Part 71

1779. American frigate Bon Homme Richard, 40 guns, 375 men, captain Paul Jones, engaged and captured the British frigate Serapis, captain Pearson, 44 guns. While engaged, the American frigate Alliance, 36 guns, frequently sailed round the Serapis and poured in a raking fire, both fore and aft, but as they were close alongside of each other, her fire frequently did execution on board Jones's ship, 11 of whose men and an officer were killed by one broadside. The loss on both sides was very great. At the same time, in company, the British ship Countess of Scarborough engaged the French frigate Pallas, and after an action of two hours struck her colors and was made prize of.

1780. JOHN ANDRE, the British spy, intercepted near Tarrytown, about 25 miles above New York, and taken into custody.

1784. Some Americans in Savannah, not to be behind the age, fitted up a balloon in which 6 men with 600 bushels of corn and necessaries for the trip, started from that city for Jamaica.

1792. Dr. PRIESTLY and THOMAS PAINE were elected to the national convention of France.

1794. French national convention decreed the formation of a company of _ærostats_ to superintend the military balloons.

1795. The Dutch colony at the cape of Good Hope taken possession of by the English.

1803. Battle of Assaye, in Hindostan, between the British, 4500 men, under Wellesley, and Scindea's army consisting of 38,500 cavalry, 10,500 regular infantry, 500 matchlocks, and 500 rocket men--total, 50,000 men, with a train of 90 cannon. The latter were defeated.

1806. The American exploring party under captains Lewis and Clarke, returned to St. Lewis, having lost but one of their party.

1807. The British withdrew their troops from Egypt, after having sustained a loss of more than one half by climate and combat.

1813. American frigate President, Com. Rodgers, took the British schooner Highflyer, 5 guns, without any action.

1823. MATTHEW BAILLIE died; an eminent English physician, author of a superior work on the morbid anatomy of the human body.

1824. Major CARTWRIGHT, an enthusiastic English reformer, died, aged 84. So early as 1775 he published a tract entitled American Independence the Glory and Interest of Great Britain.

1835. BELLINI, a celebrated Italian musical composer, died at Paris, aged 29.

1836. MARIA FELICITAS MALIBRAN DE BERITAS, a celebrated vocal actress, died. She possessed extraordinary endowments, and a remarkable combination of fine qualities rendered her the admiration of all who saw or heard her. She was heard to sing in one evening in six different languages, and with unqualified admiration in all.

1842. A great fire took place in Liverpool, England; 500,000 pounds sterling worth of property destroyed and 20 persons killed.

1846. The new planet predicted by M. Leverrier was discovered at Berlin by Dr. Galle. On the 29th it was seen in London; 21st Oct. at Cambridge, Mass.; 23d Oct. at Washington.

1846. Last day's battle of Monterey, in which the arms of the United States troops were gloriously victorious.

1852. The barque Cornelia, having cleared at Havana, was brought to and boarded at the mouth of the harbor, and the mail bags rifled in the expectation of detecting a conspiracy.

1854. The Russians closed the passage to the harbor of Sebastopol by sinking in the entrance five ships of the line and two frigates.

1855. The island of Guam visited by a terrific tornado, nearly every house on the island was destroyed, and 8,000 persons left houseless.

SEPTEMBER 24.

366. LIBERIUS, pope, died. He subscribed, very reluctantly, the condemnation of Athanasius.

867. MICHAEL III (_the Drunkard_), emperor of Rome, assassinated. His minority was governed by his mother, a woman of great ability; but on assuming the reigns of government, his profligate conduct led to his death.

1143. INNOCENT II, pope, died. He was elected to the office in 1130, but excluded by a rival for several years.

1332. JOHN BALIOL crowned king of Scotland at Scone, by the bishop of Dunkeld.

1404. WILLIAM OF WYKEHAM, bishop of Winchester, died. He rose from obscurity, and before his death appropriated the large possessions which he had acquired to endow two new colleges, New College Oxford, and Winchester.

1427. Lady RAVENSWORTH devised to her children the following things: "I wyl yat my son Robert (bishop of London) have a sauter covered with red velvet. My doghter Margory a primer covered in rede," &c., &c.

1635. ANTHONY BRUNI, an Italian poet, died.

1650. CHARLES DE VALOIS, duke de Angouleme, died; a French militaire.

1664. Fort Orange, now Albany, surrendered to the English under colonel Cartwright. The title of Jeremiah Van Rensselaer to the manor of Rensselaerwyck was confirmed.

1664. The first convention was held in Albany between the English and the Iroquois, who were now the predominant race, holding sway over every savage nation. The Iroquois continued the allies of the English until the revolution.

