1807. William Gordon died; an English author of a history of the American revolution, &c.
1810. The French burned all British merchandise in the country.
1812. Second battle of Poltosk; the French defeated and compelled to retreat with great loss.
1812. Bonaparte, at the head of the French army, left Moscow. The palace of the Kremlin blown up.
1813. Last day's battle of Leipsic, in which above half a million of men and at least 2000 cannon were engaged in the work of death. The French emperor finding it in vain to stem the torrent of so vast a superiority of force as now bore down upon him, began a retreat, which was disastrous in the extreme. The only bridge by which the army could cross was blown up, leaving 25,000 men to surrender at discretion. On arriving at Erfurt, Bonaparte found his army reduced to 80,000; having lost by death and defection since the campaign opened, 200,000.
1814. Battle of Lyon's creek; the Americans, 900 men, under general Bissell, attacked by a select British corps of 1200 men, who were compelled to retreat.
1825. Girolamo Lucchesini, a Prussian minister of state and author, died. He combined the qualities of an experienced courtier with the practical knowledge of a statesman, was learned without pedantry, and possessed a great memory.
1826. Francis Joseph Talma, an eminent French tragedian and writer, died. He was a man of great natural talent, and esteemed by men of rank and talent; he was a great favorite with Napoleon.
1842. The town of Monterey in California was captured by the United States squadron under commodore Jones, under the belief that war existed. But it was soon restored to Mexico.
1845. Hannah Gough died in New York, aged 110.