Ed Jackson and Charly Pou

Carl Vinson Institute of Government

The University of Georgia

May 11

1729 In London, James Oglethorpe's House of Commons' Gaols [Jails] Committee released its third and final report on abuses in London's prisons. This report focused on extortion and cruelty at King's Bench Prison.

1738 Col. James Oglethorpe and his regiment of 700 soldiers left London for a five-day trip Southampton. Here, he would review the troops and then go on to Portsmouth, where a flotilla of seven ships was waiting to sail for Georgia. Bad weather, however, would delay their departure until June 26.

1740 Oglethorpe's invasion force of Florida approached Fort Diego, which opened fire (though without any damage).

1803 Gov. John Milledge signed Georgia's first land lottery act.

1803 A joint session of the General Assembly appointed a commission to select a site at the head of navigation of the Oconee River which would be suitable for a permanent capital to be named Milledgeville.

1803 Gov. John Milledge signed legislation creating Wayne, Wilkinson, and Baldwin counties as Georgia's 27th, 28th, and 29th counties. All three were created from lands ceded by the Creeks in 1802. Wayne County and Wilkinson County respectively were named for Revolutionary War generals "Mad" Anthony Wayne and James Wilkinson. Baldwin County was named for Georgia signer of the U.S. Constitution Abraham Baldwin.

1864 Sherman pulled most of his Union forces back from the attacks on Mill Creek Gap and Dug Gap and hurriedly marched them southward.If he could reach Resaca before Johnston realized what was happening, Sherman could defeat the smaller Confederate force defending Resaca. More importantly, the bulk of Sherman's Union army would now be south of Johnston's forces, which would make an Atlanta an easy prize to take. [Click here to see map of area.]

1865 Alexander Stephens, vice president of the Confederate States of America, was arrested.

1913 Officials of the National Pencil Factory told Pinkerton detectives to find the murderer of Mary Phagan, no matter who it might be -- this despite the fact that NPF supervisor Leo Frank had first brought in a Pinkerton detective. In a Marietta grocery store, a mysterious "girl in red" was rumored to have said that she was with Phagan on the day of the murder. After scouring the neighborhood and not finding the girl, detectives concluded the story was a hoax. Click here for a detailed accounting of the case.

1935 President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 7037 creating the Rural Electrification Administration, an action prompted by Roosevelt's frequent visits to the Little White House at Warm Springs, Georgia. On his drives through the countryside, Roosevelt saw life in rural Georgia without electricity. Of course, he had electricity at his residence -- but his electric power rate was almost four times what he paid back at Hyde Park, New York. As a result, Roosevelt later noted, "So it can be said that a little cottage at Warm Springs, Georgia, was the birthplace of the Rural Electrification Administration."

1970 Following the beating death of a 16-year-old mentally retarded black youth in the Richmond County jail by two other black inmates, black leaders in Augusta held a meeting with the chairman of the Richmond County Commission over the handling of juvenile offenders in the jail. On the afternoon of May 11th, a peaceful demonstration was held in front of the Municipal Building. At some point during or after the demonstration, a group of young black protesters hauled down a Georgia state flag from a flagpole and burned it. They then began breaking windows and looting stores along Broad St. But the real violence came with darkness. Fires were started and wholesale looting began. At some point several snipers shot at police and firefighters responding to the downtown fires, and Augusta police began shooting at black looters. Some white residents driving through black areas of Augusta were stopped and beaten, with their cars overturned. Before the night was over, six blacks had been killed by police gunfire, while many others -- both black and white -- were wounded or injured.In the midst of the worst race riot in Augusta history, mayor Millard Beckum called on Gov. Lester Maddox to mobilize the National Guard to help restore order.

1977 In reaction to a 17-game losing streak, Atlanta Braves' owner Ted Turner decided he would personally manage the Braves. In a Braves' uniform, Turner does his best -- but the Braves lose anyway. It was Turner's only appearance as manager. Major League baseball subsequently adopted a prohibition on this practice.

1998 The Atlanta Braves broke their franchise record by going 23 consecutive games with at least one home run. For the second night in a row, Andruw Jones and Andres Galarraga provided the muscle, with Jones hitting two home runs in an 8-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

In Their Own Words on This Day. . .

1737 In his journal of Trustee proceedings, the Earl of Egmont recorded some interesting facts about Tomochichi and the almost universal practice of white traders having Indian wives:

"Mr. Tanner, a young gentleman of Surrey & neighbour of Mr. Oglethorpe (Since an Ensign in his Regiment) dined with Some of the Trustees. Who went for his amusement in the last embarkation with Mr. Oglethorpe to Georgia,and was employ'd by him in Several Services whilst there, & particularly among the Indian Nations, where he past 4 months . . . ."

"He Said the Indians are extreamly human to those in friendship with them, perfectly just in their dealings, & know not what it is to tell a lie. . . ."

That Tomachachi had a house of 3 rooms built like the rest of Clay, and cover'd with plank, that he keeps his parlour lock'd where is the picture of the Lyon [lion] we gave him, as also Mr. Oglethorpe's picture, in whose arms he Said (when he was ill last year) he wish'd he might [die]. That when he Sees company, or calls Councils, he Sits in this room.

"That when he visited him, he gave him a very good dinner of rost [sic] and boiled Pork, Bufalo [sic] beef, fowl, & pancake, and Senawky his wife made tea for him.

"He Said further, that all the Indian Traders have wives among the Indians, being necessary for dressing their victuals, and carrying on their business, and he believed there were 400 children so begotten. That being left and bred up by their mothers, they Speak both Indian and English, enough to be understood: but what ever is the reason, they do not care to do it but when drunk."

Source: Robert G. McPherson, 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. 272-73.

1864 From Snake Creek Gap, northwest of Reseca (see map), Major Fredrick Winkler of the 26th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry wrote to his wife:

"Now Wednesday afternoon. It rains slightly; I am under a shelter tent, sitting on the ground, and will use this cigar box for my writing desk. A victory of General Grant over Lee on the very field of Chancellorsville has been finally communicated to the army and causes universal rejoicing. To the order announcing it, General Sherman adds "Let us do the same." This morning we started at daylight and marched towards the south to Snake Creek Gap, which leads to the south of Dalton. It seems that the rebels did not occupy this Gap. General Mc Pherson has passed through it with his army, the 15th and 16th Corps. We are on the way through and apparently other troops will follow, thus bringing a large portion of the army to the south of Dalton, in the rear of the enemy's position and on his lines of communication. We were halted in the Gap, and the whole division is hard at work making a road, or at least in proving it with double wagon tracks and a sidetrack for infantry. Something highly Important may be looked for In these parts. Concentration of forces, about which so many have theorized, has been most admirably put into practice by General Grant."

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

1865 Eliza Frances Andrews welcomed one of her brothers home on this day. He was serving with Johnston's army in North Carolina when it was surrendered:

"Henry reached home late in the afternoon, so ragged and dirty that none of us knew him till he spoke. He had not had a change of clothes for three weeks, and his face was so dirty that he had to wash it before we could kiss him."

Source: Eliza Frances Andrews, The War-Time Journal of a Georgia Girl, 1864-1865 (New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1908), p. 240.

January / February / March / April / May / June / July / August / September / October / November / December

© Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia

If you have a date related to Georgia history or people that ought to be included, or if know of entries that should be corrected, send a note to Ed Jackson or Charly Pou.

Go to Yahoo/The History Channel This Day in History page for May 11

Go to Georgia History page

Go to GeorgiaInfo table of contents