The Every Day Book of history and chronology: embracing the anniversaries of memorable persons and events, in every period and state of the world, etc

Preface

. The object of this work, as will be seen, is to bring together the great events of each day of the year, in all ages, as far as their dates can be ascertained, aud to arrange them chronologically. It has been necessary to observe brevity in its compilation, in order to reduce it within a proper compass. Hence notices of the most eminent men are often confined to two or three lines, while indi viduals of less note have occasionally received more attention, on account of the absence of ready reference to them in books. The dates are in accordance, it is believed, with the best author ities. Great care has been taken to make them so, and nothing has been inserted for which there was not at least some authority. Occasionally authors have been found to disagree in days, months, and even years, and it has been necessary to reconcile, as well as possible, such discrepancies.

Much of this confusion arises from the change in the calendar; some authors following the old, others the new style, without informing us which they adhere to. The protestant countries did not all adopt the new style till 1777, about two centuries after the catholic authorities had reformed the calendar. The Russians still use the Julian era, and are now conse quently twelve days behind the true time. With these difficulties in the way, no ordinary vigilance ensures an entire freedom from error in a work like this. The dates here, however, are made to conform to the new style as far as practicable. In some cases where different dates have been given, and it has been found im possible to determine the true one, the article has been inserted under different days with cross references. Repetitions have crept in however, which could only be discovered in preparing the index. Errors of this kind are perpetuated by a succession of authors

PREFACE.

. following a wrong date, and are exceedingly difficult to detect, or when suspected, not easily traced to their origin. When dates have been taken from computations of time other than the Christian era, it should be understood that the corresponding day has been made to conform to our own era, and consequently perfect accuracy can not be claimed for them. It has been said that geography and chronology are the eyes of history; in aiding to promote one of these sciences, the reader will not fail to discover how great and varied is the amount of facts brought together, rendering the work of use to persons of every age and calling. A reference to the index will show more clearly the extent of the work. EVERY DAY BOOK OF HISTORY AND CHRONOLOGY. JANUARY 1. ing the faults of his education, which had been purposely neglected, he became a wise and politic monarch, who had the welfare and improvement of his country in mind Though extensively engaged in wars, he avoided burdening the people with taxes — was economical, just and mag nanimous. 154 b. c. It was fixed that the Roman consuls should always enter upon their office on this day, and the years were named after them On this occasion they went in solemn procession to the Capitol to sacrifice to Jupiter Capitolinus; after which the senate held a solemn session.

Those who had discharged the office of consul enjoyed the pre-eminence of rank over the other senators. They were an nually elected by the people till the time of Tiberius, who ordered that they should be chosen by the senate. The last consul after whom the year was named, was Bar silius, in the year 541, in the reign of Justinianus. 1513. Juan Diaz pe Solis, coasting the southern continent, discovered the mouth of a river on this day, which in consequence he called Rio Janeiro. 15113. Joan Diaz de Solis again entered the Rio de Solis which he had discovered three years previous. In attempting a descent on the country he was slain by the natives, who in sight of the ship cut his body in pieces, and roasted and de voured it. He was reputed the ablest navigator in the world. 1523. Knights of Malta driven from the island of Rhodes by the Turks. 1537.

James V of Scotland married Magdalen, daughter of Francis I of France. 1617. Henry Goltzios, a distinguished Dutch painter and engraver, died. His father was a painter on glass, and gave his son instructions in the art ; but it was his own genius and application that raised him to the rank he ultimately held among the best artists of the time. 38. b. c. The Spanish era, or era of the Cæsars, commenced, being the year following the conquest of Spain by Augus tus. It was much used in Africa, Spain and the south of France ; but was abolished by one kingdom after another during the fourteenth century, and by Portugal 1555. 404. Telemachus, or St. Almachus, whose story is the foundation of Fene lon's famed work Telemaque, suffered martyrdom at Rome. 1109. The Festival of Fools was insti tuted at Paris, and continued prosper ous for 240 years.

