Ed Jackson and Charles Pou

Carl Vinson Institute of Government

The University of Georgia

May 22

1782 In New York, Sir Guy Carleton, commanding general of British forces in America, ordered the evacuation of Savannah and all of Georgia by British forces.

1819 The Savannah steamed out of Savannah harbor destined for Liverpool, England -- a journey that would take 29 days and make history as the first steamboat to cross the Atlantic Ocean. However, once at sea, most of the Savannah's voyage was made under sail, as its supply of fuel (coal and wood) was exhausted after 105 hours of steam power.

1875 Artist Lucy May Stanton was born in Atlanta, Georgia. By age seven. she was already showing great promise as a painter. Throughout her adult life, Stanton traveled extensively doing exhibitions and teaching art and art history. She was most noted for the unique style of her miniatures, which won her numerous awards and critical acclaim. Collections of her work are housed in many of America's finest museums, including the Metropolitan Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Georgia Museum of Art. Emory University also houses a large collection of her miniatures. In her latter years, Stanton lived in Athens with her sister, continuing to paint from a studio she had constructed in 1910. She died in Athens on March 19, 1931, and was buried in Oconee Hills Cemetery.

1884 Former Confederate general William Tatum Wofford died near Cass Station, Georgia. Born June 28, 1824 in Habersham County, Ga., Wofford became a lawyer, planter, politician, and newspaper editor -- also fighting in the Mexican War. In June 1861, he was designated a colonel in the 18th Georgia, subsequently serving in North Carolina, the Peninsula Campaign, and the battles of Seven Pines, Seven Days, Second Manassas, South Mountain, Sharpsburg, and Fredericksburg. In Jan. 1863, he was promoted to brigadier general and commanded a brigade in McLaws' Division at Salem Church and Gettysburg , and a brigade in Kersha's Division at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Cedar Creek. Toward the end of the war, Gov. Joseph E. Brown requested that Wofford command the Dept. of North Georgia. After the war, he was elected to Congress from Georgia, but Radical Republicans would not allow he and other Democrats to take their seats.

1913 A new controversy arose in the Mary Phagan murder investigation. Phagan's stepfather signed an affidavit accusing Thomas Felder, the attorney responsible for bringing the Burns Detective Agency into the case, of approaching him about allowing Felder to prosecute the case. Detectives presented transcripts of dictograph recordings in which Felder had offered them $1000 for access to the case evidence. Click here for a detailed accounting of the case.

1927 Oglethorpe University presented an honorary Doctor of Laws degree to publisher William Randolph Hearst, who was a generous benefactor of the Atlanta institution.

1932 In the middle of the Depression, New York Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt came to Atlanta to give the commencement address [see text] for Oglethorpe University. More than 4,000 people attended his speech in the Fox Theatre. This would be Roosevelt's last major speech before accepting the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party in Chicago in July. [Click here to read story of Roosevelt's commencement address.]

1944 A 3-cent stamp commemorating the 125th anniversary of the steamship Savannah becoming the first steam-powered vessel to cross the Atlantic Ocean was released with first day of issue ceremonies held in Savannah, Ga. [Click here to view the stamp and read more about it.]

1981 Police staking out a bridge on Cobb Drive hear a splash in the water and see a car driving off the bridge. The car was stopped and the driver, Wayne Williams, questioned. Two days later a body is discovered downstream from the bridge, and almost a monthy later Williams was arrested as the main suspect in the  Atlanta Child Murders case.

1985 Pete Rose scored his 2,108th run to pass Hank Aaron's National League record.

1992 Atlanta Braves pitcher Tom Glavine failed to establish a new franchise record of 14 consecutive wins, as the Braves fell to the Montreal Expos. Still, Glavine's previous win tied Charlie Buffinton's club record of 13 straight wins.

In Their Own Words on This Day. . .

1733 As recorded by the Earl of Egmont in his journal of Trustee proceedings, much of this day's meeting was devoted to debating the Tail [or Tale] Male policy, which if strictly enforced, would not permit female inheritance of the land grants in Georgia. Of all the raw materials the Trustees expected from Georgia, silk was probably the most important. Therefore, they had arranged to send a group of 40 Vaudois [Italian Protestants] who were skilled in silk production and agriculture to Georgia. However, the Vaudois refused to go once they learned that their wives and daughters would not be allowed to inherit their land. Of the seven Trustees present for today's meeting, all but Egmont and Robert Hucks were willing to amend the Tail Male policy for the Vaudois. Egmont's argument, however, was:

"Such alteration in favour of the Vaudois, would create un-easiness in the English and Saltsburgers [sic] who went over on the foot of Tale male only, and raise their jealouisie that more Should be indulged to the Italians than to them. That when this desire had been exprest on former occasions, we had opposed it upon just apprehension that the female might marry a Man who would not live on the land, wch. of course would remain uncultivated, and Men inhabitants who are the Strength of towns and Countries be lessen'd. That this once obtained, it would be followed by a liberty to Sell, which would make our Grants become a bubble in Exchange Ally. That it was unnecessary the Vaudois Should insist on it, Since we Should not refuse any particular female her desire when judged reasonable, and for the good of the Colony, but because Such application might Some times be hurtfull it was fit [we] Should re[tain] the power in our own hands. Mr. Chandler Said he doubted if our restraining females from Succeeding is good in law, being contrary to the law of England. To wch. we reply'd that Grants are a gift which may be qualified as agreed on between the Parties . . . ."

