NOVEMBER 2.
1656. A. M. The deluge began on the 17th day of the 2d month, answering to our November 2, on the supposition that the original civil year of the Hebrews began on the 16th of September, and contained 354 days.
285. B. C. Ptolemy Philadelphus, of Egypt, so memorable as a patron of learning, commenced his reign upon this Julian day; the year following that in which Pyrrhus was driven from Macedonia. It is the date of the Septuagint.
1502. Columbus entered the harbor which he named Porto Bello. The cazique was painted black, but all his subjects red. They all wore small golden ornaments in their nostrils; and the men a shell, and
the women a fillet of cotton about their loins.
1552. Claude d'Annebaut, a French admiral, died; distinguished for his bravery and wisdom.
1600. Richard Hooker, an eminent English divine, died. His Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity in 8 books, procured him great fame and popularity.
1610. Richard Bancroft died; chaplain to queen Elizabeth, bishop of London, and archbishop of Canterbury.
1655. A committee appointed by the council of the lord protector of England to encourage trade and commerce.
1692. Alexander Menzikoff, a Russian prince, died in exile. He rose from the occupation of a pastry cook, and fell back to his original level in consequence of his pride and ostentation.
1716. Engelbert Kœmpfer, an eminent German botanist, died. Besides his works on botany, he wrote a History of Japan.
1726. Sophia Dorothea, queen of George I of England, died at the castle of Ahlen in Hanover, in which she had been immured since 1694 on a charge of an intrigue with count Koningsmarke; a charge which was never proved and generally disbelieved. She was often solicited to rejoin her husband. To the English who also made the proposal, she said, "If I am guilty I am not fit to be your queen; if I am innocent your king is not fit to be my husband."
1758. The Belliqueux, a French ship of war from Quebec, driven into Lundy road where she was taken possession of by the English; value estimated at £150,000.
1759. Charles Hanbury Williams, an English poet and ambassador, died.
1772. Town meeting in Boston, at which committees of correspondence were appointed by the "Sons of Liberty." Adams and Warren were among the originators of this plan, which was soon followed by the other states. These committees were undoubtedly the origin of the congress.
1783. Washington issued from head quarters, Rocky Hill, near Princeton, his farewell orders to the American armies.
1783. Charles Colle, a distinguished French comic writer, died.
1788. John Henderson, an English scholar, died. He displayed at a very early period of life, an uncommon thirst after knowledge, which he gratified with unremitted ardor. "The virtues of his heart were superior even to the astonishing powers of his understanding;" he died however, the victim of intemperance.
1794. François Joachim de Pierres Bernis, a French ecclesiastic, and courtier, died, aged 80. His talents and judgment were of a high order.
1812. Battle of Ghatz; the Cossacks under Platoff defeated a division of the French, and took 70 wagons, 20 cannons and some thousands of exhausted and helpless prisoners. Denizoff defeated another French division the same day, captured 40 loaded wagons and 1000 prisoners.
1818. Samuel Romilly, a learned English statesman, died by his own hand, in consequence of the death of his wife.
1825. The city of Albany celebrated the opening of the Erie canal with great ceremony.
1828. Thomas Pinckney, a general in the United States army, died. It was under his command that the Indian war in which general Jackson distinguished himself, was undertaken and brought to a successful issue.
1840. Anthony Carlisle, an eminent English surgeon, died. He was also a man of high literary and scientific attainments, and president of the royal college of surgeons.
1850. Samuel Young, a New York statesman, died at Ballston, aged 71. His official career was illustrated by the most remarkable integrity, by talents of the highest order, and by a character of the most marked individuality.