This, with the Lords of Misrule, and the Abbots of Unreason, was doubtless designed to ridicule the Druidic Saturnalia. 1018. Charter of the first New Nether land company expired by its own limita tion. 1618. Birthday of Bartholomew Este ban Mueillo, the greatest of all the Spanish painters. He was employed by the churches and convents of Seville a great number of years, which were en riched by the masterly productions of his pencil, and procured for himself an inde pendent fortune. Having been invited to Cadiz, he there executed his grand pic ture of St. Catharine ; but just as he was about to finish it he was dreadfully wounded on the scaffolding, and died at Seville, 1682. 1630. Thomas Hobsox, the celebrated 1308. William Tell, the Swiss patriot, associated himself on this day with a band of his countrymen against the tyrauny of their oppressors. 1349.

Edward III, king of England, de feated the French before Calais with great slaughter. 1504. Birthday of Casper Crcciger, an extensive and multifarious scholar, and a follower of Luther. He died 1548. 1515. Lotus XII of France, surnamed the father ot the people, died. Notwithstand- [Jan. 1 EVERY DAY BOOK. carrier of Cambridge, England, died. One of the most general proverbial expressions in England originated with him. He let to students and others horses, and his practice was to secure equal portions of rest as well as work for each horse. Hence when ap plied to for any, none but that which had its due proportion of rest could be let. "This or none" was the answer. Hence the phrase " Hobson's choice; this or none." an unusual degree of acerbity and disin genuousness.' 1752. The new style commenced this day in England by act of parliament.

(See March 25.) 1757. Calcutta surrendered to the British under Admiral Watson, Colonel Clive aud Captain Coote. 1761. Great hurricane in the East Indies, destroying a part of the British fleet ; of the crews of three of the ships lost but 14 were saved out of 1100. 1644. Michob Ader, calling himself the Wandering Jew, appeared at Paris, where he created an extraordinary sensation among all ranks. He pretended to have lived sixteen hundred years, and that he had traveled through all regions of the world. He was visited by the literati of the city, and no one could accost him in a language that he was ignorant of; he was also familiar with the history of per sons and events from the time of Christ, so that he was never confounded by intri cate or cross-questions ; but replied readily and without embarrassment.

The learned looked upon him as a counterfeit, or mad man, yet they took their leave of him be wildered and astonished. 1776. Norfolk Burnt. Lord Dunmore, the royal governor of Virginia, having abandoned the town and retired on board his ships, became distressed for provisions ; and on the arrival of the Liverpool man of war, the inhabitants refusing to supply his majesty's ships, the place was reduced to ashes. The provincials themselves de stroyed the houses and plantations near the water, to deprive the ships of every resource of supply. 1781. Revolt of the Pennsylvania line at Morristown, N. J. They had enlisted for three years, and that term having expired they wished to be discharged. 1787. Arthur Middleton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, died. He was a native of South Carolina, born 1743, and educated in England ; and at the age of twenty-two made the tour of Europe.

On the breaking out of the war he engaged warmly on the side of the colonies. In 1779 lie distinguished him self in the defence of Charleston against the British, who afterwards ravaged his plantation and rifled his mansion, by which he suffered an immense loss of pro perty ; and in the following year he was taken prisoner. On the termination of the contest he returned to his native seat, and spent the remainder of his life in ele gant and philosophical ease — a model of private wealth and public virtue ; a firm patriot and an enlightened philanthropist. 1793. A beginning was made upon the Pennsylvania state canal, at Conewago falls ; seventeen rocks being blasted — one for each stockholder of the canal com pany. 1651. Cuarles II crowned king of Scotland at Scone. 1661. A parliament met in Scotland. 1700.

The Russians began their new year. 1715. William Wycherlet died, aged 81, an eminent English dramatic writer and comic poet. 1727. Claude Adrian Helvetius died; a celebrated Dutch physician, who, having obtained celebrity by introducing the use of ipecacuanha in dysentery, was made inspector general of military hospitals, and died at London. 1729. Great fog in London, persons lost their way in St. James' park, and many fell into the canal. 1730. Samuel Sewall, chief justice of the supreme court of Massachusetts died. 1731. Edward Cave printed the first number of the well known Gentleman's Magazine. 1748. Birthday of Godfrey Augustus Burger, a celebrated German poet, and the writer of that whimsical satire, Mun chausen's Travels. 1794. The French convention abolished flogging in the army and navy and substi tuted other punishments more congenial with the spirit of the times. 1794.

