September 2
31 BC. The Battle of Actium, also known as "The Final Battle of the Roman Republic". A sea battle between the forces of Octavian, soon to be better known as Caesar Augustus, whose forces are commanded by the brilliant leader Agrippa, and the forces of Mark Antony supported by Egypt's Cleopatra results in a decisive victory for Octavian. As a result, a substantial portion of Mark Antony's land army, which had been equal in size to Octavian's, deserts. Within a little over a year Mark Antony and Cleopatra's military and political maneuverings would fail utterly and they would commit suicide. As a result of the battle, Octavian consolidated his power base in Rome and paved the way for his ascension to, effectively, emperor.
1666. The Great Fire of London breaks out, eventually destroying 10,000 buildings, including St. Paul's Cathedral.
1752. Nearly 200 years after the rest of Europe, Great Britain finally adopts the Gregorian calendar. I admit I sometimes wonder if some future guy on a thread like this will post soemthing similar about the US adopting the metric system...
1789. The US Department of the Treasury is founded. On September 11th, Alexander Hamilton will be named its first secretary.
1792. In what will become known as the September Massacres, rampaging mobs involved int eh French Revolution kill three Catholic bishops, more than two hundred priests, and prisoners believed to support the royalty.
1864. The Union Army under General Sherman enters Atlanta, which had been abandoned by the Confederates overnight. This event essentially results in the successful reelection of Abraham Lincoln in the upcoming fall elections.
The capture of the city was also a critical military success, in that Atlanta was the "second city" (after Richmond) of the South, a central depot for the South's meager railroad lines, and a critical military production center. Within a few weeks, in response to the city council beseeching him for leniency, Sherman will famously reply (knowing full well he will raze the city to the ground when he leaves):
Quote:
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Originally Posted by William Tecumseh Sherman
You cannot qualify war in harsher terms than I will. War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it; and those who brought war into our country deserve all the curses and maledictions a people can pour out. I know I had no hand in making this war, and I know I will make more sacrifices to-day than any of you to secure peace. But you cannot have peace and a division of our country. If the United States submits to a division now, it will not stop, but will go on until we reap the fate of Mexico, which is eternal war. The United States does and must assert its authority, wherever it once had power; for, if it relaxes one bit to pressure, it is gone, and I believe that such is the national feeling.
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1901. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt gives a speech at the Minnesota State Fair in which he proclaims, "Speak softly and carry a big stick."
1945. The Japanese sign the terms of their surrender aboard the USS Missouri.
