Historical Events
- Aug 4 Retired British cavalry officer Philip Astley establishes his riding school with performances in London, precursor of the circus
- Aug 16 American militiamen defeat British forces at the Battle of Bennington near Vermont, during the American Revolutionary War
- Aug 28 American Revolutionary War - Battle of Cooch's Bridge takes place near Newark, Delaware.
Famous Birthdays
Hans Christian Ørsted
Aug 14 Hans Christian Ørsted, Danish physicist and chemist (View of Chemical Law), born in Rudkøbing, Denmark (d. 1851)