MAY 12.
48 B. C. Battle of Pharsalia, between Cæsar and Pompey, in which the latter was defeated, and escaped on foot. This battle forms an important era in the history of the world.
824. Paschal I, pope, died; distinguished for his benevolence and toleration.
1264. Battle of Lewes and defeat of Henry III by Leicester.
1294. Edward I of England met at Norham the states of Scotland, when they acknowledged his sovereignty, and engaged to deliver up to him their castles.
1430. The famous Joan of Arc, or maid of Orleans, pretended to be sent from God to save the kingdom of France.
1539. Ferdinand de Soto sailed from Havana with ten ships for the conquest of Florida.
1618. The Calvinists of Bohemia entered the castle of Prague, cast the leading members of the council from the windows, and took possession of the capital.
1621. The first marriage in the colony at Plymouth took place, between Edward Winslow and Susanna White.
1641. Thomas Wentworth, an English statesman under Charles I, beheaded on a false charge of treason. The king was
compelled by the clamors of the populace to order his execution.
1663. The books of the London stationers company record the names of 59 persons exercising the trade as master printers.
1690. John Rushworth, an English writer, died in the king's bench prison, where he had been confined 6 years; author of Historical Collections, in 7 vols. folio.
1763. John Jackson died; an English divine and historian, author of Chronological Antiquities.
1763. John Bell, the distinguished anatomist of Scotland, was born at Edinburgh.
1771. Christopher Smart, an English poet and miscellaneous writer, died; known by a popular translation of Horace. By some authorities his death is placed in 1770.
1780. Charleston, S. C., surrendered to the British; 2,500 prisoners and 400 cannon fell into the hands of the enemy.
1781. Fort Motte surrendered by the British to the American generals Marion and Lee.
1785. Mr. McGuire having ascended from Dublin in a balloon, was carried with great velocity towards the sea, into which he descended, and was taken up nearly lifeless.
1791. Francis Grose died; author of the Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, a complete collection of British technicals, vulgarisms, and billingsgate used by gamblers, ostlers, servants, fishwomen, &c., which, though not very popular, or creditable to him, is yet quite a curiosity. He produced some other works of great merit, which mark him a profound antiquary.
1795. Ezra Stiles, president of Yale college, died. He was eminent as a divine, and an indefatigable scholar. His publications were few, but he left 40 vols. in manuscript.
1796. The French under Bonaparte defeated the Austrians with great slaughter, who were compelled to abandon their guns and baggage, and take refuge under the cannon of Mantua.
1797. Bonaparte took possession of Venice, boasting an independence of fourteen centuries.
1798. Sidney Smith escaped from France after two years imprisonment.
1809. Vienna capitulated to the French, and Napoleon established his head quarters in the imperial palace of Schoenbrunn. The emperor had already quitted it, with all his family except his daughter the archduchess Maria Louisa, afterwards wife of Napoleon, who was confined to her chamber by sickness—on learning which, Bonaparte ordered that there should be no firing in that direction.
1809. Lord Wellington took Oporto by assault, and the French under Soult were compelled to retreat to Amarante.
1809. Alcantara, in Spain, taken by a division of the French under Victor, together with the British garrison.
1848. Alexander Baring, lord Ashburton, died in England, aged 78. He passed much of his youth in America, and was British embassador at Washington, to settle the Maine boundary in 1842. He acquired great wealth, and was a highly accomplished man.
1848. Posen incorporated with Germany, and the insurgent Poles disarmed.—Violent earthquake at Sienna, Italy.
1849. A crevasse was made in the levee above New Orleans flooding much of the city.
1854. The British ship Tiger, 16 guns, was captured near Odessa by the Russians, with 226 prisoners.
1855. D. J. McCord, an American lawyer, died at Columbia, S. C. He published law reports, and edited the Statutes at Large, on the death of Dr. Cooper, to whom the work was first entrusted.