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. 50-51.

1737 John Wesley and his brother Charles endured some rough weather in the course of their ministry :

"Sat. May 22. About four in the afternoon we enter'd upon Doboy Sound. The Wind, which was right a Head, was so high, when we were in the middle of it, and the Sea so rough, being driven in at the inlet, that the Boat was on the Point of sinking every Moment. But it pleased God to bring us safe to the other Side in half an Hour, and to Frederica the next morning. We had Publick Prayers at Nine, at which nineteen Persons were present; and (I think) nine Communicants."

Source: [no author or editor cited], Our First Visit in America: Early Reports from the Colony of Georgia, 1732-1740 (The Beehive Press, Savannah, 1974), p. 200-201.

1864 From Bartow County, Maj. Fredrick Winkler of the 26th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry wrote to his wife about a lull in battle during Sherman's Atlanta Campaign:

"This is a much pleasanter Sunday morning than it was a week ago, not in point of weather alone, but it is more Sunday like. No booming of cannon, no rattling of musketry, no ordering voices harsh with excitement, no shrieks of wounded, no groans of dying, no confusion of battle disturbs the holy quiet of the Sabbath Day. A week ago the riot of human weakness, folly and passion seemed to contend with the goodness of God and for a time almost to gain mastery over it; Nature was calm and placid, the happy birds sung merrily in green boughs, the air was balmy and soft, all betokened the beneficence of the Ruler above, but man converted this scene of peaceful calm to a Pandemonium of terror and destruction until Night kindly threw its mantle over the scene and screened the combatants from each other's view Brave men may, but I believe there are very few, if any, who take delight in battle, and very few who in the heat of an engagement will not welcome the coming night as that of a friend who will stop the fierce wrangle and bring relief to the struggling men. There is something so providentially kind in it to those who have survived the dangers of the day, in the fall of night upon the battle field. It brings relief to the anxious heart and inspires it with gratitude to God for the favors shown during those hours of danger. I have just obtained leave for my Quartermaster to go to Chattanooga for my valise. He will take this letter. There are all sorts of rebel movements in circulation. We have great faith in our generals. It seems to me that Sherman has displayed the qualities of a very able and energetic general. We had a circular from him this morning, in which he said that all reports about his suppressing mail communications between soldiers and their friends at home were false; that, on the contrary, he encouraged such correspondence and wished all subordinate commanders to take measures to make the mall service in the field as efficient as possible; the only thing he discouraged was the idlers who traffic in news injurious to the army. I rode over to Cassville last night; it is quite a pretty village with several churches but deserted and desolate."

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

1864 Another soldier in Sherman's forces was Capt. Henry A. Potter of the 4th Michigan Cavalry. On this day, from near Kingston, he wrote his sister:

". . . My health is good. We are having very warm weather at present. Our Division moves tomorrow with 20 days rations, as does the whole army. I believe. I send you some Photographs. My company was in the extreme advance the 18th. I had my men deployed as skirmishers on the left on a hill our attention all directed to the front when a regiment of rebels came charging around to my left and near. Yelling like incarnate fiends. My men saw the situation as soon as I and giving orders to fall back to the road we succeeded in reaching amid a perfect shower of leaden hail which cut the boughs and twigs above my head in every direction. We had run upon two Brigades of Confederate cavalry and with in * mile of their permanent camp. The road runs between two hills all the way we had no support (that was the [truth] of it) for four miles back. But were obliged to fight it out alone. They flanked us badly and had us entirely surrounded all but breaking the column. I did not expect to get out without being wounded or captured. But the bullets slighted me that time. Billy Egleston[William R Egleston, Lapeer, Mich, Captain Co B] was wounded in the fight near Rome, nothing serious however. Carter [Julius M Carter, Ovid, Mich] is doing well I hear and on his way home. I had one brave sergeant shot dead. I have some of the coolest and bravest men in any Co I ever saw. I saw many a rebel bite the dust from their shots, well-aimed. They lost a Col killed 2nd Georgia. We are resting today. The Army will advance in a day or two. The Trains are running regular to Kingston four miles north of us. We are about 60 miles from Atlanta. Report says Johnson[CSA General J E Johnston] will make a stand not far below here. No betting. We will know when we try them. We have flanked them out of Dalton and Resaca, two very strongly fortified places, naturally and artificially and we can flank them again or, if they will fight, we can whip them. They say Johns[t]on is reported to have said if he got whipped again he would retreat to Atlanta and hoist the stars and stripes. I have not recd any letters in a long time. Don't know where they are. You must keep writing. We are encamped in a good place. Plenty of shade and a beautiful spring of cool water near. Whatever the rebel have preached and said about holding this country against the whole Yankee army. I know one thing, the citizens have lost all faith in them or their army, as is proved by the fine deserted residences, beautiful gardens or flowers, superb carriages and plated harness left in the flight from the 'invader.' I tell you Southern Aristocracy is 'played out' after this war is ended this country will be peopled by a different set of people. Write to your Brother."

The Letters of Henry Albert Potter, May-August 1864

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© Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia

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