1598 - Battle of San Juan: British forces led by Sir George Clifford attack Spanish-held San Juan, capturing the citadel El Moro and holding for 65 days 1864 - Battle of Petersburg begins as General Ulysses S. Grant assaults the Confederate line at the important Southern rail center of Petersburg 1869 - Mike McCoole (US) defeats Tom Allen (England) in bare-knuckle bout 1917 - In order to calm troubled relations with Ireland, the British grant amnesty to the Prisoners taken during the Easter Rising of 1916 1929 - 1st time NY curb stock exchange transacts more business than NY Exch 1943 - Race riot in Beaumont, Texas erupts killing 2 1955 - The Eisenhower administration stages the first annual "Operation Alert" (OPAL) exercise, an attempt to assess the USA's preparations for a nuclear attack 1978 - Soyuz 29 carries 2 cosmonauts to Salyut 6; they stay 139 days 1988 - Turkish premier Özal meets Greek premier Papandreou in Athens 1994 - New York Giants cut Super Bowl XXI MVP quarterback Phil Simms after 15 years service with the NFL club More Historical Events »