1781. Battle of James river; general Wayne with 800 men, intending to strike Cornwallis's rear guard, was deceived by a countryman, and met the whole army of 4,000 regulars, drawn up to receive him. He instantly attacked them and retreated. Cornwallis, from the daring singularity of the manœuvre, concluded it to be a feint to draw him into an ambuscade, therefore did not pursue him. Wayne, however, lost his artillery.
1782. Sixth action between the British fleet, admiral Hughes, and French, admiral Suffrein, in the night, in close action. Both fleets suffered much; French lost the Orient, crew saved.
1790. Some workmen engaged in digging near Donadea, Ireland, discovered a vault, 12 feet by 8, and 6 f. 3 in. deep, containing a stone coffin in which rested a skeleton measuring 8 feet 3½ in. in length, by the side of which was a spear 7 feet in length and two brass urns, having the sun and moon engraved on them in a most curious, though antique manner. The vault was seventeen feet from the surface of the ground and no clue could be found to the identity of the body, or the time of its deposit there.
1790. George Augustus Eliott, lord Heathfield, died. He gained much celebrity in the Prussian service, and during the seven years' war in Germany; but his constancy and talent in defence of Gibraltar during three years of constant investment, in which all the powers of Spain were employed, excited the admiration of the world.
1796. Adam Stanislaus Maruszewich, a Polish poet and historian, died.
1801. Action off Algesiras between the British and French fleets. A British 74 grounded and was captured.
1809. British sloop of war Bonne Citoyenne captured in 6 hours 50 minutes French frigate La Furieuse. British loss 1 killed, 5 wounded; French loss 35 killed, 37 wounded.
1809. Battle of Wagram, between the French army of 180,000 under Napoleon, and the Austrians under the archduke Charles, of about half the force. The battle commenced on the 5th, and was decided on the 6th. The Austrians were compelled to retreat, after having taken 7,000 prisoners and 12 eagles, and retired fighting three days in succession, leaving the field of battle covered with their slain. It is stated that 27,000 fell on both sides. The French reckoned their loss 15,000 killed, about 4,000 wounded. Of the Austrians 12,000 were wounded, and 20,000 taken prisoners; 19 generals were killed or taken, and 40 cannon lost.
1813. Granville Sharp, a learned English philanthropist, died. He interested himself in the abolition of slavery, and to his exertions "England owes the verdict of her highest court of law, that the slave who sets his foot on English ground becomes that instant free."
1815. Samuel Whitbread, member of the British parliament and one of the most extensive brewers in the world, died by his own hand.