SEPTEMBER 12.
284. Marcus Aurelius Numerianus, the Roman emperor, died, or was assassinated. He was admired for his learning and moderation, was naturally eloquent, and was esteemed one of the best poets of the age.
1362. Innocent VI (Stephen Albert), pope, died. He was of a peaceful disposition, and labored earnestly to reconcile the kings of England and France.
1382. Louis I, king of Hungary and Poland, died. One of his acts was to expel the Jews.
1504. Columbus sailed from San Domingo—that great man's last voyage. His crazy and shattered bark, like his body, landed at St. Lucar in November.
1528. Andrew Doria, a noble Genoese, and the ablest seaman of his age, retook Genoa from the French, and restored its independence.
1553. Albert, of Brandenburgh, defeated by Henry of Brunswick. He was placed under the ban of the empire, and fled to France, where he died.
1609. Hudson weighed anchor in the harbor of New York, and commenced his
memorable voyage up the river which bears his name.
1651. The Scots prisoners taken at the battle of Worcester, &c., brought before Cromwell and the parliament at Acton, and sold to the West Indies for slaves or given away as dogs.
1660. James Cats, a Dutch statesman and poet died, aged 83. His poems are much admired by his countrymen.
1665. John Bollandus, a Flemish Jesuit, died. His judgment, learning and sagacity led to his appointment to collect materials for the lives of the saints of the Romish church. He lived to complete 5 vols. folio, and the work was continued to 47 vols. by his successors.
1672. Tannegui le Fevre, a learned French author, died. He was the father of Madam Dacier.
1683. The allies under John Sobieski and the duke of Lorraine, routed the vast Turkish army under the walls of Vienna, and compelled them to raise the siege. Sobieski sent a post to his queen, saying that the grand vizier had made him his sole heir, including 70,000 dead men.
1683. Alphonso VI, king of Portugal, died. His conduct displayed the tyrant and the madman, and he resigned his crown.
1703. The emperor and king of the Romans, resigned their right to Spain to the archduke Charles, who was thereupon declared king of Spain.
1714. Barcelona surrendered to the duke of Berwick.
1729. Birthday of Moses Mendelsohn, a learned Jew of Berlin. He was of obscure origin, and became a merchant; but quitted commerce for literature, and acquired great reputation.
1764. John Philip Rameau, a French musician, died. His writings on music procured him the title of the Newton of the science.
1776. Washington, with the remains of his army, entered Philadelphia, after his disastrous defeat at Brandywine. The same night a party of the British made an excursion to Wilmington, took the governor of Delaware out of his bed, and captured a shallop richly laden with public and private property, and the public records.
1784. The Spanish fleet under Don Barcelo, bombarded Algiers. The Spaniards fired 600 bombs, 144 balls and 260 grenades. The Algerines fired 202 bombs, and 1,164 balls. Great damage was done to the city.
1804. The American squadron captured near Tripoli, two vessels laden with wheat for that city.
1806. Edward Thurlow, an eminent English nobleman, died. He possessed a vigorous and active mind, added to close application, which gave him a high rank among the professional men of that day.
1812. Fort Wayne relieved by the troops under general Harrison. The Indians raised the siege with great precipitation.
1813. Edmund Randolph died; whose history is blended with that of his country.
1814. Battle of fort McHenry, near Baltimore. The British, 8,000 men, under general Ross, were arrested in their march upon Baltimore, and general Ross was killed. The fort was bombarded incessantly 25 hours. Total American loss in killed and wounded 173; British official loss 290.
1819. Gebbaral Lebrecht, prince von Blucher, a celebrated Prussian field-marshal, died. He had been 45 years in the army, and for his celerity in the field, was called Marshal Forwards.
1820. Francis Christopher Kellerman, a French marshal, died. He entered the army at the age of 17 as a huzzar, and rose to the highest honors under Napoleon.
1829. Surrender of the Spanish army at Tampico, under general Barradas, to the Mexicans under Santa Anna. The Spaniards were to transport themselves to Havana, and pledged not to serve against Mexico in future. This terminated the expedition to subdue Mexico after five engagements.
1832. Priscilla Wakefield, an English authoress, died, aged 82. She wrote many popular and useful works for children and youth, and promoted the institution of savings banks.
1838. Henry Ryalls died at Darien, Ga., aged 110. He was a soldier of the revolution, and retained his faculties to the last.
1847. First day's battle of Chapultepec.
1849. Mariano Paredes, ex-president of Mexico, died in that city, after a long and painful illness.
1850. The fugitive slave bill passed by the house of representatives at Washington, as it had come down from the senate.
1854. David Lansborough, a Scottish divine, died at Ayrshire, aged 73. He was distinguished as a naturalist, and contributed much to the knowledge of fossils, botany and shells.
1857. Steamship Central America, from Panama to New York, having 626 persons on board, and nearly two millions in treasure, was totally lost in a gale, and about 100 persons were saved.