1814. John Swift, a revolutionary soldier and brigadier general in the United States army, killed whilst reconnoitering the British positions at Queenstown. He had surprised an outpost, and was most basely shot in the breast by a soldier who had begged and received quarters. Swift however, killed the soldier himself.
1816. A slide from the bank of West Canada creek, near the village of Herkimer, carried nearly five acres of land into the creek.
1816. A dreadful storm burst upon the town of Worchestz, in Hungary, which injured every house in the place; damage estimated at four millions of florins.
1823. The Diana steam boat, built at Kidderpore, near Calcutta, launched; and on the same day she made her first voyage on the Ganges between Calcutta and Chinsoorah in six hours and a half. This was the first appearance of these boats in the east.
1832. The monolithic column, in honor of Alexander of Russia, was debarked at St. Petersburg. It measures 12 feet in diameter at the base, and is 84 feet in length; being the largest pillar of modern erection. It was raised upon its pedestal in September following.
1836. William Murray died near Jonesborough, Tenn., aged 111.
1838. John Jamieson, an eminent Scottish
seceder, died, aged 80. He is the author of several theological and miscellaneous works, and of a celebrated Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language.
1841. Wm. James McNeveen, so celebrated as a physician and author, died at New York.
1851. Daguerre, inventor of the daguerreotype, died at Paris, aged 61.