1783. M. Charles, having made some improvements on balloons, ascended at Paris in one filled with inflammable air, the first which had been so filled. He ascended to the height of 9,000 feet. His predecessors had only reached a few hundred feet.
1787. The people at Worcester, England, rioted under the apprehension, that machines were to be introduced for spinning cotton.
1789. General Washington addressed a diplomatic letter from New York to his great and magnanimous friend Sidi Mohammed, emperor of Morocco, inclosing a copy of the new American constitution.
1793. The commune of Paris ordered all the churches to be closed. But the act exciting general abhorrence was soon repealed.
1795. Battle of Mainz; the Austrians under Clairfait attacked and carried the French entrenchments, took 106 cannon, 200 ammunition wagons and 2000 prisoners.
1795. Kreutznach carried by storm twice by the French under Pichegru, who was at length obliged to retire by the Austrians.
1795. At Lauterbach two whole battalions of French were cut to pieces by the Austrians.
1797. Oliver Wolcott, governor of Connecticut, died, aged 71. He was one of the signers of the declaration of independence, for which he was a bold advocate, and was in the army of general Gates at the surrender of Burgoyne. He was remarkable for intrepidity, integrity, strong and bold conceptions, and great decision of character.
1803. Thomas Astle, an eminent English antiquary, died.
1808. Battle of the Samo-Sierra, a narrow pass which the Spaniards had fortified with 12,000 men and 16 pieces of cannon, which completely swept the road leading to Madrid. The French began the attack at daybreak. Three battalions scattered themselves over the opposite sides of the defiles and a warm skirmishing fire commenced. At this moment Bonaparte came up. He rode into the mouth of the pass, surveyed the scene for a moment, and perceiving that his infantry were making no progress, at once conceived the daring idea of causing his Polish lancers to charge right up the causeway in face of the battery. The smoke of the skirmishers on the hill sides mingled with the thick fogs and vapors of the morning, and under this veil the brave Krazinski led his troopers fearlessly up the ascent. The Spanish infantry fired as they passed them, threw down their arms, abandoned their guns and fled.