 1859, Big Ben, the great bell inside the famous London clock tower chimed for the first time. 1864, Confederate forces led by General Jobel Early began an abortive invasion of Washington, D.C., turning back the next day. 1914, Babe Ruth made his Major League Baseball debut, pitching the Boston Red Sox to a 4-3 victory over Cleveland. 1921, a fighting in the Irish War of Independence ended with a truce.