Thomas Paine and Anachatrsis Cloots arrested by order of Robespierre and sent to prison in Paris. 1797. Zemaun Shah made his triumphal entry into Lahore, the capital of the Sikhs, where he formed an army of 100,000 men with a view of marching upon Delhi. 1798. Athenæum at Liverpool was opened. 174S. John Bernouilli, a Swiss mathematician, died. He was born at Basil in Switzerland, and educated for a merchant, hut afterwards studied medicine, and finally devoted his attention to mathematics with great success. He was the contemporary of Leibnitz and De L'Hopi tal, and of Newton, His labors in the science were indefatigable, and his works contain an immense mass of discovery. But the details of his private life exhibit Jan. 1.] EVERY DAY

BOOK. 11

1799. The French drove the king of Naples from his capital and forced him to take refuge on board of a British man of war, in which he sailed to Palermo. 1815. The British under Gen. Packen ham opened a battery of two 18 pounders on the Americans at New Orleans; it was silenced the same day. The Americans had a boat loaded with military stores sunk ; 34 men killed and wounded, and two caissons blown up by rockets. Gen Thomas joined Gen. Jackson same day with 660 men from Baton Rouge. 1*16. William Hillhouse died, aged 88 ; for more than 50 years a member of the council and legislature of Connecticut. 1817. Martin Henry Klaproth, a Ger man chemist and philosopher, died. He was born at Wernigerode 1743 and fol lowed the profession of an apothecary till 1788, when he became chemist to the Academy of Sciences at Berlin. 1801.

Unionof Great.Britainwith Ireland. 1801. Ceres discovered by Piazzi, the astronomer, at Palermo. 1804. The numerous army which France had sent against the negroes of Hayti be ing compelled by disasters to fly to St. Domingo, the general and chiefs of the Haytian army entered into a solemn com pact, in the name of the people of Hayti; renouncing all dependence on France, and appointed Dessalines, the oldest general, governor for life, with very extensive powers. 1806. The French republican calendar abolished, and the Christian era and reformed calendar restored. 1817. The new Bank of the United States opened at Carpenter's hall, Phila delphia; Wm. Jones president, Jonathan Smith cashier. 1806. The elector of Wurtemberg pro claimed king of Swabia, and the elector of Bavaria king of Bavaria. 1807.

Curacoa surrendered to the Bri tish under Sir Charles Brisbane. 1818. William Harrod, an eccentric bookseller iu Leicestershire, died. 1823. The French language abolished in the law courts of Holland, where it had long been in use, and was prevalent in society. 1825. Great Britain acknowledged the independence of the South American re publics. 1810. There had died in Philadelphia during the year ending this day 2004 per sons; the population including the Liber ties was about 100,000. 1810. Married at East Iladdam, Conn., nine young ladies, being all that were marriageable at that time in the town. 1811. Tortosa in Valencia surrendered to the French under Suchet, who took nearly 8000 prisoners, 177 cannons, and a large quantity of provisions. 1811. Hamburgh formally annexed to France. 1835.

Charles Lamb died. He was the author of the beautiful stories of Ella, which are universally admired. His ex quisite humor, fancy, feeling and wit, have given an endurable character to his essays. The bettering of the condition of mankind was his great aim, and he was in the esteem of every philanthropist. 1835. First daily paper in Buffalo, New York. 1811. Spanish cortes forbid the people obeying any act of Ferdinand XII, while a prisoner of Bonaparte. 1813. Jean Mouetrie, a Frenchman, died at the age of 115. He was a tile maker, and continued his occupation to the age of 109. He was a pattern of honor and integrity ; his gaiety made the young fond of his society ; and his mild and even temper and kind disposition gained him the love of all who knew him. 1837. Samuel Hulse died at Chelsea Hospital, England, of which he had been governor since 1820, aged 90.

He entered the British army in the year 1761, and at the time of his death had been upwards of three quarters of a century in the military service, and was then field marshal. 1837. Saphet in the Holy Land nearly destroyed by an earthquake. It is said that this and a subsequent shock were both predicted by a Walachian almanac maker. 1814. Great fog in London, which had commenced on the 27th of December, was now at its greatest density, extending seventy miles from the metropolis. Many persons lost their lives by falling into the river, and canals, and other places. 1814. The allied army entered France. 1814. American dragoons under Capt. Stone advanced on Buffalo, accompanied by Lieuts. Riddle, Totntln and Frazer, of the United States regiment ; the militia retiring, Totman was killed, and Riddle narrowly escaped being captured. 1815.

