September 18
1759
French Quebec surrendered to the British after the Sept. 13 battle on the Plains of Abraham, the last battle of the French and Indian Wars. French general Montcalm and British general Wolfe died in the fray.
1810
Chile declared its independence from Spain.
1850
Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act, which required the return of escaped slaves to their owners.
1851
The first edition of The New York Daily Times, which later became The New York Times, was published.
1947
The National Security Act, which unified the Army, Navy, and Air Force, was passed.
1961
Secretary-General of the UN Dag Hammarskjold was killed in a plane crash in Northern Rhodesia (Zambia).
1970
27-year-old rock star, Jimi Hendrix, died in London.
1999
Sammy Sosa became the first player in major league baseball history to hit 60 homers in two seasons.
Birthdays
Samuel Johnson
1709–84, English author, born in Lichfield.
Joseph Story
jurist (1779)
Leon Foucault
physicist (1819)
Greta Garbo
actress (1905)
Frankie Avalon
singer (1939)
Lance Armstrong
cyclist (1971)