19 October It Happened Today

1781  General Charles Cornwallis surrenders his troops to the American forces at Yorktown.

1864  American Civil War battle of Cedar Creek.

1897  George Mortimer Pullman, inventor of the Pullman sleeping car, dies aged 66.

1963  Sir Alec Douglas Home succeeds Harold Macmillan as British prime minister.

1987  More than $500 billion (£270billion) wiped off the value of US shares and £50 billion wiped off UK shares as mass selling sweeps markets.