What Happened on September 17?

All

events

births

deaths

holidays

EVENTS ON SEPTEMBER 17

Battle of the Yalu River (1894)

Year: 1894

Battle of the Yalu River, the largest naval engagement of the First Sino-Japanese War.

Philippine–American War

Year: 1900

Philippine–American War: Filipinos under Juan Cailles defeat Americans under Colonel Benjamin F. Cheatham Jr. at Mabitac.

Battle of Elands River (1901)

Year: 1901

Second Boer War: Boers capture a squadron of the 17th Lancers at the Battle of Elands River.

American Civil War

Year: 1862

American Civil War: George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac halts the first invasion of the North by Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia in the single-day Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American military history.

Allegheny Arsenal

Year: 1862

American Civil War: The Allegheny Arsenal explosion in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania results in the single largest civilian disaster during the war.

Emperor Norton

Year: 1859

Joshua A. Norton declares himself "Norton I, Emperor of the United States".

Argentine Civil Wars

Year: 1861

Argentine Civil Wars: The State of Buenos Aires defeats the Argentine Confederation at the Battle of Pavón.

Second Boer War

Year: 1901

Second Boer War: A Boer column defeats a British force at the Battle of Blood River Poort.

Wright Flyer

Year: 1908

The Wright Flyer flown by Orville Wright, with Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge as passenger, crashes, killing Selfridge, who becomes the first airplane fatality.

Border Protection Corps

Year: 1924

The Border Protection Corps is established in the Second Polish Republic for the defence of the eastern border against armed Soviet raids and local bandits.

BIRTHS ON SEPTEMBER 17

Park Honan

Year of birth: 1928

Park Honan, American author and academic (died 2014)

Stirling Moss

Year of birth: 1929

Stirling Moss, English racing driver and sportscaster (died 2020)

Roddy McDowall

Year of birth: 1928

Roddy McDowall, English-American actor (died 1998)

George Blanda

Year of birth: 1927

George Blanda, American football player (died 2010)

Bill Black

Year of birth: 1926

Bill Black, American bass player and bandleader (died 1965)

Kevin Schubert

Year of birth: 1927

Kevin Schubert, Australian rugby league player (died 2007)

David Craig, Baron Craig of Radley

Year of birth: 1929

David Craig, Baron Craig of Radley, Northern Irish air marshal and politician

Thomas P. Stafford

Year of birth: 1930

Thomas P. Stafford, American general, pilot, and astronaut (died 2024)

David Huddleston

Year of birth: 1930

David Huddleston, American actor (died 2016)

Jean-Claude Carrière

Year of birth: 1931

Jean-Claude Carrière, French actor and screenwriter (died 2021)

DEATHS ON SEPTEMBER 17

Stefanos Dragoumis

Year of death: 1923

Stefanos Dragoumis, Greek judge and politician, 92nd Prime Minister of Greece (born 1842)

Thomas Bent

Year of death: 1909

Thomas Bent, Australian businessman and politician, 22nd Premier of Victoria (born 1838)

Joseph De Piro

Year of death: 1933

Joseph De Piro, Maltese priest and missionary (born 1877)

Ettie Rout

Year of death: 1936

Ettie Annie Rout, New Zealand author and activist (born 1877)

Walter Dubislav

Year of death: 1937

Walter Dubislav, German logician and philosopher of science, Vienna circle member (born 1895)

Henri Julien

Year of death: 1908

Henri Julien, Canadian cartoonist (born 1852)

Thomas Selfridge

Year of death: 1908

Thomas Selfridge, American lieutenant and pilot (born 1882)

Deng Shichang

Year of death: 1894

Deng Shichang, Chinese captain (born 1849)

Charles Alfred Pillsbury

Year of death: 1899

Charles Alfred Pillsbury, American businessman, co-founded the Pillsbury Company (born 1842)

Edmonia Lewis

Year of death: 1907

Edmonia Lewis, American sculptor (born 1844)

HOLIDAYS ON SEPTEMBER 17

Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński

Christian feast day: Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński

Australian Citizenship Day

September 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

Christian feast day: September 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

Constitution Day and Citizenship Day

Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, observed on the previous Friday if it falls on a Saturday, the following Monday if on a Sunday; and the beginning of the Constitution Week (United States)