William Creech, bookseller and twice lord provost of Edinburgh, died. He was a spirited writer. 1848. Girard college opened with ap propriate ceremonies at Philadelphia. 1848. The state of Maryland repudiated repudiation, and resumed payment of in terest on her debt at the Chesapeake bank, Baltimore. 1852. Frederick Philips Robinson, an American officer, died, aged 89 ; he had been scarcely less than 75 years in the military ranks. 1854. Great fire at Constantinople des troyed 400 houses ; among which were [Jan. 2. EVERY DAY BOOK. those of the Greek patriarch, and the patriarch of Jerusalem. 1759. The French surprised and captured Frankfort on the Maine. 1766. James Edward Francis Stuart, the Pretender, died. He was the eldest son of James II, born at London 1688. He was five months old when his father was dethroned, and the royal family fled to France.

His elder sister Anne after wards came to the throne, and some effort was made to secure his own succession ; but it does not appear that he entered into the project with much spirit. 1771. Lewis Cæsar, count d'Estrees, marshal of France, and minister of state, died aged 76. He distinguished himself in the war against Spain, and afterwards in 1741, wherein his bravery was conspicuous and bis services meritorious. In 1756 he was placed at the head of the French forces in Germany, but was super ceded by Richelieu through intrigue. 1774. The coffin of Edward I opened hy a deputation from the society of anti quarians, after it had been buried 467 years. In a coffin of yellow stone they found the royal body in perfect preservation, en closed in two wrappers ; one of them was gold tissue, strongly waxed and fresh ; the other and outermost considerably decayed.

The corpse was habited in a rich mantle of purple lined with white and adorned with ornaments of gilt metal, studded with red and blue stones and pearls. Two similar ornaments lay on the hands. The man tle was fastened rrn the right shoulder by a magnificent fibula of the same metal, with the same stones and pearls. His face had over it a silken covering, so fine, and so closely fitted to it, as to preserve the fea tures entire. Round his temples was a gilt coronet of fleur de lys. In his hands, which were also entire, were two sceptres of gilt metal ; that in the right surmounted by a cross fleure, that in the left by three clus ters of oak leaves, and a dove on a globe. The feet enveloped in the mantle and other coverings were sound and the toes distinct. Its length was 6 feet 2 inches. 1777.

Cannonading at Trenton ; the British repulsed in their attempt to cross Sanpink creek bridge. In the night Gen. Washington retired leaving his fires burning. JANUARY 2. 17. Titus Livius died at Padua. His history of Rome, to which he devoted twenty years, rendered him so celebrated, that a Spaniard is said to have gone from Cadiz to Rome for the purpose merely of seeing him. His history was written in 140 books, of which only 35 are extant. Five of these were discovered at Worms 1731, and some fragments are said to have been since found at Herculaneum. Few particulars of his life are known, but his fame was great even while he lived, and his history has made him immortal. 17 Publics Ovidus Naso, the Roman poet, died in exile at Tomos (a town on the inhospitable coast of the Black sea), aged 60.

He exhibited an unconquerable predilection for poetry, and the ease and the enjoyments of life, which his fortune placed within his power. He traveled in Greece and Asia which added to his accomplishments; his works were adapted to the public taste, and he was esteemed hy the learned ; Horace and Virgil were his friends, and he was a welcome visitor at the court of Augustus. Until his fiftieth year he appears to have lived almost solely for poetry and pleasure. He might have hoped to pass the remaining years of his life in peace, under the shadow of his laurels, hut he was suddenly banished by Augus tus, for some unknown cause. His Meta morphoses, and Art of Love are often repub lislied in our language. He painted nature with a masterly hand, and his genius im parted elegance to vulgarity ; but impurity defiles the sweetness of his numbers, and his finest productions are sullied with licentiousness. 1547.