1680. SAMUEL BUTLER, an English poet, died; author of _Hudibras_.

1693. Bayonets first used at the battle near Turin on loaded muskets, which has been practiced ever since. In 1620 they were first constructed at Bayonne. Hence the name.

1722. JAMES WATSON, author of the _History of Printing in Scotland_, died at Edinburgh.

1757. AARON BURR, president of New-Jersey college, died. He was an able divine and an accomplished scholar.

1793. Foundation laid of the Iron bridge over the river Wear, at Sunderland, England. It was finished in 1796.

1803. Berbice, a Dutch colony in Guiana, celebrated for its fine coffee, surrendered to the British.

1805. WILLIAM BYRNE, a distinguished British landscape engraver, died.

1811. French under general MARMONT forced Wellington to raise the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo in Spain.

1816. EUSEBIUS VALLI, an eminent Italian physician, died a martyr to science. He visited Smyrna and Constantinople to make observations on the plague, and the West-Indies to study the nature of the yellow fever. In both instances he voluntarily subjected himself to the disease, and in the latter made a fatal experiment in exposing himself to the infection with a dead body, so that in three days the scene closed upon him in death.

1821. The Hetærists, a Greek brotherhood, extirpated. On the breaking out of the Greek revolution they hastened from all parts of Europe and formed a legion of heroes. The last band of them were attacked and defeated at the monastery of Seck, where their leader Jordaki, being wounded, and to escape falling into the hands of the Turks, set fire to the monastery, and perished in the conflagration.

1825. PETER PAUL DOBREE died; an eminent professor of Greek and Latin, who succeeded Porson at Cambridge, and was one of the most finished classical scholars in Europe.

1831. Mount Auburn, a retired and ornamental place of sepulture about four miles from the city of Boston and containing about fifty acres, was publicly dedicated, the first of the kind in the United States.

1835. JOHN PITT, earl of Chatham, died. He was the eldest son of the great earl of Chatham and brother of the prime minister. As he left no heir, the peerage became extinct.

1839. ROBERT Y. HAYNE, a distinguished American statesman and orator, died.

1841. Mr. BROOKE, an enterprising Englishman, became rajah, or governor, of Sarawak, the first footing obtained by the English on the island of Borneo, it is believed.

1842. Mrs. ELIZABETH AYLETT, daughter of the celebrated Patrick Henry, died at King William county, Virginia.

1847. WILLIAM POPHAM, an officer of the revolution, died in New York, aged 95.

1847. Col. DAVID FOLSOM, a chief of the Chocktaws, died.

1852. General CASTANOS, duke of Baylen, died, aged 95. He was the companion in arms of Wellington and one of the most conspicuous and heroic of the Spanish commanders in war against Napoleon, called the war of independence.

1852. BENJAMIN THOMPSON, a Massachusetts congressman, died at Charlestown, aged 75. He held many responsible offices, possessed great business talent, and his services were especially valuable at Washington on the committee of military affairs, during the Mexican war.

1854. GEORGE LEITH ROUSSELL, an eminent English physician and surgeon, died in London, of cholera, aged 57. He wrote upon typhus fever, cholera, and the effects of poisons.

SEPTEMBER 25.

275. The emperor TACITUS elected, after an interregnum of eight months. He ordered that ten copies of his kinsman's history should be placed in the libraries. _The_ MS. was discovered in Westphalia.

1066. Battle of Stamford Bridge, between the English under Harold, and the Norwegians under Hafalgar and Tostig. The latter were defeated, and Hafalgar and Tostig slain. The Norwegian fleet also fell into the hands of the English. Judith, the wife of Tostig, afterwards married Guelph I, and became the lineal progenitor of the present royal family of England.

1154. King STEPHEN of England, died, and his adopted son Henry Fitzempress reigned in his stead.

1493. COLUMBUS sailed from Cadiz with a fleet of seventeen ships, great and small, well furnished with all the necessaries for the voyage, and having on board 1,500 people, with horses, cattle, and implements to establish plantations.

1506. PHILIP I of Spain, died. He obtained the crown by marriage with Jane, the heiress of Ferdinand and Isabella, was a man of very moderate abilities, but regarded as the fairest man of his age.

1513. NUNEZ DE BALBOA, the Spaniard, discovered the sea, over Darien, and in his transport took corporal possession of the ocean in the name of his master.

1555. The famous _recess_, or peace of religion, established at Augsburg, the bond of union between the German states.

1586. The attainder of GERALD FITZGERALD, 16th earl of Desmond, and forfeiture of 574,628 acres. His head was fixed on London bridge.

