Chapter XXI: Part 21

1631. JOHN SMITH, one of the early settlers of Virginia, died. He was a brave and daring man, and it was mainly owing to him that the colony was made permanent.

1652. INIGO JONES, a celebrated English architect, died. He surpassed most of the great men of his age in learning and ability.

1675. Foundation laid of the cathedral of St. Paul's, London. It stands upon upwards of two acres of ground, and its height is 404 feet.

1738. GEORGE WILLIAM FREDERICK, the young English prince, _re-baptized_ by the bishop of Oxford, with great pomp. Private baptism at his birth was first administered, fearing his immediate death.

1747. British fleet under commodore Fox captured 48 sail of French West-Indiamen.

1759. Fort George erected at the head of lake George.

1764. British commodore Byron sailed from the Downs in the Dolphin, on his voyage round the world.

1768. JOHN LINDSAY died; a learned English divine, and a historical and theological writer.

1770. Fete on account of the marriage of Louis XVI of France, when 15,000 persons were trampled to death.

1770. WILLIAM BECKFORD, one of the most popular mayors of London, died.

1773. GEORGE JUAN, a Spanish knight of Malta, and an able mathematician, died. His writings have been translated into various languages.

1782. The British government sent Mr. Woodyear in the Tiger man-of-war, to the West Indies to determine the longitude.

1783. About 300 American troops with fixed bayonets, surrounded the house in which congress was sitting, and demanded a redress of grievances.

1788. New Hampshire adopted the federal constitution, recommending amendments, being the ninth state to do so; votes 57 to 46.

1791. A flood near the Havanna, swept away 3,000 persons.

1792. An immense body, headed by Santerre, forced their way into the Tuilleries, and compelled Louis XVI to wear the red cap.

1797. ANDREW PETER BERNSTORFF died; a German who settled in Denmark, became a distinguished statesman, and a great favorite with the people.

1797. PETER THELLUSSON, a rich London merchant, died. His will, devising lands to the amount of £4,500 per annum and £600,000 personal property to be funded to aid in liquidation of the national debt, gave rise to the act regulating devises.

1798. Battle of Vinegar hill, at which the Irish rebels were completely routed and the insurrection crushed.

1809. DANIEL LAMBERT, an English giant, died at Stamford, aged 36. His weight was 739 lbs. when last weighed, but at the time of his death, it was supposed to have been full 800. His coffin contained 112 superficial feet of Elm timber.

1813. Battle of Vittoria, in Spain, between the French under Joseph Bonaparte and Jourdan, and the allies under Wellington. French met with a disastrous defeat, losing 15,000 killed and wounded, and 3,000 prisoners, 150 cannon, 400 wagons of ammunition, 14,000 cattle, and the military chest, containing 42,000,000 reals. Loss of the allies 4,645.

1814. JOHN MARTIN MILLER, a professor of oriental languages, and poet of some note, died at Ulm.

1816. The king of the Netherlands acceded to the holy alliance.

1828. LEANDRO FERNANDEZ MORATIN died at Paris. He was a dramatic writer of much merit.

1832. SIMON WARONZOW, a Russian statesman, died in London. He had been for 30 years Russian ambassador to Great Britain.

1832. ANNA MARIA PORTER, an English novelist, died. Her works, together with those of her sister Jane, had gained a great degree of popularity, which was in a measure swept away, with every thing else, before that splendid series, the Waverly novels.

1848. About 3,000 houses destroyed by fire in Constantinople; damage estimated at $100,000,000.

1850. MATTHEW L. DAVIS, a distinguished citizen and printer in New York, died.

1850. JACOB HAYES, long a leading police officer of New York, died. His notoriety was very great.

1852. MARY ANN CLARKE died at Boulogne, in France, aged 74; the notorious mistress of the duke of York, to whose name, for a time, much consequence was given, in parliament and in London society, by the charges against the duke in 1809.

1853. A boat's crew from the Austrian brig-of-war Huzzar, lying in the harbor of Smyrna, seized in that port a Hungarian refugee, named Martin Koszta, and carried him to the ship. The populace, excited by the outrage attacked three Austrian officers, of whom two were slain. Koszta having protection, in virtue of his primary declaration of an intention of becoming an American citizen, captain Ingraham, of the American sloop-of-war St. Louis demanded his release. The affair caused a good deal of excitement throughout the civilized world. (See July 2.)

JUNE 22.

168 B. C. Battle of Pydna; Perseus, the last king of Macedon, defeated by the Romans under Paulus Æmylius, who brought to Rome a great number of books and manuscripts. The date is settled by an eclipse which happened the preceding night. This battle terminated the independence of a country which had seen a succession of thirty legitimate monarchs and eight usurpers, since its foundation by Caranus 814 B. C., six years after the fall of Assyria.