Conspiracy of Genoa, headed by John Lewis Fiesco ; his being drowned in the night, occasioned the failure of the scheme, in the very moment of suc cess. 1604. The Jesuits reinstated in France. 1731. A reprieve sent to a prisoner at Newgate on condition he would suffer Mr. Chiselden to make an experiment on the tympanum of his ear. The experiment waS never performed. 1741. John Barber, printer to the city of London, and the first printer that rose to the rank of mayor, died. 1757. Calcutta, retaken hy the English and permitted to be fortified by the subah. 1758. The Whitefield methodists ob served this day in thanksgiving for the victories of the king of Prussia in favor of England. 1780. The Dutch admiral, Count By land, refusing to permit the British ad miral, Fielding, to search his convoy, an action ensued, and the Dutch ships, two of the line and l^wo frigates, surrendered ; after detaining seven of the convoy, the Dutch admiral had permission to proceed ; but he refused without the whole of his charge, and therefore sailed into Spithead. 1788.

Georgia ratified the Constitution of the United States, without amendment, being the fourth state to do so. Jan. 2.] EVERY DAY BOOK. 1795. JosiAn Wf.dgewood, the inventor of the scale that bears his name in the thermometer for determining the different degrees of metallic heat, died at his resi dence in England. 1801. John Gasper Christian Lavater died. He was born at Zurich, in Switzerland, where his father was a physician of skill and reputation. In 1763 he traveled in Germany; in 1767 appeared as a poet; and in 1769 as a preacher of much popu larity. All his activity was devoted to re ligion until he undertook his work on physiognomy. This great work in 4 vols. quarto, in which he had collected the fea tures of distinguished persons from all parts of the world, made him known throughout Europe.

He published seve ral other works, and became so popular that his journeys resembled triumphs. On the capture of Zurich by Massena, he received a shot while assisting the wounded in. the street, which although he lived more than a year, and wrote several works, was the cause of his death. teen European and Asiatic languages, and at the time of his death had just com pleted a translation of the Psalms. 1829. Fort}- men and thirty horses de stroyed by an explosion of fire damp in a mine near Lyons, France. 1831. Berthold George Niebuhr the historian, died. He was the son of Nie buhr the traveler, horn at Copenhagen 1777, and finished his education at Edin burgh. He traveled much and received great attention wherever he went. In 1810 he delivered his lectures on Roman his tory at Berlin ; and in 1S15, on the death of his father, planned and published his biography.

In 1827 he published the first volume of a remodeled edition of his Ro man history ; the second volume appeared a few months before his death, leaving the third unpublisi ed. 1835. Robert Hi.ndmarsh, the most distinguished among those who supported the religious views of Emanuel Sweden borg, died at Gravesend. 1837. John Cuffee, a negro slave, died at N rfolk, Va., at the remarkable age of about 120 years. He was a native of Africa, was sold as a slave in the island of Barba does, and brought to Norfolk about 1740. 1850. George Blatterman, professor of modern languages in the Virginia university, died at Charlottesville. 1853. A new and stringt^t law against the liberty of the press was published in Spain. 1857. Andrew Ure, author of the Dic tionary of Arts, died at London, aged 89. 1S09. Two French ships of war and eleven victualers, proceeding to Barcelona, were captured in the port of Caldagues by the British under Lnrd Cochrane. 1809.

Penguin island, at the cape of Good Hope, sank, and is now only known to mariners by name. 1810. Orders were received from Paris hy Murat. king of Naples, to seize and im mediately dispose of all American vessels and cargoes. 1814. Dantzic surrendered to the duke of Wurtemberg. 1815. The prince regent of England ex tended the military order of Bath, and divided it into three classes, namely : 1. Knights grand crosses ; 2. Knights com manders ; 3. Companions. 1S16. Louis Bernard Guyton de Mor veau, a French chemist, died. He was born at Dijon 1737, and distinguished himself in 1773 by the invention of the method of purifying the air by means of chlorine. He was an upright, able, eloquent and business man ; and founded a school at Dijon for the study of his favorite science, chemistry. He was a member of the na tional assembly and convention at the time of the revolution, and assisted to establish the polytechnic school. 1827.