1600. ANTHONY DU VERDIER died; historiographer of France, and author of a _Biography of French Authors_.

1602. GASPARD PEUCER, an eminent German physician and mathematician, died. He was imprisoned ten years for his religious opinions, during which he committed his thoughts on the margins of old books, with an ink which he made of burnt crusts infused in wine.

1621. MARY SIDNEY, countess of Pembroke, an eminent poetess and patron of literature, died.

1626. LANCELOT ANDREWS, bishop of Winchester, died; an eminent English prelate.

1638. DE VRIES sailed from Holland on his third expedition to America, with colonists, to settle Staten Island, which he had secured two years before.

1666. SCHAH ABAS, king of Persia, died. He came to the throne at the age of 13; was valiant and enlightened, and promised by deeds of benevolence and liberality to rival the greatest heroes of antiquity, when he was cut off at the age of 37. He died of _lues Veneris_.

1689. Count FRONTENAC arrived at Canada to reassume the government of the province.

1732. MICHAEL ERNEST ETTMULLER died; a German professor of anatomy at Leipsic, and author of several learned and curious treatises on medical subjects.

1758. ROBERT CLAYTON, a learned English prelate and antiquary, died.

1764. ROBERT DODSLEY, an eminent English bookseller and author, died. He commenced life as a footman, but his natural abilities brought him into notice, and recommended him to assistance.

1765. RICHARD POCOCKE, bishop of Meath, died; a celebrated traveler, and author of the _Description of the East_, with observations on Palestine.

1777. JOHN HENRY LAMBERT, a German mathematician, died. He was the son of a poor tailor, but became one of the most learned men of his time by his own unaided exertions.

1777. The American colonel, Ethan Allen, captured near Montreal by the British. He had 15 men killed, and surrendered 38, of whom 7 were put to death.

1786. EDWARD IVES, a celebrated English traveler, died. The account which he published of his travels through Europe and Asia contains much information.

1791. WILLIAM BRADFORD died; an eminent printer of Philadelphia, and an officer in the revolutionary war.

1792. JAMES CAZOTTE, mayor of Pierry, in France, guillotined. He had previously been saved from the mob by the heroic conduct of his daughter, a girl of 17, who shared his misfortunes.

1804. JOSEPH WILLARD, president of Harvard college, died; whose attainments in Greek learning have been equaled by few in America.

1806. BONAPARTE left Paris, to open the campaign against Prussia.

1806. Action between the British squadron, admiral Hood, and a French squadron. Several French frigates were captured; Hood lost his right arm.

1808. RICHARD PORSON, an eminent English professor, died. He possessed great reputation as a Greek scholar and critic, and yet his learning scarcely produced him a living.

1814. The pope issued a bull prohibiting all secret societies,

## particularly those of freemasons.

1815. JOHN SINGLETON COPLEY, a distinguished American painter, died in London.

1815. First daily paper printed at Albany, N. Y.

1839. Treaty between France and Texas signed at Paris.

1840. Marshal MCDONALD, one of Bonaparte's distinguished generals, died at his chateau near Guise, in France. He was a kinsman of the celebrated Flora McDonald who was instrumental in aiding the escape of the pretender from the Isle of Skye.

1842. RICHARD COLLEY WELLESLY, marquis of Wellesly, and eldest son of the earl of Mornington, died, aged 82.

1854. WILLIAM HENRY PARTLETT, an English artist, died at sea, aged 44; author of _Views in Switzerland_, and other similar works of merit.

1855. JOHN GIFFORD, a British admiral, died at Southampton, aged 90. He had been in the service more than 75 years, was present at the relief of Gibraltar in 1781, and distinguished himself in many important engagements.

SEPTEMBER 26.

33. St. STEPHEN is said to have been stoned this day, Paul consenting.

329. Constantinople founded, about the same day that Solomon dedicated his temple at Jerusalem, 1005 B. C.

1087. WILLIAM II, surnamed Rufus, proclaimed and crowned king of England.

1415. Harfleur, a town in France, surrendered unconditionally to Henry V of England, after a siege of five weeks, and their defences had been demolished.

1417. FRANCIS ZABARELLA, an Italian cardinal, died; noted for his great learning and virtues.

1534. CLEMENT VII (_Julius de Medicis_), pope, died. It was in consequence of his refusing to ratify the acts of Henry VIII, and the issuing of a bull of excommunication against that monarch, that England was separated from the Roman church.

1635. ADRIAN METIUS died; a learned Dutch mathematician and author.

1722. WILLIAM MASSIEU died; a French writer, much admired, who after becoming blind met his death by a stroke of apoplexy.

