OCTOBER 7.
929. Charles III (the Simple), of France, died. His abilities were unequal to his station; he was defeated in battle by Hugh, and confined seven years in prison, in the castle of Peronne, where he died.
1492. The ship Nina, rigged with latteen sails and usually ahead of the others, supposing she had discovered land, hoisted her flag and fired a Lombardo. This was soon found to be an illusion; the insubordination broke forth among the crews, when Columbus, with the two Pinzons, commanders, was compelled to enter into an agreement with those murmurers, to return in case land was not discovered in three days.
1521. Date of king Henry VIII's diploma from the pope as Defender of the Faith, for his treatise De Septem Sacramentis.
1565. Thomas Chaloner, a noted English ambassador, died. He wrote a work on The right ordering of the English Republic, and has the honor of having discovered the first alum mines in England.
1571. Battle of Lepanto, a naval action between the Turks, and Venitians assisted by the Germans and Spaniards under Don John of Austria. The Turks were utterly defeated with the loss of 25,000 killed, 10,000 taken, and all their great commanders slain, and 200 galleys taken or destroyed. The Christians lost about 10,000 men. This was the greatest sea fight of modern times, and being the first signal victory achieved over the Turks, diffused the greatest joy over Christendom.
1577. George Gascoine, a celebrated English poet in the time of Elizabeth, died. He served with credit in the wars of the Low Countries; and wrote the first English comedy in prose.
1612. Giovanni Battista Guarini, a celebrated Italian poet, died. The Pastor Fido has immortalized his name.
1651. James Sirmond died; a French Jesuit and a voluminous theological writer.
1681. Nicholas Heinsius (the Swan of Holland), died. He was eminent as a statesman, poet and critic.
1708. Battle near Lesno, between 40,000 Russians under Peter the great, and 16,000 Swedes under Lewenhaupt, who was marching with men and supplies to relieve Charles XII. He was defeated after five engagements, which were fought in three days, and reached Charles with only 5,000 men. The Russians took 5,000 carriages, and much of the artillery and baggage.
1753. Sir Danvers Osborn arrived at New York from England, to supersede Clinton as governor of the province. (See [Oct. 12].)
1759. Joseph Ames, a celebrated typographical historian, died. He was originally a ship chandler, who late in life took to the study of antiquities, and became secretary of the society of antiquaries.
1763. The king of France, viewing the extensive and valuable acquisitions in America secured by the treaty with Great Britain, granted letters patent under the great seal, to erect within the countries and islands ceded to him, four distinct and separate governments, namely, Quebec, East Florida, West Florida, and Granada.
1765. First congress of American colonies met at New York.
1777. Second battle of Stillwater, which was an attempt of the British to secure a retreat to the lakes. Darkness put an end to the action, after the Americans had gained decisive advantages. A great number of the enemy were killed; 200 taken, including several officers of distinction; 9 cannons and the encampment of a German brigade, with all their equipage. The loss of the Americans was inconsiderable. British general Frazer and lieutenant-colonel Breyman were killed.
1780. Battle of King's mountain, South Carolina, in which 300 British were killed and wounded, and 800 prisoners, and 1500 stand of excellent arms taken. Maj.
Ferguson, who commanded the British, was killed, gallantly defending his post.
1787. Henry Melchior Muehlenberg died; pastor of the first Lutheran church in Pennsylvania, and distinguished for his learning.
1788. John Brown, an English physician, died; known as the founder of the Brunonian system of medicine, which classes all diseases under two heads, those of deficient and those of redundant excitement.
1792. George Mason, a distinguished Virginia statesman, died at his domain of Gunston hall.
1794. Antoine Joseph Gorsas, a Girondist, guillotined at Paris. He was a school master, a man of letters, and the editor of a paper, through which he became one of the first instigators of the revolution, and actively promoted some of its important events.
1794. Bois-le-duc, one of the strongest bulwarks of the famous Dutch barrier along the left bank of the Meuse, surrendered to the French revolutionary army; by which several other fortresses were hemmed in and rendered useless.
1795. John George Zimmerman, a Swiss philosopher, died at Hanover, where he was first physician to his Brittanic majesty. His work on Solitude is a popular book in our own language.
1796. Thomas Reid, professor of moral philosophy at Glasgow, died, aged 89; highly distinguished as a mathematician and metaphysician.
1807. Bonaparte called for a second conscription of 80,000 men for this year.
1810. Coimbra in Portugal, held by the French, was attacked by the British under colonel Trant and carried. Trant took 80 officers and 5,000 men prisoners, mostly sick and wounded.
1812. Battle of the Moskwa. The French army of 150,000 under Napoleon was opposed by a Russian army of about the same number, under Kutusoff. The attack began early in the morning and continued until late in the afternoon, when the Russian army retreated, no pursuit being made by the French; while the field of battle was strewed with 50,000 dead and dying. The Russians acknowledged a loss of 25,000, among whom was Bagration.
1840. William I, king of the Netherlands, published a proclamation announcing his voluntary abdication of the throne in favor of his son William II. He is said to have retired with a private fortune of nearly forty-three millions of dollars, and abdicated in consequence of his determination to marry the countess d'Oultremont, a lady of the Roman catholic faith.
1841. Frederick John, lord Monson, died, aged 32; a patron and amateur of art, a lover of literature and science, and a truly benevolent and public spirited man. A journal of his Tour in Germany was privately printed in 1839, and some beautiful views of the passes of the Tyrol were drawn on stone from his sketches.
1841. Revolutionary movement in Spain in favor of Christina and absolute government. By the prompt movement of the regent Espartero the insurrection was entirely quelled, and general Diego Leon was executed.
1849. Edgar A. Poe, favorably known as an American poet and magazine writer, died at Baltimore, aged 37.
1849. Louis Batthyanyi, prime minister of Hungary, was shot at Pesth, at the sole urgency of general Haynau.
1850. Disunion meetings were held at Natchez and Yazoo city, at both of which the disorganizing resolutions were opposed and voted down.
1854. Caleb Butler died, aged 78; principally known by his history of the town of Groton, Mass.