431. Third Œcumenical council assembled at Ephesus, to execute the decree of pope Celestine as to the heresy of Nestorius. He was deposed from his see and banished to an oasis.

1191. A remarkable eclipse of the sun, when the crusaders were at Acre, at 8 o'clock in the morning. In that year a parhelion appeared undistinguishable by the naked eye from the real sun.

1298. Battle of Falkirk; Edward I with 80,000 English defeated the Scottish army under Wallace, with great slaughter.

1415. JOHN HUSS, a Bohemian clergyman who had adopted the opinions of Wickliff, was burnt at the stake.

1476. Battle of Morat, in Switzerland, and defeat of Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy. Philip de Comines, speaking of this celebrated conflict for liberty, mentions arquebusiers as troops.

1483. Accession of the usurper Richard III.

1527. NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI, a Florentine writer, died. His works are numerous, but that called _The Prince_ is the most famous, and has generally given him a bad character, though defended by Bacon and Clarendon.

1535. JOHN FISHER, an English prelate, beheaded at the age of 77. He pertinaciously opposed the measures of the king, in relation to his wives. He was the opponent of Erasmus, who, however, gives him a superior character.

1596. The combined English and Dutch fleets under lord Effingham and admiral Van Duvenwoord, attacked the Spanish fleet in Cadiz bay, burnt 3 galleons, captured two, and drove a great number on shore. To save the latter the Spaniards agreed to pay 2,500,000 ducats.

1602. "Lent unto Benjamy Johnsone, at the apoyntment of E. Allen and William Birde, in earnest of a booke [play] called _Richard Crook-back_, and for new adycions of _Jeronimo_, the sum of x_lb._"--_Henslowe Manuscripts._

1632. GALILEO and his books condemned by the inquisition.

1664. CATHARINE PHILIPS, an English poetess, died.

1679. Battle of Bothwell bridge; the Scottish covenanters defeated by the English under the duke of Monmouth.

1691. MAHOMET IV, of Turkey, assassinated in prison. In the beginning of his reign he was eminently successful in war; but the resistless valor of John Sobieski drove the Turks within their own dominions. These calamities were attributed to the sultan, and the janizaries deposed him.

1691. SOLYMAN III, of Turkey, brother of the preceding, died. He was taken from prison and placed on the throne, on the deposition of his brother, Mahomet, 1687. He was indolent and superstitious.

1714. MATTHEW HENRY, an eminent English dissenting divine, died. His writings are highly valued, particularly the _Expositions of the Bible_, 5 vols. folio.

1734. EDMUND POURCHAT died; a French professor of philosophy, and a man of extensive learning.

1741. This day is memorable for the impressment of seamen into the British service. Nothing could protect the unhappy individuals; in 36 hours the names of 2370 were enrolled.

1763. JOHN PETER DE BOUGAINVILLE died; a French author, of great acquirements, whose application hastened his death, at the age of 41.

1770. PHILIP CARTERET WEBB died; a distinguished English lawyer and antiquary.

1772. Chief-justice MANSFIELD, of England, gave judgment that the master of a negro slave which had been brought to England had no right to send him back to the plantations.

1775. Congress resolved to emit $2,000,000 in bills of credit.

1777. British evacuated New Brunswick and retired to Amboy; they suffered severely from Morgan's riflemen and Wayne's brigade.

1780. The forts on Licking river attacked by 600 Indians and Canadians under colonel Bird, with 6 field pieces; they took all the inhabitants captives, and loaded them with heavy baggage; such as failed on the journey were tomahawked and scalped.

1803. WILLIAM HEINSE, a German author, died. His works are in 10 vols., and manifest great ability.

1807. British ship Leopard, 50 guns, attacked American frigate Chesapeake, 36 guns, captain Barron. The Chesapeake struck in 30 minutes; 3 men killed, 18 wounded. Four men were taken out of the Chesapeake, when she was permitted to proceed. One of these was hanged. Barron was suspended for five years.

1813. Battle of Craney island, in Chesapeake bay. British under sir Sidney Beckwith and admiral Warren defeated by 480 Virginia militia and 150 sailors. British loss 1200 killed, wounded or drowned. None of the Americans were injured.

1815. BONAPARTE'S second abdication. He announced that his political life had terminated, and proclaimed his son, Napoleon II, emperor of the French.

1835. CHARLES BUTLER, the reminiscent, died.

1834. FERDINAND WILHELM BECKER died; a distinguished German physician.

1835. FRANCISCO TACON Y ROSISQUE died; a Spanish statesman, and minister from Spain to the United States. He had filled many distinguished offices, and was greatly respected and esteemed for his talents and amiable qualities.

