1715. Nahum Tate, an English dramatic writer and poet, died. He succeeded Shadwell as poet laureate, and assisted in a version of the Psalms.
1724. Battle of Norridgewock, in New Hampshire, and death of Ralle. He was a Jesuit, and a principal agent in instigating the Indians against the English colonies; had resided at this place twenty-six years, and become thoroughly acquainted with the country. An expedition was fitted out to destroy his den. The place was attacked by 240 men, and carried. Ralle was found in his cabin firing upon the English; orders had been given to take him alive, if possible; but refusing to ask quarter he was shot down. Eighty were killed, among which were some of the most noted warriors of the tribe, and the remnant scattered. Ralle was a man of extensive learning, and of great service to the French; he wrote a dictionary of the Norridgewock language, which was taken, and is deposited in Harvard library. He was sent out as a missionary, had acquired the languages of nearly all the tribes in America, and spent thirty-seven years among them.
1728. William Sherard (Sherwood), an eminent English botanist and antiquarian, died. He spent the greater part of his life, abroad, in the pursuit of his favorite studies, and founded a professorship of botany at Oxford.
1759. Battle of Kunersdorf; the Prussians under Frederick II defeated with great loss by the Russians and Austrians. The allies by their own confession lost 24,000 men, says Gillies (Smollet says 10,000); the Prussians fought desperately and left 20,000 dead on the field, among whom were several generals. The king had two horses killed under him, and his clothes perforated by several balls. He lost his whole train of artillery.
1759. Ewald Christian de Kleist, a Prussian general and poet, killed at the battle of Kunersdorf.
1765. The great mogul constituted the East India company receivers of all the revenues of Bengal, Bahar, and Orissa.
1778. The French fleet under count d'Estaing dispersed in a gale off Rhode Island, and much damaged.
1778. Robert Goadby died; an English printer and bookseller, and author of several useful publications.
1801. Thomas Hastings, author of the Wars of Westminster, and other political papers, died. He was an itinerant bookseller.
1803. Agra taken by the British under the duke of Wellington. Among the trophies was an immense gun, 25 feet long, said to have carried shot into the camp of the British, though out of the range of all ordinary weapons, also a howitzer 14 feet long and 22 inches calibre, throwing a shot of 1,494 lbs.