1794. Charles Pratt, earl of Camden, died, aged 80. He was an eminent English statesman and judge, and particularly distinguished himself by his animation and eloquence in parliament.
1794. Jean Joseph de Laborde, a wealthy French merchant, guillotined. At the breaking out of the American revolution, he alone furnished the government with twelve million livres in gold at Brest, which enabled the expedition under Rochambeau to set sail. He sustained an admirable character and bestowed immense sums for charitable and benevolent objects. He fell a sacrifice to the fury of the revolution, at the age of 70, for no offence but that of being rich.
1796. Sidney Smith was taken prisoner on the French coast, and sent strongly guarded to Paris.
1797. Austria made peace with France, ceding the Netherlands, free navigation of the Rhine, &c., to France.
1802. Erasmus Darwin, an English poet, died. He studied medicine at Edinburgh, and first appeared before the world as a poet in 1781, by the publication of the Botanical Garden. He has left behind him the character of an able man of great eccentricity. His publications tended to materialism, and although popular for a time, have nearly fallen into oblivion.
1831. John Abernethy, an eminent English surgeon, died. During his studies he was remarkable rather for the oddity of his conversation and manners, than for any indications of genius; and passed by the name of the ostler, on account of his attending the lectures in the dress of a groom. His medical and surgical works are numerous, and his eccentricity was proverbial.
1838. Enactment of the New York general banking law.
1842. Charles Bell, a distinguished medical author, and brother to the anatomist, John Bell, died at Edinburgh.
1847. The American army carried the heights of Cero Gordo with much loss, but took many prisoners.