William Congreve, English dramatist (Love for Love), dies at 58

Death

Laurens P van de Spiegel, Dutch regent/secretary of State 1787-95

Birth

James Watt, Scotland, inventor (steam engine)

Birth

Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, Fr writer (Paul et Virgin)

Birth

Bonnie Prince Charlies troops occupy Stirling [OS= Jan 8]

Event

Johann Bode, "discoverer" of Bode's Law, dies

Death

Isaiah Thomas, US, printer/editor/publisher/historian

Birth

Melchor Lopez Jimenez, composer

Birth

Battle of Golden Hill (Lower Manhattan)

Event

Per Daniel Amadeus Atterbom, Swedish historian/poet (Blommorna)

Birth

French King Louis XVI sentenced to death

Event

Maria Teresa Agnesi, composer, dies at 74

Death

Democratic revolution in Amsterdam ends oligarchy

Event

Auguste Comte, philosopher/founder (sociology and positivism)

Birth

[Jean] Silvain van de Weyer, 1st Belg min of Foreign affairs (1831)

Birth

Johann Gottlieb Karl Spazier, composer, dies at 43

Death

Britain occupies Cape of Good Hope

Event

Vaclav Jindrich Veit, composer

Birth

Robert Edward Lee, Stratford Va, General-in-Chief (Confederacy)

Birth

Louis Napoleon signs 1st Dutch aviation law

Event

Edgar Allan Poe, Boston, author (Pit and the Pendulum)

Birth

Overnight temp at Portsmouth NH drops 50øF (10øC)

Event

Henry Bessemer, engineer/inventor (Bessemer engine)

Birth

Henry Gray, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1892

Birth

John Haskell King, Bvt Major General (Union Army), died in 1888

Birth