MAY 29.
71 B. C. The range of embankments thrown up by Titus against the wall of Jerusalem, the work of 17 days, was undermined and consumed, or buried in a pit of fire, with all the Roman engines. This was effected by the skill and conduct of John, the high priest.
1379. Henry II, of Castile, died. He ascended the throne by the murder of Peter the cruel, which he perpetrated with his own hand. He was one of the bravest princes of his time, and won the good will of his subjects.
1405. Battle of Shipton moor; prince
Henry dispersed the 8,000 insurgents under Scroop, by seizing the persons of their leaders.
1453. Constantinople taken by the Turks under Mohammed II, which terminated the Greek empire, after an existence of ten centuries. Constantine XIII (Paleologus), was killed, and the beautiful Irene, whose fate is dramatized by Johnson, was one of the captives.
1545. David Beaton, archbishop of St. Andrews, assassinated. He was a great persecutor of heretics, and united with great talents equally great vices.
1588. The Spanish armada, intended for the annihilation of England, sailed from the Tagus, under the duke of Medina Sidonia. The armament consisted of 92 galleons, or large ships of the line, 4 galliases, 30 frigates, 30 transports for horse, and 4 galleys; on board whereof were 8,350 marines, 2,080 galley-slaves, and 19,290 land-forces. The fleet was dispersed by a storm, and compelled to rendezvous at Corunna for repairs.
1593. John Penry, an English controversial writer, executed for heresy against the episcopacy.
1660. Charles II made his entry into London, after a long series of misfortunes and exile, and re-established the royalty, which had been suspended about 12 years.
1672. The new conduit erected in London by sir Thomas Vyner, ran with wine for a few hours in honor of the birthday and restoration of Charles II.
1691. Cornelius Tromp died; a Dutch admiral in the service of the republic, succeeded de Ruyter, 1670, as admiral of the fleets of the United Provinces.
1700. Michael Anthony Baudrand, a French ecclesiastic, died; author of a Geographical Dictionary, 2 vols. folio.
1715. Great riot in London; the whigs complaining that unless they shouted high church and the duke of Ormond, they were insulted by the tories.
1758. Action between the French ship Raisonable, 64 guns, prince di Mombazon, and British ship Dennis, 70 guns. The Frenchman was captured with the loss of 61 killed, 100 wounded.
1762. The duke of Newcastle on resigning his premiership in the British ministry being offered a pension declined, saying, "if he could no longer serve he could not burden his country."
1780. Battle of Waxhaws, S. C., col. Tarleton, with 700 cavalry and infantry, came up with 300 continentals under col. Buford, who surrendered after a short action. A few continuing to fire after the main body had surrendered, an indiscriminate slaughter ensued. Tarleton states that 113 Americans were killed, 153 too badly wounded to proceed, and 53 taken prisoners.
1780. Great meeting of the protestant association was held in Coachmakers' hall, London, lord George Gordon presiding, saying that he would not present the petition unless signed by 20,000.
1785. Andrew Coltee Ducarel, a French antiquary, died. His researches were confined to England.
1790. Israel Putnam, a revolutionary officer, died. He was one of the most daring, brave and intrepid officers of the army, and his adventures almost border on romance.
1790. Rhode Island adopted the constitution of the United States, adding the 13th pillar to the federal edifice, by a majority of only 2—34 ayes, 32 noes; recommending amendments.
1793. The general assembly of Corsica, consisting of 1,009 delegates, unanimously expelled the Bonaparte family.
1796. The floor of the methodist meeting house at Leeds, England, gave way during service, and 18 persons were killed, and about 80 dreadfully wounded.
1811. Battle of Taragonna, in Spain, which was assaulted by the French under Suchet. The garrison consisted of 2,500 men, of whom only 903 prisoners were taken; the remainder were put to the sword.
1813. Attack on Sacketts Harbor, by the British under Yoe and Provost: they were repulsed with the loss of 260; American loss 156.
1814. British repulsed by maj. Finney of the Accomac militia, at Pongoteague creek.
1814. Josephine, ex-empress of France, died.
1820. Christian William von Dohm, a Prussian statesman and scholar, died.
1823. John Phillips, an eminent lawyer in Boston, died, aged 53.
1829. Humphrey Davy, the noted English chemist, died. He made several important discoveries in the science, and invented the miner's safety lamp.
1832. George Burder, an English divine, died, aged 80; author of the Village Sermons, now so popular.
1837. John Afzelius, an eminent Swedish chemist, died at Upsal, aged 84.
1839. David Kirkpatrick, an officer of the revolution, died. He entered the army at the commencement of the war, was in the battles of Monmouth, Germantown, Brandywine, Trenton, Cowpens, &c., and was the last surviving officer of the Delaware line.
1840. William Legget, a well known political writer, died at Rochelle, near New York, when preparing for a diplomatic mission to Guatemala.
1848. Thomas Dick Lander, a distinguished Scottish literary writer, died.
1849. Sarah J. Howe, an American poetess and literary writer, died at Louisville.
1855. Jesse Chickering, an American statistician, died at Roxbury, Mass., aged 57. He studied theology, and afterwards medicine, but after a practice of ten years devoted himself to literature, and produced works on population and immigration.
1856. The president transmitted to congress the announcement that he had ceased to hold diplomatic intercourse with the British minister, Mr. Crampton, on account of his attempting to make enlistments for the British service among the citizens of the United States.