1747. The leaden coffin of the noted Dr. Sacheverel, and Sally Salisbury, with 150 others, stolen from the church.

1766. The dividends on East India stock advanced in England from 6 to 10 per cent, in consequence of the success of lord Clive.

1776. Congress appointed Benj. Franklin, Silas Dean and Thomas Jefferson, commissioners to the court of France. They were the first persons appointed by the United States to act in the capacity of ministers plenipotentiary, but as the country had not yet been acknowledged by any power, they were designated by the humble title of commissioners.

1777. The British army under lord Howe entered Philadelphia. Washington's army lay at Skippack creek, 18 miles distant from the city.

1780. The advance of Cornwallis' army, consisting of Tarleton's legion, engaged the Americans at Charlotte court house, under Col. Davis.

1789. EDMUND RANDOLPH commissioned the first attorney-general of the United States.

1799. Zurich, in Switzerland, taken by the French under Massena, and Lavater, while occupied in the streets assisting the distressed, received a shot in the side, of which he ultimately died. (Jan. 2.)

1811. A well 400 feet deep and 5 in diameter, exhibiting a fine specimen of ancient masonry, was discovered in the keep at Dover castle.

1812. GEORGE FREDERICK COOKE, an eminent English tragedian, died at New York, aged 57.

1812. The Russian army under Essen, entered Miltau, the French and Prussians under Macdonald, having previously evacuated it, leaving behind a vast quantity of provisions, and the whole mass of pelisses, which were the sum of the requisition upon Courland, and of vast importance to an army in so cold a region.

1813. Privateer schooner Saratoga, of New York, 10 guns and 116 men, captured by boarding, British packet ship Morgiana, 18 guns, 50 men, off Surinam.

1814. American privateer brig, Gen. Armstrong, attacked in Fayal roads, a neutral port, by the boats of three British ships. They were twice beaten off and several of the boats sunk. Capt. Reid was obliged to scuttle his vessel, and the British commander threatened to burn the town if she was not delivered up. American loss, 2 killed, 7 wounded; British loss, 120 killed, 130 wounded.

1815. Treaty of peace and alliance signed at Paris between the emperors of Austria, Russia and Prussia.

1822. JOHN OWEN, an eminent English divine, died. He was one of the originators of the British Foreign Bible Society, to whose establishment and extension he devoted his life with the greatest zeal.

1828. A monument erected at Charlestown, Mass., to the memory of John Harvard, founder of Harvard college, 190 years after his death. It is a monolith, 15 feet high and 4 feet square at the bottom; the expense of which was defrayed by a contribution of one dollar from each of the graduates of the college.

1828. JOHN G. C. BRAINARD, an American poet of considerable note, died, aged 32.

1842. RICHARD RIKER, for many years recorder of the city of New York, died, aged 69. He was a gentleman of the old school, and much respected.

1847. The valuable library of the royal society of Icelandic literature in Copenhagen was destroyed by fire. More than 2,000 unpublished MSS. were consumed.

1854. The French police organized at Paris on the plan of that of London; the number to be 2,900, to do duty day and night, under charge of two commissioners, at an annual cost of about $1,200,000.

1855. The corner stone of the Masonic hall laid in Philadelphia with ceremony, over 4,000 masons marching in procession.

SEPTEMBER 27.

489. THEODORIC, the Ostrogoth, defeated Odoacer, king of Italy, near Verona, who fled to Ravenna.

642. SIGEBERT, king of the East-Angles, assassinated. He was a munificent prince, noted as the founder of churches, schools and monasteries; supposed to have been the founder of Cambridge university.

1087. WILLIAM II, surnamed Rufus, crowned at Westminster. In his reign Malcolm of Scotland was slain at Alnwich by the earl of Northumberland, whose spear piercing Malcolm's eye, gave to Northumberland the surname of Percy (p' eye).

1106. Battle before the walls of Tinchebrai, between the two brothers, Henry of England and Robert of Normandy, in which the latter was defeated and imprisoned nearly thirty years.

1415. The reduction of Harfleur, in France, by Henry V, of England; he rifled the town of its affluent stores, and dismissed the inhabitants with five pennies.

1540. Pope PAUL III confirmed the order of the Jesuits, and authorized its establishment.

1563. NICHOLAS EPISCOPIUS (or rather Bishop), a celebrated printer of Basil, died at London, where he had fled from France to avoid persecution.

1566. MARK JEROME VIDA, a celebrated Latin poet, died, aged 96. Many tributes of praise have been paid to his genius and merits.