1839. DEBORAH KNIGHT died at Sumner, Me., aged 105.

1848. The difficulties and disturbances occasioned by the disbanding of the operatives in the national workshops at Paris began.

1848. Civil war in Paris; barricades erected, and a terrible slaughter of the people; general Cavaignac declared dictator.

1848. MARTIN VAN BUREN nominated for president of the United States at a convention at Utica.

1849. ELIZABETH GRINDELL died in Goshen, N. H., aged 104¼ years, leaving a descendant of the _fifth_ generation.

1852. CHARLES C. BERRY, commander of the steamship United States, died at Brooklyn, N. Y., aged 39. He had been connected with the mercantile marine of New York from an early age.

1854. JEREMIAH M. SCARRITT, a United States military engineer, died at Key West. He was a native of New Hampshire, graduated at the military academy of West Point in 1838, served with distinction in the war with Mexico, and was brevetted for gallant and meritorious conduct.

1855. SAMUEL SUMNER WILDE died, aged 84. He was one of the delegates to the Hartford convention, and the last survivor of that assemblage; he also held the office of a justice of the supreme court of Massachusetts 35 years. His judicial career was distinguished by great legal learning and stern integrity.

1855. WILLIAM HENRY STONE, the correspondent of the _London Times_ from the seat of war, died at Balaclava, aged 30. He was employed by the British government in administering the fund for the relief of the sick and wounded, and was a young man of brilliant promise.

JUNE 23.

217 B. C. Battle of Thrasymene, in Italy, between the Romans under Caius Flaminius, and the Carthaginians under Hannibal. The Romans were defeated, and Flaminius killed.

303. ST. ALBAN, the first martyr for Christianity in England, beheaded at Verulam in Hertfordshire. Nearly five hundred years after his death his memory was honored by Offa, king of the Mercians, who built a stately monastery over him, whence the town of St. Albans receives its name.

1137. ALBERTUS, archbishop of Mentz, died. He abused the confidence and liberality of the emperor, Henry V, by raising a conspiracy, for which he was imprisoned.

1281. A terrible convulsion of Mount Etna, about sunset.

1485. RICHARD III published his famous proclamation, stating that Henry Tudor intended to "change and subvert the laws of the realm, and to do the most cruel murders, slaughters, robberies and disherisons, that were ever seen in any Christian country."

1579. The famous union of Utrecht effected. It included Gelderland, Holland, Zealand, Friesland and Utrecht. Ghent and Ypres afterwards acceded.

1596. Cadiz surrendered to the English by capitulation. A ransom of 120,000 crowns was paid by the inhabitants for their lives, and the town and merchandise were abandoned to the rapacity of the conquerors.

1606. HENRY GARNET, provincial of the Jesuits, executed for the _gunpowder_ plot.

1645. VIERA'S plot discovered, to deliver Olinda and the other Dutch possessions into the hands of the Portuguese. He was originally a butcher's boy.

1650. CHARLES II arrived on the coast of Scotland, but was compelled to take the covenant before landing.

1654. SOUTHWORTH, a catholic clergyman, executed in his 72d year. He reproached his persecutors for arming themselves for liberty of conscience, and killing him for differing with them.

1664. The duke of York conveyed a part of his tract in North America to John lord Berkley, baron of Stratton, and sir George Carteret, by the name of Nova-Cæsarea, or New Jersey. Thus the New Netherlands became divided into New York and New Jersey.

1687. M. DENONVILLE, with 1,500 French and 500 Indians marched from Canada for the purpose of humbling the Seneca Indians. When he had reached the foot of a hill about a mile from the principal village of the Senecas, he aroused an ambush of 500 Indians, which at first threw his army into confusion, but they soon rallied again and the Senecas were defeated, with the loss of 80, and laid their own village in ashes. The French found only two old men, whom they cut in pieces and boiled to make soup for their allies.

1707. JOHN MILL, a learned English divine, died; editor of a _Greek Testament_, with various readings and critical notes; a labor of thirty years, and which was published only a fortnight before his death.

1728. GABRIEL DANIEL, a learned French Jesuit, died. His books were rapidly republished, and several translated.

1736. ACHMET III, ex-emperor of Turkey, died, aged 74. He waged war with Russia, Persia and Venice successfully, and is entitled to some regard for the hospitality he showed to that unfortunate madman, Charles XII of Sweden.

1757. Battle of Plaissey, in Hindostan; the British under lord Clive defeated Surajah Dowla, and took his camp, baggage, and 50 cannon.

