Ed Jackson and Charly Pou

Carl Vinson Institute of Government

The University of Georgia

March 5

1727 Military leader Lachlan McIntosh was born in Badenoch, Scotland. McIntosh's family was part of the group of Scot Highlanders who settled Darien along Georgia's southern frontier in 1736. He took part in the defense of Savannah against the British in March of 1776, then returned to his home to defend Georgia's southern and western frontier. Though McIntosh tried to stay out of the political squabbles of his time, his need for supplies forced him to deal with some of the major political figures in Georgia. One of these was Button Gwinnett, with whom McIntosh and his brother George had long standing differences. So fierce was the rivalry that it led to a duel between McIntosh and Gwinnett in May 1777, which left Gwinnett dead and McIntosh wounded. Upon recovering, McIntosh joined George Washington's army at Valley Forge. Washington later appointed McIntosh commander of the Western Department of the war. McIntosh established two forts in the Ohio River Valley, which gave American claims to the land legitimacy. When he heard Savannah had fallen to the British, McIntosh received permission to return home. He joined the Continental Army in South Carolina and took part in the defense of Charleston. When the city fell, McIntosh was taken prisoner for the duration of the war. Upon his release in 1781, he found his personal finances in shambles and his reputation tarnished (as he had been relieved of command by the Continental Congress because of Gwinnett's death). McIntosh spent the remainder of his life trying to rectify these two problems; he had little success financially, but did receive public vindication for his role in Gwinnett's death and his performance during the war. He died in Savannah on Feb. 20, 1806.

1735 In London, James Oglethorpe met with the other Trustees and presented his proposed budget and military plan for Georgia. He argued that Georgia could no longer survive based on charity but needed a £25,800 appropriation from Parliament. With this sum, Oglethorpe proposed defending Georgia against a Spanish land invasion by building a chain of 20 forts along the Altamaha River. Two forts would have 80 defenders each, while 18 smaller forts would each have 40 soldiers.

1754 The British Board of Trade, overseeing Georgia's transition from a Trustee to a royal colony, proposed a new form of government for Georgia - including a royal governor and the colony's first real legislative body.

1869 Congress refused to seat Georgia's newly elected senators and representatives.

1883 James Stoddard Boynton, president of the Georgia Senate, became governor following the death of Gov. Alexander Stephens the previous day. [See Dec. 22 entry for biographical information.]

1964 Atlanta mayor Ivan Allen announced that if the city would build a stadium, an unnamed Major League baseball team would move move to Atlanta in 1965.

1969 Ruth Eiseman-Schier was arrested for her part in the kidnapping of Barbara Jane Mackle on Dec. 17, 1968. She had been the first woman to appear of the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list.

1977 Pres. Jimmy Carter participated in the first-ever "Dial-a-President" radio broadcast in which he answered questions called in from listeners across the United States. The CBS special radio program was hosted by Walter Cronkite.

1997 Palestine Liberation Organization president Yasser Arafat visited former U.S. President Jimmy Carter in Plains, GA.

Georgia cities and towns first incorporated by acts approved by the governor on March 5:

1856 Fletcherville (Thomas County), Lithonia (DeKalb), Morgan (Calhoun County), Morgantown (Fannin County), Warsaw (Chatham County), and Woodbury (Meriwether)

1943 Warner Robins (Houston County)

In Their Own Words on This Day. . .

1739 In Savannah, Trustees' secretary William Stephens recorded the grounding of a ship, then went on to describe a unique medical treatment:

"Wednesday. Capt. Thompson loosed his Ship from the Wharf, got up her Anchor, and attempted to fall down the River. . . . But through the Negligence of the Pilot (it is said) the ship ran aground on the edge of a Marsh near the Town, tho' there was Water more than sufficient in the right Course, and the Wind very fair, an easy Breeze at West: What makes it worse is, that it happened to be just at high Water, and the top of the Spring Tide; so that when the Water ebbed, the ship laid fast on the Mud, and there remained little Expectation of her floating again till next Spring Tide. . . . Mr. Patrick Graham, Surgeon, . . . having Mrs. Cuthbert (Sister to the late Capt. Cuthbert, deceased) for his Patient, dangerously ill in a fever, at that Time a Lodger in his House; the Doctor took the Opportunity of prescribing Matrimony to her, as a Specifick which he was sure would compleat her Cure; and consenting to take his advice in it, they were married at her late brother's plantation. . . ."

Source: William Stephens, A Journal of the Proceeding in Georgia ([no city cited]: Readex Microprint Corporation, 1966), Vol. II, pp. 302-303.

1858 It was not uncommon for slave owners to hire out skilled slaves for non-agricultural jobs. Not unexpectedly, some white workers objected to the practice, as evidenced by the following petition to the Atlanta city council signed by two hundred citizens:

"We, the undersigned, would respectfully represent to your honorable body that there exists in the city of Atlanta, a number of men who, in the opinion of your memorialists, are of no benefit to the city. We refer to negro mechanics whose masters reside in other places, and who pay nothing to the support of the city government, and whose negro mechanics can afford to underbid the regular resident citizen mechanics of your city to their great injury and without benefit to the city in any way; we most respectfully request your honorable body to take the matter in hand, and by your action in the premises afford such protection to the resident citizen mechanics of your city, as your honorable body may deem meet in the premises, and in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray."

Source: Franklin M. Garrett, Atlanta and Environs: A Chronicle of Its People and Events (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1969 reprint of 1954 original volume), Vol. I, p. 434.

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© Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia

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