplain and chief surgeon in the army of the prince of Liege, and known as the author of _Letters on Chymistry_.

1785. JOHN BAPTIST PIGALLE, a eminent sculptor, died at Paris.

1794. Battle of Miami, in Ohio, between the United States troops under general Wayne, and the British and Indians; the latter were defeated and driven out of the United States. The most hostile tribes were the Wyandots, Delawares, Shawnees and Miamis. The number of Indians engaged in this battle was 2000; that of our troops did not amount to 900.

1799. Surinam surrendered to the British under admiral Seymour.

1801. The French garrison at fort Mirabou, at Alexandria, Egypt, surrendered to the British under general Coote.

1815. RICHARD ALZOP, an American poet, died at Middletown, Ct., aged 56.

1829. Adrianople captured by 28,000 Russians under general Diebitsch. The garrison of the city, amounting to 100,000 regular troops, laid down their arms immediately on the approach of the Russians, abandoning all their artillery, camp equipage, and munitions of war.

1840. MICHAEL WALSH died, aged 77; author of the _Mercantile Arithmetic_, formerly in extensive use in this country. He was a native of Ireland, and settled in America in early life.

1841. Dreadful explosion at Syracuse; 26 lives destroyed.

1847. The Mexican works at Contreras near the city of Mexico were carried by general Smith's command. Falling back on Cherubusco a severe battle was fought and the Mexicans completely routed. Many were slain on both sides.

1849. Major EMORY, in the United States service, gave information that a river forty feet wide and more than waist deep, with good drinkable water, broke forth from the desert about this time, between the river Gila and the mountains.

1852. The steam boat Atlantic came in collision on lake Erie with the propeller Ogdensburgh, and sunk in half an hour. Of 500 passengers, 250 were lost.

1854. FREDERICK WILLIAM JOSEPH VON SCHELLING, one of the most prominent among the philosophers of modern Germany, died in Switzerland, aged 79.

AUGUST 21.

638. Antioch in Syria taken by the Saracens.

1130. ABDULMUMEN, ibn Ali, elected sultan of eastern Africa by the following stratagem. Having trained a parrot and a lion, he assembled the chiefs in his tent, and urged upon them the necessity of naming a successor to their rising empire. In the midst of their deliberations the parrot perched himself upon one of the poles of the tent, and pronounced distinctly "Victory and power be the lot of the khalif Abdulmumen, commander of the faithful." The lion then made his way through the terrified assembly, licked his hand, and lay down at his feet. Deeply impressed with this wonder, and the manifest interference of heaven, the simple Almohades unanimously proclaimed him sultan.

1553. JOHN DUDLEY, duke of Northumberland, beheaded. He acquired almost unbounded authority after the death of Henry VIII, and by the abortive attempt to place lady Jane Grey on the throne, lost his own life and brought about the ruin of all concerned in the scheme.

1560. The great solar eclipse, which first turned the attention of Tycho Brahe, at the age of 14, to the science of astronomy.

1561. MARY (_the Myrtle of the South_), arrived in Scotland, after an absence of thirteen years in France. It was on her passage that she composed that simple and touching chanson, beginning, "Adieu, plaisant pays de France."

1621. A cargo of marriageable ladies consisting of one widow and eleven maids, consigned at London to the colony in Virginia, to be sold for tobacco, at the rate of 120 lbs. of the best leaf for each.

1682. WILLIAM PENN, to prevent any future claim, obtained a release from James, duke of York, of all his right to Pennsylvania.

1703. THOMAS TRYON died. He was the son of a tiler and plasterer at Bibury, England, and became a shepherd. At the age of 13 he learned to read, and at 14 he gave one of several sheep he had obtained, to be taught the art of writing. Afterwards, selling his stock, for three pounds, he went to London and apprenticed himself to a hat maker, where he spent the day in learning his trade, and most of the night in reading. He commenced business, and acquired a considerable fortune. He rejected animal food, lived in "temperance, cleanliness and innocency," and died at the age of 69.

1708. Haverhill burnt. A force of about 400 French and Indians made an irruption from Canada, and shaping their course to the Merrimack, fell upon the town in the morning, plundered and burnt the houses, killed about 40 persons, and captured many more. The enemy were pursued, and many of them killed, among whom was a brother of the French leader, Rouville. Among the captives was the clergyman; his two daughters 6 and 8 years old, were preserved by the servant, who concealed them under tubs in the cellar, which the Indians did not disturb.

1726. Great destroying earthquake at Palermo, in Sicily.

1762. MARY WORTLEY MONTAGUE, an English lady of great literary reputation, died. She introduced the practice of inoculation for small pox into England.

1770. A leaden equestrian statue of George III was erected in the Bowling Green, New York, near fort George, by Wilton, a celebrated statuary of the day. It being the birth day of the king's father, prince Frederick.

1775. The continental army under Gen. Montgomery arrived at Ticonderoga.

1780. French king abolished the application of torture to extort confession.

1791. The American army under Gen. Wilkinson arrived at the Rapids on the Ohio, returning from an expedition against the Ouiattanons, having destroyed their principal town, and a Kickapoo village, made many prisoners, and cut down 430 acres of corn. The army sallied from fort Washington, and made a march of 450 miles. Only 2 men were lost.

1792. LAFAYETTE abandoned the French army, of which he was commander in chief, and with his three friends surrendered to the Austrians. They met with a long imprisonment.

1805. Brest fleet attacked in Camaret bay, by the British under Cornwallis, who with an inferior force compelled them to retire into the inner harbor.

1808. Battle of Vimiera, in Portugal. The French army, 12,000, under Junot and Kellerman, made a desperate assault on the English and Portuguese, 20,000, under Wellesley. The French were defeated.

1810. Revolution in Santa Fe, South America.

1818. The renowned WARREN HASTINGS died.

1821. FRANCIS HARGRAVE, an eminent English law writer, died. His _State Trials_ comprise 11 vols. folio. His library was purchased by parliament at about $40,000.

1823. MARCO BOZZARIS, the Leonidas of modern Greece, killed. He was a native of Souli, in the mountains of Epirus, and on the breaking out of the revolution headed a battalion of Suliotes. The pasha of Schodra advancing with a numerous force of Albanians to attack Missolunghi, Bozzaris with a handful of devoted followers attacked the camp by night, and fell.

1831. Insurrection of the negroes in Virginia, and massacre of the white population.

1835. JOHN MCCULLOCH, distinguished for his geological writings and other works of merit, died in consequence of being thrown from his carriage.

1846. The water in lake Ontario had fallen since the first of December, 1845, 28 inches, and was lower than ever known before. Gulf island, which had been submerged seven years before, again appeared above water, and many rocks and sandbars never before known made their appearance.

1848. A hurricane devastated the islands of Antigua, St. Kitts, Nevis, and St. Thomas.

1849. A national convention of inventors met at Baltimore; Horace H. Day, of New York, president.

1850. DANIEL P. PARKER, a Boston merchant, died, aged 60. He gave close attention to the construction of merchant vessels, and had in his service many ships of superior model and sailing qualities.

1851. A prisoner under sentence of death at Sacramento, California, was reprieved by the governor; but was hung, notwithstanding, by some of the disaffected citizens.