Ed Jackson and Charles Pou

Carl Vinson Institute of Government

The University of Georgia

May 5

1864 Sherman launched his Atlanta Campaign as more than 100,000 Union soldiers began their march into Georgia. [Click here to view map showing the route they would take from Chattanooga to Atlanta.]

1865 Union Col. B.B.Eggleston designated Capt. William G. Lawder as provost-marshal of Atlanta. Eggleston also issued his first order to the citizens of Atlanta:

"All persons in and about Atlanta, Ga., in possession of intoxicating liquors of any kind, are hereby prohibited from selling or giving the same to any soldier, whatever, under penalty of forfeiture of all liquors found in their possession."

1870 Educator and civil rights activist George Alexander Towns was born in Albany, Georgia. Towns became interested in Atlanta University when one of the school's graduates taught him as a six-year old. At age fifteen, Towns enrolled in Atlanta University, graduating in 1894, then earning a degree from Harvard in 1900. Towns immediately joined the faculty at Atlanta University, where he remained for forty years. Towns was primarily a teacher, but also acted as a fund raiser, coach, club sponsor, and editor of the alumni magazine. Besides his academic endeavors, Towns also worked diligently for civil rights. He was an active member of the NAACP and strongly encouraged black voter registration. He refused to accept segregation in public transportation, choosing to ride a bicycle to work instead. Even after his retirement from Atlanta University he continued to be an advocate for civil rights. He died in Atlanta on December 20, 1960, just before his and so many others' work was beginning to gain fruition.

1913 Lemmie Quinn, foreman of Mary Phagan's work area at the National Pencil Factory, testified he saw Leo Frank the Saturday of the murder and that all was perfectly normal. Furthermore he knew Frank well and was certain that he was not guilty of the murder. But detectives accused him of accepting a bribe from Frank to make those statements, an accusation Quinn firmly denied. Meanwhile several witnesses had come forward to say they had seen a girl resembling Phagan at the Confederate Memorial Day parade that Saturday afternoon; she appeared to be drugged. So the decision was made to exhume Phagan's body and examine her stomach for signs of drugs.

1925 Ty Cobb went 6 for 6 -- including three homers, a double, and two singles -- to give the Detroit Tigers a win over the St. Louis Browns.

1933 The Tybee National Wildlife Refuge was established.

1993 Gladys Knight hosted Kids' Celebration at the Omni with Michael Jackson as special guest at program for children and volunteers who participated in the Immunization Initiative.

In Their Own Words on This Day. . .

1736 In his journal of Trustee proceedings, the Earl of Egmont recorded the concern by fellow members over excessive spending by James Oglethorpe:

"Report made to us, of a bill of £100, drawn by Mr. Oglethorpe, of which advice was not yet arrived. This both Surprised and troubled us. He carry'd with him £5000 in bills and money, and if draw upon us notwithstanding, we Shall quickly be bankrupt. He knows not how low we are in Cash.

Egmont's journal for May 5, 1736 also noted the resignations of two Trustees who were unhappy with the March 31 vote to set aside 300 acres of the "best land" near Savannah for rental purposes, with the income to be used for building a church and supporting a minister and assistant:

". . . Mr. Moore presented his and Mr. Whites resignations . . . .It was respectfully drawn up, expressing their incapacity of continuing by reason of their absence from town the greatest part of the year . . . . Afterwards Mr. Moore Said that one of the main reasons for their quitting (though they did not mention it in their resignation) was the coldness which the Ministry Shew [sic] towards the Colony.

"That the Ministry were cold to us we all know . . . . But the true Secret was, they never could be reconciled to us after losing their point concerning the lands Granted for Religious uses . . . ."

Source: Robert G. McPherson (ed.), The Journal of the Earl of Egmont: Abstract of the Trustees Proceedings for Establishing the Colony of Georgia, 1732-1738 (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1962), pp. 150-151.

1864 From just south of Ringgold, Ga., Major Fredrick Winkler of the 26th Wisonsin Volunteer Infantry wrote his wife:

"Pleasant Grove they call the place where we have pitched our shelter tents. We have made our camp pleasant enough by clearing away all rubbish and under-brush, leaving only the tall white oaks and pines. We marched yesterday in a due easterly direction; we are about three miles south of Ringgold. Taylor's Ridge, a long, steep, high hill separates us from the railroad leading to Dalton and from the position of the enemy. Our corps seems to be concentrated here. The 1st Division came today and the 2nd is expected tomorrow. It is reported that the enemy has evacuated Dalton and is retreating southward; I think the forces concentrated against him must nearly deplete the enemy's numbers, and in that case to give us battle would be certain discomfiture, if not annihilation; by falling back, he compels us to divide our forces and gains in numerical strength by concentration. It would be a great advantage, of course, to get him to fight us here, but I do not know that it is possible, and I am sure that it won't be accomplished; such things can only be done by rapid, powerful, sudden, unexpected moves, and they require genius, both of conception and execution. Indications, however, are that we will have a long march; if the rebels keep retreating, that is inevitable. Officers' baggage has in a large measure been stored; we are allowed but one wagon for the regiment, all others are to be used for carrying rations. This shows that we are not to rely upon and wait for the completion of railroad communications; I think that is well. . . ."

Source: Civil War Letters of Major Fredrick C. Winkler, in 26th Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers Home Page

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© Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia

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