1758. Battle of Crefelt; French defeated with the loss of 600 by the allies under Ferdinand of Brunswick, who lost 1,500.

1759. Battle of Kay, on the Oder; the Prussians under Wedel attacked the Russians, and were defeated with the loss of 4,000.

1760. Battle of Landshut; the Austrians assaulted and carried the town with great loss on both sides.

1764. JOSEPH BARRY, a French ecclesiastic and author, died. His _History of Germany_, 11 vols. quarto, is reckoned the best work in French on the subject.

1770. MARK AKENSIDE, an English poet, died. He wrote also on medicine; and possessed an original and powerful mind.

1780. Battle of Springfield, N. J.; the British took the town and burnt it, and retreated.

1791. CATHARINE MACAULEY (Graham), an English historian, died. She wrote several histories, essays and political works, which are now nearly obliviated.

1793. New declaration of the rights of man by the French convention.

1793. Cape François burnt by the negroes and mulattoes, after an indiscriminate massacre of the whites, which had been in progress since the 7th, by which several thousands perished. (See 20th.)

1795. Action between the British and French fleets off L'Orient, in which the latter were defeated, with the loss of several large ships.

1824. STEPHEN AIGNAN, a French poet and dramatic writer, died. He filled several offices under Napoleon.

1824. WILSON LOWRY, an English artist, died. He made many improvements in the art of engraving.

1836. JAMES MILL, a Scottish divine, died; celebrated for his literary and philosophical works, author of a _History of British India, &c._

1839. HESTER STANHOPE, a learned English lady, died at D'Joun, in Syria. She had resided in Syria nearly thirty years, and was celebrated for her eccentricity and singular mode of life. She was a niece of William Pitt, and abandoned civilized society to reside among Arabs, over whom she acquired great command.

1854. A terrible hurricane occurred at Manteno, Illinois, extending from six to eight miles in width, prostrated many houses, and caused much other damage.

1854. DANIEL WELLS, chief justice of the court of common pleas of Massachusetts, died at Cambridge, aged 63. He was born in Greenfield, Mass., and in 1837 was appointed district attorney for the western district, the duties of which office he discharged with marked ability, propriety and success until appointed chief justice.

1855. The Russians, 30,000 men, under general Mouravieff, invested Kars in the Crimea; the Turkish garrison was commanded by general Williams, an Englishman.

1856. Prince ESTERHAZY, an eminent Austrian ambassador, died at Berlin, in Prussia, where he was envoy.

JUNE 24.

64. The first Christian persecution under Nero.

79. TITUS FLAVIUS VESPASIANUS, emperor of Rome, died, after a popular reign of 10 years. He was the first of the Roman emperors who died a natural death.

1203. The third, or Boniface's crusade, reached Chalcedon.

1314. Battle of Bannockburn in Scotland. The English army of 100,000 men under Edward II totally defeated by the Scots, 30,000, under Bruce. The loss of the English was 154 earls, barons and knights, 700 gentlemen and upwards of 10,000 common soldiers.

1340. Battle of Sluys: the English under Edward III, with 240 ships, defeated the French fleet of 400 ships. The French lost 230 vessels and 30,000 men killed.

1450. Battle of Seven Oaks, in England, when Cade, the rebel, turning on his pursuers, put them to flight, killed sir Humphrey Stafford, and arrayed himself in the knight's panopli and spurs.

1497. JOHN CABOT and his son SEBASTIAN, in the service of England, first descried land on the continent of America, which they called Prima Vista, and is generally supposed to have been some part of Newfoundland. No one had yet reached the continent.

1534. JOHN BOCCOLD (of Leyden) a journeyman tailor, crowned king of Sion at Munster, in Germany, by the anabaptists. The German princes took the city by surprise on this day the year following, and deposed the king, and afterwards put him to death.

1577. SEBASTIAN III of Portugal embarked at Lisbon against the Moors in Africa, with 1,000 sail.

1637. NICHOLAS CLAUDE FABRI PEIRESC, a distinguished French antiquary, died. He was a learned man, and highly esteemed by his cotemporaries.

1643. JOHN HAMPDEN, an English statesman, died. He was a leader of the parliamentary forces, and mortally wounded at the battle of Chalgrove field.

1675. King PHILIP'S war began at Swanzey, in the Plymouth colony, not far from mount Hope. Having sent their wives and children to the Narragansetts for safety, a party of the Wampanoags advanced to Swanzey, where they menaced the people, and proceeded to rifle their houses, and even to kill the cattle. An Indian was shot, whereupon the party rushed forward and slew eight or nine of the inhabitants; thus opened the bloody scene, which for more than a year spread terror and devastation over the New England colonies, and shed a deluge of human blood. It was a contest for extirpation, and ere it ended the flower of the English and the chivalry of the Indians were laid low.

