Historical Events
- Aug 1 Irish Land Act gives rights to tenants of landlords in Ireland
- Aug 2 Tower Subway, the world's first underground tube railway, opens in London
- Aug 4 British Red Cross Society forms
- Aug 6 Battle at Spicheren: Prussia beats France
- Aug 8 1st America's Cup: New York Yacht Club’s first defense of America’s Cup; 'Magic' (NYYC) defeats 'Cambria' (Royal Thames YC, England; finishes 8th) and 16 fellow defenders from NY Harbour to Sandy Hook Light Vessel on the Atlantic and return (38 miles)
- Aug 8 The Republic of Ploieşti, a failed Radical-Liberal rising against Domnitor Carol of Romania.
- Aug 15 Transcontinental Railway actually completed in Colorado
- Aug 16 Fred Goldsmith demonstrates curve ball isn't an optical illusion
- Aug 17 1st ascent of Mt Rainier, Washington, by Hazard Stevens and P. B. Van Trump
- Aug 18 Battle at Gravelotte Privat: Prussia beat France, 32,000 casualties
- Aug 24 The Wolseley Expedition reaches Manitoba to end the Red River Rebellion
Famous Birthdays
- Aug 1 Ilya Ivanovich Ivanov, Russian biologist who perfected the artificial insemination of animals and showed that his technology allowed one stallion to fertilize up to 500 mares, born in Shchigry, Kursk Oblast, Russia (d. 1932)
- Aug 4 Harry Lauder, Scottish comedian and singer (Roamin' in the Gloamin), born in Portobello, Edinburgh, Scotland (d. 1950)
- Aug 7 Josef Brems, Flemish apostole (vicar of Denmark), born in Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, Belgium (d. 1958)
- Aug 11 Tom Richardson, England cricket fast bowler (14 Tests, 88 wickets, BB 8/94; Surrey CCC), born in Byfleet, England (d. 1912)
- Aug 11 Walter Bowman, Canadian soccer player (d. ?)
- Aug 17 Frederick F. Russell, American army physician, developed 1st successful typhoid fever vaccine, born in Auburn, New York (d. 1960)
- Aug 18 Hugh Bromley-Davenport, England cricketer, born in Chelford, Cheshire, England (d. 1954)
- Aug 19 Bernard Baruch, American financier and presidential adviser (Cold War), born in Camden, South Carolina (d. 1965)
- Aug 23 George Davis, American Baseball HOF shortstop and manager (New York Giants; World Series 1906 Chicago WS), born in Cohoes, New York (d. 1940)
- Aug 26 Aleksandr Kuprin, Russian author (Pojedinok), born in Narovchat, Penza Governorate, Russian Empire (d. 1938) [NS=Sept 7]
- Aug 27 Amado Nervo [Juan Crisóstomo Ruiz de Nervo], Mexican writer and poet, born in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico (d. 1919)
- Aug 30 Grand Duchess Alexandra Georgievna of Russia, Firstborn daughter of King George I and Queen Olga of Greece, born in Corfu, Greece (d. 1891)
Maria Montessori (1870-1952)
Aug 31 Italian educator (spontaneous response), born in Chiaravalle, Marche, Italy
Famous Weddings
Richard Wagner
Aug 25 German composer Richard Wagner (57) weds Franz Liszt's daughter Cosima Liszt (32) at a Protestant church in Lucerne, Switzerland, until his death in 1883
Famous Deaths
David Farragut (1801-1870)
Aug 14 American Admiral ("Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!"), dies at 69
