1746. Charles Ratcliffe, earl of Derwentwater, executed at Towerhill, London. He had resided 30 years in France.
1751. Louisa, youngest daughter of George II, queen of Denmark, died.
1775. A number of American whaleboats under captain Manly captured three British ships with various stores intended for the army.
1776. Washington retreated across the Delaware. The British, on the same day, blocked up commodore Hopkins' squadron and a number of privateers at Providence.
1792. Henry Laurens, a patriot of South Carolina, died. He was distinguished for talent and activity, and succeeded Hancock as president of congress. He was captured by the British on a mission to Holland, and confined a long time in the tower of London. At his death he left a property of about $250,000 to his son, on condition that he should burn his body on the third day after his death.
1803. Hippolytus Theodorovitch Bogdanovitch, a Russian poet, died. His poem of Dushenka procured him the favor of the queen and the whole nation. It is founded on the mythological story of Psyche, but so unlike any thing that had preceded it in that language that he immediately became the favorite of all classes.
1806. Andrew Dalsell, professor of Greek at Edinburgh, died; an amiable and a learned man.
1821. Ebenezer Cobb died at Kingston, Mass., aged 107. He was the cotemporary for ten years of Peregrine White, the first born child of English parents in America. His mode of living was extremely simple, having tasted tea but twice in his life. He shrewdly remarked, a short time before his death, that it was very unusual for persons of his age to die.
1847. The United States brig-of-war Somers thrown on her beam ends by a squall near Vera Cruz, and 2 officers with 39 out of 76 of her crew drowned. The French and Spanish men-of-war lying at Sacrificios rendered much assistance and received the thanks of congress.
1848. The first deposit of California gold made in the United States mint by David Carter.