1711. Queen ANNE'S fleet, sent to reduce Canada, arrived at Boston, New England.

1724. Great tumult in Glasgow, occasioned by a tax on malt. Preparations of malt liquor were at that time deemed essential articles of comfort.

1736. English act of parliament against witchcraft, passed in the reign of James I, repealed.

1741. A daily mail first instituted in London.

1750. Pension of £30 per annum conferred on Hannah Snell, the female soldier, who under the name of James Gray, served king George more than 5 years.

1762. Battle of Graebenstein; the allies under prince Ferdinand, defeated the French under Soubisse, and d'Estrees, who lost 300 men.

1770. CHRISTOPHER DRAKENBERG died in Norway, aged 146.

1782. JOHN BLAIR, a Scottish chronologist, died. His principal work is a chronology and history of the world.

1796. DAVID RITTENHOUSE, an American natural philosopher, died. From a manufacturer of clocks and mathematical instruments he became, by his own exertions, one of the most scientific men of the day.

1799. Division of the territory and treasures of Tippo Saib, by the English.

1803. MATTHEW THORNTON, a signer of the declaration, died. He was a practicing physician in New Hampshire, when the war of the revolution broke out.

1804. The spire of Hanslope church, Buckinghamshire, England, fell immediately after divine service and crushed down the roof also; no lives were lost.

1810. Battle of Beaverdams; 570 Americans surprised and taken by the British.

1812. The grand imperial army of Napoleon, consisting of 470,000 men, consolidated into three masses, began the Russian campaign by the passage of the Niemen.

1817. THOMAS M'KEAN died; a signer of the declaration, and governor of Pennsylvania.

1821. Battle of Carabobo, in Colombia; the royalist army totally defeated by the republicans, with the loss of their artillery, baggage, and 6,000 prisoners.

1839. Battle of Nezib, in Syria, between the Turks, 70,000, under the seraskier, Hafiz pasha, and the Egyptians, 80,000, under Ibrahim. The Turks were defeated, with the loss of 6,000 killed and many prisoners.

1840. The 400th anniversary of the discovery of the art of printing celebrated at Boston and various places in Europe.

1848. ANTONIO GAGNA, a Mexican military officer, died at Puebla, aged 64 years, 52 of which he had spent in the service, and acquired the reputation of a gallant, benevolent and courtly gentleman.

1852. CHRISTOPHER EDWARDS GADSDEN, bishop of the episcopal diocese of South Carolina, died at Charleston, aged 68.

1852. The first national agricultural convention assembled at Washington, consisting of 151 members, representing 22 states; Marshall P. Wilder, of Massachusetts, president.

1853. A courier arrived at St. Petersburg, bringing the refusal of the sultan of Turkey to the note of the czar, whereupon orders were issued for the invasion of the Danubian principalities.

1855. Forty-seven Russian ships, of from 200 to 700 tons each, were destroyed near Nystadt, in the gulf of Bothnia, by boats from the allied squadron.

JUNE 25.

1208. PHILIP, duke of Swabia, assassinated. He was elected emperor of Germany, but was obliged to give room to Otho, who had the most powerful supporters. His memory is still respected in Germany.

1520. The assaults of the Mexicans upon the Spaniards in the centre of their capital, which had continued without intermission since the massacre of the 13th May, (q.v.) was made with increased fury on this day. The Spaniards defended themselves with 12 pieces of artillery, which made terrible havoc upon their enemy; but as the number of them was infinite, they covered the sight of their dead with fresh numbers. The Spaniards with Cortez at their head made a sally into one of the principal streets, carrying fire and sword among the dense mass, destroying men and houses before them.

1526. An imperial diet assembled at Spires, and observed the rites of the reformed church. It was at this sitting that Charles V proposed the meeting of a general council for reforming the abuses of the church.

1634. JOHN MARSTON died; an English dramatic author. He was a chaste and pure writer, avoiding the ribaldry and obscenity of the age.

1644. THOMAS WESTFIELD died; a learned English divine, whose eloquence and pathos procured him the appellation of the weeping prophet.

1663. JOHN BRAMHALL, lord primate of Ireland, died. He was highly serviceable to the royal cause during the English civil wars.

