1793. John Hunter, a very eminent British surgeon and anatomical writer, died. From a humble assistant of his brother he became the first surgeon in the world, both in theory and practice.
1796. Victor Amadeus, king of Sardinia, died in his 71st year, and 23d of his reign.
1806. Erfurt, the capital of Upper Thuringia, surrendered to the French; 14,000 prisoners, 28 cannon, and immense magazines of stores were taken.
1813. Battle of Leipsic, between the French under Bonaparte, Ney, Murat, &c., and the allies under Blucher, Benningsen, Bernadotte, &c. It was a conflict between the best disciplined armies, commanded by the ablest generals in the world. Night alone put an end to the carnage, and the armies retired to rest on the ground which they occupied in the morning. The number of men engaged was 150,000 French and 230,000 allies.
1817. Thaddeus Kosciusko, the famous Polish general, died in Switzerland; one of the noblest characters of his age.
1836. Francis J. M. Reynouard, an eminent French philologist, died. He was one of the conductors of the Journal des
Savans, distinguished as a scholar, poet, historian, philologist and archæologist.
1837. Matthieu Dumas, peer of France, a lieutenant-general in the French army, and an old companion in arms of Lafayette, died at Paris, aged 84.
1839. Dease and Simpson accomplished an expedition which established the fact of a north-west passage, and gave to the world some new and interesting discoveries respecting the geography of the northern coast of America, and the arctic regions. The intervening space between the discoveries of Parry and Ross were traversed, and a curious point of science established; yet it can not be supposed that the passage can ever be of the smallest utility to navigation.
1842. Benjamin Eaton, said to have been the last survivor of Washington's life guard, died at Cuddeback, Orange co., N. Y., aged 85. He joined in the pursuit at Lexington, and served till 1779, with an absence of only 20 days.