The Every Day Book of History and Chronology. Joel Munsell
Centaur cut out of Martinique the French corvette Le Curieux.
1805. The British sloop of war Arrow, 28 guns, and bomb vessel Acheron, 8 guns, having a fleet of merchantmen in convoy, were captured by two French frigates, but most of the convoy escaped.
1806. Gen. Philemon Dickinson, who was in the battle of Monmouth, died at Trenton, New Jersey, aged 69.
1808. First legislative proceedings in relation to the New York canals.
1811. Jonathan Lambert, of Salem, Massachusetts, took possession of the uninhabited island of Tristan d'Acunha, south of St. Helena. The British took possession of it in 1817, and fortified it.
1812. Peniscola, in Valencia, surrendered to the French under Suchet.
1813. The United States frigate Constellation chased into Norfolk, Virginia, by a British squadron.
1814. The ice formed on the Thames at London, above the bridges, and a fair was held upon it during eight days.
1817. Lewis Pennock died at West Marlborough, Pennsylvania, aged 92; 11 of his survivors, within a mile, arrived at 83½ years.
1834. John O'Keefe, a British dramatic author, died at Southampton, England, aged 68.
1835. Wade Hampton died at Columbia, S. C., aged 81. He distinguished himself in the war of the revolution under Sumpter and Marion; and during the last war commanded a brigade on the northern frontier. He was reputed the most extensive planter in the United States; one of the wealthiest men in the whole southern country; and perhaps no other man in this country ever amassed so large a fortune by agriculture.
1836. William Gell died at Naples. He was a classical antiquary, the illustrator of the ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii, and author of various works on classical antiquity. He was admired alike for the depth and versatility of his erudition, the benevolence of his heart, and the suavity of his manners.
1850. Seventy-five persons killed by a steam explosion in Hague street, New York.
1854. Eight steamboats destroyed by fire at New Orleans, and 37 persons perished in the flames.
1856. Fort Nicholas at Sebastopol blown up by the allies, with the aid of 106,000 pounds of powder.
This day in the calendar of Hesiod, is auspicious for marriages and the repairing of ships; but a day of troubles.
FEBRUARY 5.
46 BC Marcus Cato killed himself, at the age of 48. He was a lover of philosophy, in which he rigidly followed the doctrines of the stoics. He was a soldier, and his first campaign was against Spartacus; afterwards he led 1000 foot into Asia, where he was ridiculed for the small number of his attendants, but was wholly unmoved by it. He sided with Cicero against Catiline, and opposed Cæsar in the senate on that occasion. He endeavored to bring about a reconciliation between Cæsar and Pompey, but finding it in vain, sided with the latter. When Pompey was slain he fled to Utica, and Cæsar pursuing him, he advised his friends to be gone, and his son to trust to Cæsar's clemency; then lay down upon his bed, read Plato on the immortality of the soul twice over, and rose and thrust his own sword through his body.
41 BC Augustus, by a vote of the senate, in full assembly, their brows crowned with laurel, saluted with the title of Father of his Country.
1444. An eruption of Vulcano, one of the Lipari islands, which changed the entire face of the local navigation. Aristotle records a dreadful explosion, which is supposed to have formed the island as it stood in the time of Pliny.
1552. James Meyer, a Flemish historian, died, aged 61.
1556. A truce for five years was concluded between Charles V, emperor of Germany, and Henry II of France.
1617. Prospero Alpini, a famous Venitian physician and botanist, died, aged 64.
1626. Three new committees, viz., one on religion, one on grievances, one on secret affairs, were appointed in the parliament of Charles I.
1664. Christian Aagaard died, a distinguished Danish poet of the 17th century, aged 48.
1674. A parhelion or mock sun observed near Marienburg in western Prussia. It appeared in the horizon beneath the material sun, of a red color.
1679. Joost Van Vondel, a Dutch poet of considerable eminence, died, aged 91.
1684. Philip de Montault, duke of Noailles, died. He renounced the protestant faith, and rose to a high rank in the army.
1684. About the beginning of December commenced a frost at London, which continued till this day. Coaches were run, oxen roasted, bulls baited, &c., on the Thames.
1693. The Mohawk castles burned by the French.
1718. Adrian Reland died; a learned orientalist and professor at Utrecht.
1721. James, earl of Stanhope, died. He distinguished himself in the field and in the cabinet, under George I.
1729. John Truchet died at Paris. He was distinguished for his knowledge of geometry and hydraulics.
1751. The coffin and remains of a farmer were interred at Stevenage, England. He died in 1721, bequeathing an estate worth £400 a year to his two brothers, to be enjoyed by them during 30 years, at the expiration of which time he expected to return to life, when the estate was to be given up to him again. In order to his convenience on his reappearance, he ordered his coffin to be placed on a beam in the barn, with the key enclosed, that he might liberate himself. Four days grace being allowed him for his resurrection, beyond the time specified in the will, and not then presenting himself, his bones were consigned to the earth and his estate forfeited.
1757. Battle of Plassy, in Hindostan, in which the British under Col. Clive achieved an important victory.
1776. Georgia adopted a new government.
1780. The first shock of the earthquakes in Sicily and the two Calabrias, was felt at Scylla on the same day. In the night a tremendous wave swept from the coast 2473 inhabitants, with the prince of the place. The work of destruction and terror continued for almost four months, accompanied by incessant rains and bursts of thunder. Of 375 villages in Calabria, 320 were destroyed. It is estimated that 35,521 persons lost their lives in 33 towns only.
1782. The garrison at Minorca, 2692 men under Gen. Murray, surrendered to the French and Spanish, 16,000, under the Duc de Crillon.
1788. Massachusetts adopted the federal constitution, proposing some amendments. This was the sixth state in the list (ratified on the 6th, q. v.)
1790. William Cullen, a celebrated Scottish physician and medical writer, died, aged 77. He settled at Glasgow, and was for some time a professor of the university there, which he left on an invitation to Edinburgh. He successfully combatted the specious doctrines of Boerhaave, depending on the humoral pathology; founding his own views on an enlarged view of the principles of Hoffman.
1791. John Beard, an eminent and popular English theatrical vocalist, died. He ultimately became joint proprietor and acting manager of Covent Garden theatre, and continued on the stage till the loss of his hearing forced him to leave it.
1792. John Eardly Wilmot, an English miscellaneous writer, died.
1795. Report of the committee of the assembly of the states of Holland, respecting the state of the bank of Amsterdam, by which it appeared that the bank had been for 50 years receiving as securities for large sums advanced by it, a very considerable number of bonds instead of specie.
1795. The royal assent was given