1667. JOHN HARMAN with 16 ships defeated a French fleet of 30, near Martinico.

1672. The king of France at the head of 120,000 choice troops, commanded by the ablest generals in the world, entered Utrecht in triumph, and advanced within 9 miles of Amsterdam. At this crisis the inhabitants of Amsterdam opened the sluices and laid the country under water. Fertile fields, numerous villas and flourishing villages were overwhelmed by the inundation. They even formed the design of migrating to their settlements in the East Indies, and erecting a new empire in the southern extremity of Asia. It was found that there were vessels in the harbor sufficient to transport 150 families, but a favorable turn in their affairs, prevented the necessity of having recourse to that desperate expedient.

1689. WILLIAM THOMAS, an English bishop, died; author of an _Apology for the Church of England_, and other works.

1695. Namur in Belgium taken from the French after a long and bloody siege.

1725. JONATHAN WILD, the noted thief catcher, hanged at Tyburn. The evening previous he tried to poison himself, but lived to be stoned and hooted by the populace on his way to the gallows.

1744. ROGER GALE, an English antiquary, died; esteemed one of the most learned and polite scholars of the age.

1767. GODFREY SELLIUS, a Prussian historian, died.

1781. The wives, children and dependents of those inhabitants of Charleston, who resided in the rebel colonies, ordered by the British to quit the place by the 1st of August. More than 1,000 persons were thus exiled.

1782. Action between the French and Spanish fleet, 25 sail, and the Newfoundland and Quebec fleets; 18 of the latter, laden chiefly with provisions, were captured.

1784. Judge WHITE, with his family, having ascended the Mohawk river, landed at the mouth of the Sauquoit. Hence the origin of Whitestown. The country then was an unbroken wilderness.

1788. Virginia, the tenth state, adopted the federal constitution, 89 to 79, the least majority of any state except New York.

1794. CHARLES BARBAROUX, a noted French revolutionist, guillotined. He attacked the usurpations of Robespierre and the machinations of the Jacobins, by which he fell.

1794. Charleroi surrendered to the French under Jourdan, seven days after the trenches had been opened. General Reinach and 3,000 Austrians who defended the fortress, were made prisoners of war.

1795. WILLIAM SMELLIE, a Scottish naturalist, died. He was a printer by profession, wrote for the _Encyclopedia Brittannica_, translated _Buffon_, and conducted the _Edinburgh Review_ and _Magazine_.

1807. An armistice between the emperors of France and Russia, when they held a personal conference upon a raft moored in the river Niemen, near Tilsit. The sovereigns embraced each other, and retiring under a canopy, had a long conversation, to which no one was a witness.

1813. British under admiral Cockburn, with 2,000 troops, took Hampton, Va., and pillaged it for two days.

1815. BONAPARTE'S farewell address to his soldiery.

1816. HUGH HENRY BRACKENRIDGE, a Pennsylvania judge, died; known as the author of _Modern Chivalry_, a poem, and by other works.

1823. ALEXANDER GRIFFITHS, at once a parricide and suicide, was buried in the cross roads near London; the last so interred, as the act giving suicides Christian burial then took effect.

1841. ALEXANDER MACOMB, commander in chief of the army of the United States, died at Washington. He entered the service of the United States in 1799 as cornet of dragoons; was raised to the rank of brigadier general in 1814, and commanded at the successful battle of Plattsburgh.

1842. M. SISMONDI, the historian, died near Geneva, aged 69.

1844. JARVIS CUTLER, the first white man that cut down a tree for a settlement in Ohio, died at Evansville, Indiana.

1852. DUDLEY MARVIN, an eminent lawyer of western New York, died, aged 65, at Ripley, Chautauque county. He was a native of Lyme, Ct., studied at Canandaigua, and was several times returned to congress.

JUNE 26.

285 B. C. DIONYSIUS of Alexandria began his astronomical era. He was the first to find the exact limits of the solar year, which he made to consist of 365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes.

44 B. C. The memorable conference between Brutus and Cassius, and Cicero at Antium.

363. JULIAN, emperor of Rome, died, aged 32. He was elected by his soldiery, on the death of Constantius, and soon declared himself a pagan. He was learned and in his private character respectable.

1276. INNOCENT V (Peter de Tarantaise), pope of Rome, died.

1541. FRANCISCO PIZARRO, the Spanish adventurer, assassinated in his own palace, at noonday, by the friends of Almagro, at the age of 63.

1569. VICTORIUS STRIGELIUS died; a learned professor at Leipsic, and one of Luther's first disciples.

1574. GABRIEL DE MONTGOMERY, a zealous protestant nobleman, beheaded at Paris by order of Catharine, who sacrificed him to her unjust revenge. (See June 29, 1559.)

