1678. Three days after the conclusion of a peace between France and Holland, the prince of Orange fell upon the marshal of Luxemburg, by which 4,000 lives were sacrificed.
1681. The Scottish parliament adopted a resolution asserting that difference in religion does not bar the right of succession, or make void the magistrate's just and lawful authority.
1711. Sir Hoveden Walker, with the British and colonial fleet intended to invade Canada, arrived at the mouth of the St. Lawrence. A succession of untoward winds and accidents rendered it necessary to put back soon after, without accomplishing any thing.
1756. Fort Oswego capitulated to the French under Montcalm. It was commanded by colonel Mercer with 1,400 men. Montcalm besieged it with an army of 5,000. Colonel Mercer was killed by a cannon ball on the 13th, and there being no probability of aid, the fort surrendered on condition that they should be exempted from plunder, conducted to Montreal, and treated with humanity. The terms were agreed to, the garrison marched out, and the fort was demolished.
1761. Action between British ships Bellona and Brilliant, and one French ship and three frigates. The Frenchmen were captured with the loss of 240 killed and 110 wounded; British loss 6 killed, 28 wounded.
1775. The celebrated Liberty Tree of Boston consecrated, by exposing on it the effigies of the men who had rendered themselves odious by their agency in procuring the passage of the stamp act. A copper plate 30 inches by 42 was fixed upon it, bearing the inscription in golden letters—The Tree of Liberty, Aug. 14, 1765. Ten years afterwards the British cut it down, at which time it had been planted 119 years. They left nothing but the stump above ground—the root they could not exterminate. It produced fourteen cords of wood. One of the party engaged in demolishing it lost his life.
1775. Arnold left the camp at Cambridge, with a detachment of 1,000 Americans, to penetrate into Canada by way of Kennebec river and the wilderness. They
reached Quebec after great suffering from fatigue, hunger and cold.
1776. Constitution of Maryland adopted.
1776. Lords Dunmore and Campbell, and sir Peter Parker, joined lord Howe at Staten island, having taken from the Virginians about 1,000 negroes.