September 13 has seen desperate battles on the Plains of Abraham, Roald Dahl's birth, and legal milestones.
British forces under General James Wolfe defeated the French on the Plains of Abraham outside Quebec City. Both Wolfe and French commander Montcalm were mortally wounded, but the victory secured British control of Canada.
The beloved children's author was born in Llandaff, Wales, to Norwegian parents. Dahl's darkly humorous books, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda, have delighted millions of readers.
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat signed the Oslo Accords at the White House, with President Clinton presiding. The historic handshake offered hope for Middle East peace.
Roman Emperor Hadrian ordered construction of a wall spanning northern England to mark the boundary of the Roman Empire. The 73-mile barrier remains one of the most impressive Roman engineering achievements.
US forces stormed the fortress of Chapultepec near Mexico City during the Mexican-American War. The 'Halls of Montezuma' victory helped secure Mexico's surrender and vast territorial concessions.
Hurricane Ike struck Galveston, Texas, as a Category 2 storm with a massive storm surge. The hurricane caused $38 billion in damage and was one of the costliest in US history.
The first New York City Marathon was run entirely within Central Park, with just 127 entrants and 55 finishers. The race grew into one of the world's largest marathons with over 50,000 runners.