John Mason Good, an English physician, poet and philological writer, died. At the age of 15 he was apprenticed to a surgeon; in 1793 removed to London, and by talent and perseverance, succeeded in establishing both a literary and professional fame. He was a voluminous writer, and the extent and variety of his works evince the greatest industry, and a reten tive and orderly mind. He acquired thir- JANUARY 3. 456. B. c. Myronides the Athenian general defeated the Bœotians at Enophyta. 106. B. c. Birthday of Marcus TulliuS Cicero, the Roman orator. 1641. Jeremiah Horrox, an English astronomer, died. He seems to have been the first to observe the transit of Venus over the sun's disc, from which he de duced many useful observations, though not aware of the full importance of that phenomenon. 1661.

Secretary Pepys seeing the comedy -^ of the Beggars' Bush performed at Lincoln Inn Fields, says : " And here the first time that ever I saw women upon the stage." 1670. George Monk, duke of Albe marle, died. He entered the British army at an early age ; and in 1639 was engaged in the unfortunate expedition of Charles I against the Scots. He was confined three years in the Tower under the parliament, during which he wrote a work on military and political affairs ; but final y accepted a commission in the republican army [Jan. 3 EVERY DAY BOOK. w against the Irish, the Scotch and the Dutch. But at the death of the Protector he employed his influence to reinstate the Stuarts. In 1666 he was again employed against the son of his old antagonist Tromp, in which the English fleet was much dam aged, and both claimed the victory. 1717.

Lambert Boss, an eminent Dutch philologist, died. He was born in Fries land 1670; studied under his father who was a clergyman, became private tutor in a family of rank, and subsequently pro fessor of Greek in the university of Franeker. He was an indefatigible stu dent, and regretted every moment which could not be devoted to his favorite pursuit. The number and character of his works mark his industry. 1815. British frigate Junon, Capt. C. Up ton, captured the American privateer Guer rier, of 4 guns and 60 men, from Ports mouth, N. H. 1844. Levi Hedge, author of a treatise on logic and editor of an improved abridg ment of Dr. Brown's Lectures on the Philoso phy of Mind, died at Cambridge, Eng land. 1847. John Shepherd, a soldier of the revolution, died at Royalton, Ohio, aged 119. 1853. The Pantheon in Paris reopened as the church of St. Genevieve.

JANUARY 4. 1724. Philip V of Spain abdicated the throne in favor of his son Louis ; but he dying the same year, Philip resumed the crown again. 1730. The Turks began to learn the art of war and fortification after the European model, from Count Bonneval of France, who became a Musselman. 100. Titus, disciple of St. Paul, died at Crete. 1569. Burial of Roger Ascham, at St. Sepulchre's, London. He was a man of learning, and author of numerous works, among others, The Schoolmaster. 1649. Some barrels of gunpowder ex ploded and destroyed 60 houses in Tower street, London A child in its cradle was found alive and unhurt on the roof of Barking church. 1777. Battle of Princeton, N. J., be tween the British and a division of the American army under General Washing ton. The British lost 100 men, and 300 more who had taken refuge in the college, were forced to surrender. 1689.

Col. Henry Sloughter appointed govenor of New York. 1698. The palace, except the banqueting house, of White-hall palace, in England, destroyed by fire. 1707. Louis William I, marquis of Baden-Baden, died. He was born at Paris 1655, where his mother wished to edu cate him ; but his father and grandfather stole him away at the age of three months, that he might pass his childhood among the people whom he was destined to govern. He served his first campaign un der Montellucco against Turenne. He was in Vienna when that city was besieged by the Turks, and subsequently commanded against the Turks in the Danube. He was one of the greatest generals of his time ; made 26 campaigns, commanded at 25 sieges, fought at 13 battles, yet was never really defeated. 1753. The first number of The World appeared, conducted by Coleman, Bonnel, Thornton, Chesterfield, and others. 1762.

England declared war against Spain. 1773. The town meeting of Petersham, Mass., adopted a kind of manifesto of grievances, drafted by Josiah Quincy and signed by Sylvanus How. 1775. A circular letter from the British secretary of state was addressed to the governor of the several colonies, forbidding the election of delegates to the con gress proposed to he held in May. The order was disregarded, and the country 1795. Josiah Wedgewood died. His father was a Staffordshire potter, to whose business he succeeded, and soon distinguished himself by his discoveries and im provements, insomuch that in a few years England, instead of importing the finer earthen wares, was enabled to supply her neighbors. He was a scientific, as well as an active and enterprising man — and be nevolent withal. 1797.