August 5

57 B. C. Cicero landed from Durazzo at Brundusium, and was met there by his excellent daughter Tullia, on the 20th anniversary of her birthday.

1100. Inauguration of Henry I, of England, who instantly granted a charter to the nation, restoring the laws of Edward the Confessor to the same state in which they had been settled by the Conqueror; and drove from his court the effœminati with their enormous and disgusting train.

1391. Charles VI, of France, surnamed the Well-beloved, seized by a mental distemper, which, as it deprived him of the sovereign authority, afterwards led, in bad hands to the ruin of his kingdom.

1407. Robert Knolles, so famed in the French wars of Edward III, died at Scenethorp, Norfolk, but was buried at White Friars church, London, which he had built.

1501. Reginald Bray, an English architect, died. He was also a distinguished warrior and statesman, and in the latter capacity acquired the title of "the father of his country."

1604. By royal proclamation this 5th day of August was appointed a holiday in celebration of king James's delivery from the conspiracy of the Gowries.

1633. George Abbot, archbishop of Canterbury, died. He assisted in the translation of the Bible, being one of the eight divines to whom it was committed.

1704. Sanguinary battle at Hochstädt, in which the French, &c., were defeated by the confederates under Marlborough.

1717. Battle of Peterwaradein; the Turks defeated by the Austrians under prince Eugene, with great loss. (1716?)

1754. James Gibbs, an ingenious English architect, died; leaving a handsome property to public charities.

1759. Leipsic taken by the Austrians.

1778. The British burnt and destroyed their fleet off Rhode island on the appearance of the French fleet under count d'Estaing.

1781. Action off the Dogger bank, between the British fleet, 6 ships, 4 frigates and a cutter, under admiral Parker, and the Dutch, 8 ships, 10 frigates and 5 sloops, under admiral Zoutman. Both fleets were greatly damaged; the Dutch retired to the Texel; the British did not follow them.

1792. Lafayette accused of treason before the national assembly. He had previously been burnt in effigy in the Palais royal by the Jacobins.

1792. Frederic North, earl of Guildford, better known as Lord North, died, aged 60. As adviser to George III in the American war, he became and continued to his death unpopular.

1796. Battle of Castiglione, between the French under Bonaparte and the imperialists under Wurmzer. The latter were defeated, with the loss of 500 killed, 2,000 captured, and 8 cannon.

1799. Richard Howe, a celebrated English admiral, died. He entered the navy at the age of 14; rose through the usual gradations to the highest rank, distinguished himself on many occasions, and died at the age of 75.

1812. Battle of Brownstown; the British regulars and Indians attacked the United States troops, 150 men, under Van Horne.

1813. American privateer Decatur, 13 guns, captured British schooner Dominica, 16 guns, by boarding.

1814. Division of the Scheldt fleet, in virtue of the treaty of Paris, between France and the allies.

1815. Massacre of the protestants at Nismes, in France; these enormities continued nine days.

1816. First state election held in Indiana.

1833. George Gibbs died near New York. He was a practical mineralogist, and the collector of the extensive cabinet of minerals in Yale college.

1835. Thomas McCrie, a Scottish divine and ecclesiastical antiquary, died. He was distinguished for his patient research, candor and ability as a historian, and produced several works which have a high reputation.

1835. G. S. Newton, an eminent painter, died in England. He was a native of Halifax, N. S., became distinguished in his profession, and produced a number of works which are highly esteemed.

1839. The city of Cabul, Afghanistan, taken by the British, and the war in that country brought to an end.

1840. The city and island of Chusan, belonging to China, captured after a short resistance, by the British under brigadier general Burrell. The Chinese lost 25 killed; the British none.

1846. John Ward (Father of the City) died at St. Johns, New Brunswick, aged 92. He was born near New York, and adhering to the British interest, entered the army in 1776, and was frequently in action. At the peace of 1783, he embarked with his regiment, the Loyal Americans, to New Brunswick, where the corps was disbanded. He then embarked in commercial pursuits, and at the time of his death was the senior half pay officer, as well as the oldest merchant in the province. He filled several civil offices, and sustained an estimable character.

1849. The number of births in Connecticut for the year ending this day was 7,373; marriages 2,757; deaths 5,016.