Tuesday, the Dow climbed 167.80 points (0.72%) to 23,441.76, the NASDAQ closed 11.60 points (0.18%) higher at 6,598.43, and the S&P 500 increased 4.15 points (0.16%) to 2,569.13. The Russell 2000 gained 2.92 points (0.19%) to finish at 1,500.41, and the Wilshire 5000 was up 24.63 points (0.09%) at 26,691.82.

ON THIS DATE: In 1812, during the War of 1812, the U.S. frigate United States captured the British vessel Macedonian. In 1854, the Charge of the Light Brigade took place during the Crimean War. The British were winning the Battle of Balaclava when Lord James Cardigan received an order to attack the Russians. He took his troops into a valley and suffered 40 percent caualties. Later it was revealed that the order was the result of confusion and was not given intentionally. In 1955, the microwave oven, for home use, was introduced by The Tappan Company. In 1962, American author John Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature. In 2001, it was announced that scientists had unearthed the remains of an ancient crocodile which lived 110 million years ago. The animal, found in Gadoufaoua, Niger, grew as long as 40 feet and weighed as much as eight metric tons.