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27 April 1805
In the region now known as Libya, a contingent of US Marines, accompanied by Arab mercenaries, launched an offensive on the port city of Derna, aiming to dismantle the influence of the Barbary corsairs.
27 April 1810
The road construction pioneer John Metcalf, famously known as Blind Jack of Knaresborough, passed away at the age of 92 near Wetherby. Over his lifetime, he successfully built approximately 180 miles of turnpike roads, predominantly in northern England, significantly contributing to the region’s infrastructure.
27 April 1813
The town of Toronto, then referred to as York, fell into the hands of American forces, who ransacked and set fire to it after overcoming a small contingent of British troops, Canadian militias, and Native American fighters led by Sir Roger Sheaffe. In a desperate act, the British destroyed their gunpowder store to prevent its capture. The explosion claimed the lives of numerous American soldiers, including their commander, Zebulon Pike. This act of destruction fueled Canadian sentiments for retribution, resulting in the subsequent burning of Washington, D.C. by British forces the next year.
27 April 1828
The London Zoo was established as a center for scientific research for the members of the Zoological Society of London, which had been founded two years earlier by Sir Stamford Raffles. Public access to the zoo would not be granted until 1847.
27 April 1865: The Sultana explodes on the Mississippi
The most catastrophic maritime disaster in US history results in 1,700 fatalities
On a late April evening in 1865, the steamship Sultana was navigating the Mississippi River, returning from a pivotal journey to New Orleans with news of President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination by John Wilkes Booth on April 14. The captain, James Cass Mason, was eager to relay this tragic news to the southern regions, following the recent surrender of General Lee, which marked the cessation of the Civil War.
After delivering the news, Mason redirected the ship northward. At Vicksburg, he seized a lucrative opportunity to transport thousands of newly released Union prisoners of war back home for a fee. Consequently, he overcrowded the Sultana with nearly 2,000 troops, although its maximum capacity was designed for under 400 passengers.
As the overweight vessel left Vicksburg en route to Memphis, it struggled against harsh currents. Just seven miles from Memphis, in the dead of night, three boilers exploded, instantly killing many soldiers who were asleep and sending wreckage throughout the ship. The largely wooden ship quickly ignited, and terrified passengers jumped from the flaming vessel into the cold waters of the river.
The vast majority of those on board perished. Among the survivors, some managed to float on debris, such as the remains of a mule, while others clung to tree branches. Tragically, several succumbed to hypothermia. The death toll reached an estimated 1,700, making this incident the deadliest maritime disaster in the United States.
The wreck of the Sultana remains submerged at the river’s bottom, marking a somber chapter in American history. | Written by Dominic Sandbrook
27 April 1937
King George VI inaugurated the National Maritime Museum located in Greenwich.
27 April 1961
Sierra Leone achieved independence from British colonial rule, with Sir Milton Margai assuming the role of the nation’s first prime minister until his passing nearly three years later, on April 28, 1964.
27 April 1992
Marking a significant milestone in parliamentary history, Betty Boothroyd became the first female Speaker of the House of Commons after more than 700 years of its existence.
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Source
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