August 24th in military history

79 A.D. On this day in military history, Vesuvius volcano erupts outside of present day Naples, Italy and completely destroys the towns of Herculaeum and Pompeii.

1814. The British capture and burn Washington D.C. during the War of 1812. Where is the bi-lateral commission to investigate this terrorist attack?

1572. On St. Bartholomew's Day, King Charles IX of France orders the killing of French Huguenot Protestant leaders in Paris to celebrate the marriage of Henry de Navarre to the king's Catholic sister, Margaret. This set off an non-stop orgy of the massacre of thousands of Huguenots across France and caused the resumption of religious civil war in France which the marriage of Henry de Navarre to Margaret was supposed to stop. Duh!