1615. ARABELLA STUART died insane in the Tower of London.

1700. INNOCENT XII (_Anthony Pignatelli_), pope, died. He protested against the system adopted by his predecessors, of paying particular honors to the relations of the popes, and condemned Fenelon's _Maxims of the Saints_.

1715. THOMAS BURNET, a learned and ingenious English writer, died; author of the _Sacred Theory of the Earth_, which was very popular.

1719. GEORGE SMALRIDGE, bishop of Bristol, died; an elegant theological writer.

1729. Great fire in Constantinople, which consumed 12,000 houses. 7000 persons are said to have perished in the flames.

1730. LAWRENCE EUSDEN, an English divine and poet, died. He was preferred to the laureateship.

1731. A gang of felons, 130 in number, were taken from Newgate, and put aboard a ship to be transported to America, to colonize the country. In the next century they sent their felons to Botany Bay, and their paupers to America, several shiploads having been discharged on the coast, entirely destitute, directly from poor-houses.

1736. RENE DUGUAY TROUIN died; a celebrated French admiral, who displayed the greatest skill, united with the most consummate wisdom.

1741. DOMINIC PERENNIN died at Pekin; a French Jesuit, who was sent on a mission to China, where he was well received by the emperor.

1743. The first act of governor Clinton was to dissolve the legislature, and issue writs the same day for convening another.

1749. JOHN SARGENT, a noted missionary among the Indians, died at Stockbridge.

1751. A mosaic pavement and other relics of Roman antiquity discovered at Avenches, in the canton of Bern.

1759. ISAAC MADDOX, bishop of Worcester, died. He rose to preferment from a very low station in life, and was conspicuous for the many benevolent institutions which he promoted.

1772. JAMES BRINDLEY died; an extraordinary mechanical genius,

## particularly successful in planning and executing projects of internal

navigation, which were done without any drawing or model.

1775. EDWARD LOVIBOND died; an English poet of considerable talents.

1777. The American frigate Delaware, 32 guns, anchored within 500 yards of the unfinished British batteries at Philadelphia and seconded by another frigate and some smaller vessels commenced a heavy fire upon them. She grounded and struck her colors, and the other vessels were compelled to retire.

1782. HYDER ALLY defeated by the British under sir Eyre Coote.

1783. STEPHEN BEZOUT died; a French writer on mathematics, navigation and algebra.

1799. Rome, the eternal city, surrendered to the British.

1805. WILLIAM MOULTRIE, a distinguished officer of the revolution, died. He was a member of congress at the commencement of the war, and made a brave defence of Sullivan's island in 1776.

1810. Battle of Sierra Busaco, in Portugal; the French under Massena defeated with a loss of about 5000, by the British and Portuguese under Wellington, who lost 1000.

1811. Battle of Aldea de Ponte; the French under Marmont attacked the British general Cole; but were unsuccessful.

1811. BONAPARTE established a maritime conscription in the Hanseatic towns.

1812. Americans under colonel Newman defeated a party of Indians under king Paine, who was killed. A second attack was made by 200 Indians to recover his body, in which they succeeded, but with great loss.

1813. Americans under general Harrison landed in Canada, and in one hour took possession of Malden, evacuated by general Proctor after burning the fort and stores.

1832. Battle of Galeneta, in Mexico, between the partisans of general Montezuma, 5000 men, and those of Bustamente, 3500, in which the former were completely defeated.

1833. Deaths at Tampico, Mexico, by cholera and yellow fever, during the season to this date 2000, out of a population of 5200.

1833. RAMMOHUN ROY, a learned Bramin, died in England. He published works in Sanscrit, Arabic, Persian, Bengalee and English, and was acquainted with ten languages.

1835. GERVAISE DE LA RUE, a celebrated French antiquary, died at a very great age. He wrote various learned works relating to the poetry and literature of the middle ages.

1841. NICHOLAS BROWN, a wealthy and munificent merchant, died at Providence, aged 73. He graduated in 1786 at the college of Rhode Island, of which institution he afterwards became the benefactor, in consequence of which its name was changed in 1804 to Brown University.

1848. MICHAEL HOFFMAN, an American statesman, died at Brooklyn, N. Y., aged 60. He was a physician in Herkimer co., and was long a member of congress from that district. He held other offices, and was noted for stern integrity.

1848. Count LAMBERG, the imperial commissioner, appointed to take chief command in Hungary, was slain by the Hungarian population at Pesth, where he had recently arrived.

1849. Great fire at Owego, N. Y., which destroyed the place so completely that but three shops were left standing.

1849. The fortress of Comorn, in Hungary, one of the strongest in Europe, taken by the Austrians.