The Every Day Book of History and Chronology. Joel Munsell
Thomas Hobson, the celebrated 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 applied 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."
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 persons and events from the time of Christ, so that he was never confounded by intricate or cross-questions; but replied readily and without embarrassment. The learned looked upon him as a counterfeit, or madman, yet they took their leave of him bewildered and astonished.
1651. Charles II crowned king of Scotland at Scone.
1661. A parliament met in Scotland.
1700. The Russians began their new year.
1715. William Wycherley 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, Munchausen's Travels.
1748. John Bernouilli, a Swiss mathematician, died. He was born at Basil in Switzerland, and educated for a merchant, but afterwards studied medicine, and finally devoted his attention to mathematics with great success. He was the contemporary of Leibnitz and De L'Hopital, 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 an unusual degree of acerbity and disingenuousness.
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 and 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.
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 destroyed 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 he distinguished himself 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 property; 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 elegant 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 company.
1794. The French convention abolished flogging in the army and navy and substituted other punishments more congenial with the spirit of the times.
1794. Thomas Paine and Anacharsis 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.
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.
1801. Union of Great Britain with Ireland.
1801. Ceres discovered by Piazzi, the astronomer, at Palermo.
1804. The numerous army which France had sent against the negroes of Hayti being compelled by disasters to fly to St. Domingo, the general and chiefs of the Haytian army entered into a solemn compact, 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.
1806. The elector of Wurtemberg proclaimed king of Swabia, and the elector of Bavaria king of Bavaria.
1807. Curacoa surrendered to the British under Sir Charles Brisbane.
1810. There had died in Philadelphia during the year ending this day 2004 persons; the population including the Liberties was about 100,000.
1810. Married at East Haddam, 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.
1811. Spanish cortes forbid the people obeying any act of Ferdinand XII, while a prisoner of Bonaparte.
1813. Jean Mourtrie, a Frenchman, died at the age of 115. He was a tilemaker, 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.
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, Totman 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.
1815. The British under Gen. Packenham 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.
1816. William Hillhouse died, aged 88; for more than 50 years a member of the council and legislature of Connecticut.
1817. Martin