1769. Great jubilee at Stratford, England, in honor of Shakspeare. The pageant continued three days, and attracted much attention.
1775. John Baptist Bullet, a French author, died. He possessed a most retentive memory, and his works are learned and useful.
1781. Fort Griswold taken by the British under Arnold, and the garrison put to the sword. Colonel Ledyard, who commanded the fort, was run through the body with his own sword, after he had surrendered. Of the garrison, 73 were killed, 30 or 40 wounded, and 40 taken prisoners. British loss 48 killed, and 142 wounded.
1781. New London was set on fire, 60 dwellings and 84 stores burnt.
1781. American privateer, Congress, captured British sloop of war Savage, 20 guns.
1783. Anna Williams, a blind English authoress, died, aged 77.
1784. George Alexander Stevens, an English writer, died. He possessed the rare faculty of entertaining an audience four hours at a sitting. By his lectures on heads he realized about 50,000 dollars; but died finally in a mad house.
1796. William Benwell, an elegant English scholar, died.
1808. Louis Pierre Anquetil du Perron, a French divine and historian, died. He traveled in Asia, where he acquired the language of the ancient Persians, and became acquainted with the original writings of Zoroaster, and brought home a large amount of literary spoil.
1810. Battle of Rudschuck; the Russians defeated the Turks, killed the seraskir and 5,000 men, and took an immense number of prisoners, with all their artillery and equipage.