1657. OLIVER CROMWELL solemnly inaugurated lord protector.

1685. RUMBOLD, the maltster who contrived the Rye house plot taken and executed at Edinburgh.

1688. RALPH CUDWORTH, a celebrated English divine, died. He was a man of extensive erudition, well skilled in the languages, an able philosopher, an acute mathematician and a profound metaphysician.

1691. JOHN FLAVEL died; an English divine, author of _Navigation and Husbandry Spiritualized_, &c.

1696. Portsmouth plain, N. H., attacked by the Indians; five houses were assaulted at once, early in the morning, and 14 persons killed on the spot. One was scalped and left for dead, but afterwards recovered.

1708. The act vacating extravagant grants of land in New York confirmed.

1719. ALEXIS PETROVITZ, only son of Peter the great of Russia, died in prison. His intemperance alienated him from his father, and he died in prison under sentence of death.

1748. Indian battle of Marlborough, Vt. Captain Hobbs with 40 men from No. 4, (Charlestown) on his march through the woods was attacked by a large body of Indians. Without the least knowledge of their force, Hobbs instantly gave them a well directed fire, which checked their impetuosity. A sharp action ensued of four hours, without either side yielding an inch of their original ground. Sacket, who led the Indians, finally ordered a retreat, carrying off the dead and wounded. Three of the English were killed, and as many wounded. This defence was considered at the time a masterpiece of bravery; the Indians being estimated four to one of the English.

1749. A conspiracy discovered at Malta against the knights; 125 slaves suffered death.

1752. GIULIO ALBERONI, a Spanish statesman, died, aged 89. He was the son of a gardener, and became a great and ambitious man.

1782. Slavery entirely abolished in Austrian Poland.

1784. CÆSAR RODNEY, president of Delaware, died, aged about 54. He voted for the declaration of independence, and was enabled to afford efficient aid to Washington in the prosecution of the war. His death is usually placed in 1783.

1793. GILBERT WHITE, an English naturalist and antiquary, died.

1794. Battle of Fleurus, in Belgium; the allies defeated by the French under Jourdan, after a contest of 15 hours. On this occasion, Coutel, an æronaut, with 2 officers, reconnoitered the contending armies in an air balloon.

1795. PETER DEMOURS died; a French surgeon and oculist, known for his dexterity, and author of some professional works.

1799. The first newspaper at Brooklyn, New York, issued.

1799. Naples surrendered to lord Nelson; on which occasion Ferdinand created him duke of Bronte. _Bronte_ was the forge of Cyclops, on which he forged the thunder of Jove. He also presented him with an estate worth $18,000 per annum, and a sword valued at 60,000 ducats.

1807. British order in council, blockading the Ems and rivers on the Baltic.

1807. Conference on the river Niemen between Bonaparte, Alexander of Russia and Frederick William of Prussia.

1810. JOSEPH MONTGOLFIER, the celebrated inventor of balloons, died.

1814. Attack of the American flotilla and marines under commodore Barney, upon two British frigates moored at St. Leonard's creek, which were compelled to retire.

1830. GEORGE IV, of England, died.

1831. Cholera made its appearance at St. Petersburg. The number of cases in the first 18 days, 4,916; deaths, 2,219.

1834. GILBERT BLANE, a distinguished Scottish physician, died, aged 85. His career was marked by a zeal for the mitigation of the evils of war and a sea life, and a diligent cultivation and exertion of solid talents.

1835. ENOCH CROSBY, the _Harvey Birch_ of Cooper's _Spy_, died. His services were of great benefit to the commander in chief during a part of the revolutionary war.

1848. JOHN J. DE GRAFF died at Schenectady; formerly a representative in congress.

1848. EDWARD B. PHILLIPS died at Brattleborough, leaving an immense fortune, which he did not know how to enjoy. He bequeathed Harvard university $100,000.

1849. Panama rail road stock ($1,000,000) subscribed, without effort, in New York city.

1849. The great crevasse in the levee of the Mississippi river was stopped.

1852. RALPH WORMLY, a British admiral, died at Utica, New York. He was retired from actual service, and had resided for some time in Boston.

1853. The czar of Russia issued a manifesto respecting the Turkish question to his own subjects, pretending to act as the champion of Christianity.

1855. JOHN J. GUION, a Mississippi jurist, died, aged 54. He held various important offices of state with ability.

JUNE 27.

432 B. C. The estival solstice of Meton, the Athenian, corresponds with this day, in the 87th Olympiad. From the time of Solon the Attic months were lunar, composed alternately of 30 and 29 days.

1137. The city of Bath in England destroyed by fire.

1299. Pope BONIFACE VIII issued an authoritative rescript, directed to Edward I, claiming the feudal sovereignty over Scotland. Edward received it in his camp, and in reply formally deduced his claim to the superiority, from _Brute the Trojan_. His holiness rejoined that the Scots cared not for Brute the Trojan, as they were derived from _Scota_, the daughter of Pharaoh, who landed in Ireland, and whose descendants became kings of Albany by conquest.

1506. FERDINAND of Arragon resigned the government of Castile, and Philip and Joanna were enthroned.

1534. The University of Oxford unanimously determined that the jurisdiction of the pope of Rome did not exceed the ministry of any other English bishop.

1627. VILLIERS, duke of Buckingham, sailed from England on his expedition against the French coast, from which he returned in disgrace, with the loss of the flower of his army.

1627. JOHN HAYWARD, an English historian, died. He wrote also biographies of some of the kings, and several religious works.

1630. FREDERICK MOREL, a learned French printer, died. Some of his predecessors had been directors of the king's printing house, and his descendants were also distinguished for their learning, and as elegant printers.

1651. "Milton's book" burnt at Toulouse by an _arrêt_ of the parliament. The famous _Defence of the People of England_, was twelve days later burnt by the common executioner, at Paris, under a judicial sentence.

1689. Dover, N. H., attacked by the Indians. The houses were garrisoned, but some squaws got permission to sleep by the fire in two of them, who gave the Indians admission in the night. Several houses were burnt, 23 persons killed, and 29 captivated.

1694. The French under Du Casse, attacked the island of Jamaica, and laid it waste.

1699. SEBASTIAN JOSEPH DE PONTCHASTEAU, a French author, died; remarkable for the singularity of his acts of devotion and charity.

1709. Battle of Pultowa in Russia, between the Russians under Peter the Great and the Swedes under Charles XII, in which the latter were totally defeated, after a desperate conflict of two hours.

1720. The _Mississippi bubble_ burst in France; amount about $450,000,000.

1724. A party of 13 Indians, called French Mohawks, attacked the house of John Hanson, a quaker, in Dover, N. H., killed and scalped two small children, and carried off his wife, three children and the nurse. The quakers could not be persuaded to use any means for their defence though equally exposed with their neighbors to an enemy who made no distinction between them.

1725. CHRISTIAN HENRY HEINECKEN, an extraordinary German boy, died. He spoke his maternal tongue fluently at ten months; at one year old he knew the principal events of the Pentateuch; in two months more he was master of the entire histories of the Old and New Testament; at two years and a half he answered the principal questions in geography, and in ancient and modern history. He spoke Latin and French, German and Low Dutch, with great facility, before the commencement of his fourth year, 1725, in which he died. His constitution was so delicate that he was not weaned till a few months before his death.

1742. NATHAN BAILEY, the English lexicographer, died. Besides his well known dictionary, he was the editor of school editions and translations of several of the ancient classic poets and historians.

1774. NICHOLAS TINDAL, an English historian, died; known as the translator of Rapin's history.

1777. WILLIAM DODD, an English divine, hanged for forgery.

1780. I. H. WASER, a Swiss ecclesiastic, executed at Zurich, for some strictures in a newspaper on the administration of justice in that city.

1785. SAMUEL MATHER, a learned New England divine, died, aged 79. He wrote the life of his father, Cotton Mather.

1788. Virginia adopted the constitution of the United States, recommending amendments; tenth state which ratified that document.

1789. Union of all the orders in the national assembly of France.

1794. SIMON NICHOLAS HENRY LINGUET, a French writer, guillotined. The freedom of his writings drove him from one country to another to escape prosecution, till he finally came under the revolutionary axe at Paris. The number of his works is thirty-five.

1794. The populace of Warsaw put eight of their principal noblemen to death as traitors to their country.

1800. WILLIAM CUMBERLAND CRUIKSHANK, an eminent Scottish anatomist, died in London, where he distinguished himself as a surgeon and medical writer.

1801. Cairo surrendered by the French to the Anglo-Turkish army; conditioned to be sent to France. The army consisted of 13,754 men, of whom 600 were Greeks and Copts, and 100 Mamelukes.

1806. The British took possession of Montevideo only to be made prisoners of war.

1817. Fort Bizoton, Port-au-Prince, blown up by its commandant, in revenge of some supposed injuries received from his superiors. He was the only one killed.

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

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

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

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

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

1832. Cholera appeared in New York.

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

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

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

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

JUNE 28.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1854. A military insurrection broke out in Spain.

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

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

JUNE 29.

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

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

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

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

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

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

1502. COLUMBUS arrived at Hispaniola on his fourth voyage.

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

1519. CHARLES V declared emperor by the electoral voices.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1678. Grenadiers introduced into England.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

JUNE 30.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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