Today in History for Feb. 7, 2015

General Charles Cornwallis

Feb. 7, 1775 - Benjamin Franklin published "An Imaginary Speech" about American courage.

Feb. 7, 1781 - General Charles Cornwallis finished crossing the Yadkin River in pursuit of American General Nathanael Greene. Greene had a two-day lead in his race to the Dan River and Patriot-held Virginia.

Feb. 7, 1783 – During the American Revolutionary War, French and Spanish forces lifted the Great Siege of Gibraltar.

Feb. 7, 1795 - The 11th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified.

Feb. 7, 1812 - The New Madrid earthquake hit. At a magnitude estimated to be 8.2, it was the largest recorded earthquake in the contiguous United States. The town of New Madrid, Missouri was destroyed, and the Mississippi River was said to run backward for several hours.

Feb. 7, 1817 – Shelby County, Ala. was created, and Shelbyville, located 12 miles northeast of Montevallo, served as the first county seat.

Feb. 7, 1862 - Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston ordered 15,000 reinforcements to Fort Donelson one day after the fall of Fort Henry on the Tennessee River. This fort lay on the Cumberland River just a few miles from Fort Henry. Johnston's decision turned out to be a mistake, as many of the troops were captured when the Fort Donelson fell to the Yankees on Feb. 16.

Feb. 7, 1862 - Union General Ambrose Burnside landed 10,000 troops on Roanoke Island in North Carolina. The Confederates surrendered the next day.

Feb. 7, 1864 - Union General Quincy Gilmore dispatched General Seymour to Jacksonville, Florida. Seymour was defeated in the Battle of Olustee on Feb. 20.

Feb. 7, 1865 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln ordered a disabled 14-year old boy to be released from the 55th Kentucky regiment. Perry Harris had joined the army a month earlier without his parent's permission. The request for the discharge had been requested from the boy's father. The discharge was effective April 15.

Feb. 7, 1895 – Monroe Masonic Chapter No. 4 held a regular convocation at 7:30 p.m. at Perdue Hill, Ala.

Feb. 7, 1932 - Alabama author Gay Talese is born in Ocean City, N.J.

Feb. 7, 1935 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Evergreen High School’s boys basketball team beat Brewton, 12-7, in Brewton, Ala. Horne led Evergreen with four points.

Feb. 7, 1935 - The Evergreen Courant reported that Alabama Gov. Bibb Graves had appointed Charles S. Kelly of Atmore, Ala. as warden of Atmore Prison (also known as Moffat Farm). Kelly was a native of Repton, Ala., and his brothers were County Health Officer, Dr. E.L. Kelly, and J.E. Kelly, a former state representative from Conecuh County and the president of the Union Bank in Repton.

Feb. 7, 1949 – The “new” hospital built in Monroeville, Ala. was opened by Dr. Thomas Earl Nettles on West Claiborne Street. This hospital closed when Monroe County Hospital opened in 1962.

Feb. 7, 1949 - Joe DiMaggio signed a contract with the New York Yankees that was worth $100,000. It was the first six-figure contract in major league baseball.

Feb. 7, 1958 - The Dodgers officially became the Los Angeles Dodgers, Inc.

Feb. 7, 1970 – Conecuh County Sheriff James M. “Shorty” Brock qualified for reelection. William Troy Smith of Evergreen also qualified to run for Conecuh County Sheriff.

Feb. 7, 1972 – The Richards DAR House in Mobile, Ala. was added to the National Register of Historic Places. (haunted)

Feb. 7, 1983 - Alabama journalist Buford Boone died in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Feb. 7, 1985 - A television version of Alabama author William March's book “The Bad Seed” was broadcast as part of the “Twilight Zone” series.

Feb. 7, 1985 - "Sports Illustrated" released its annual swimsuit edition. It was the largest regular edition in the magazine’s history at 218 pages.

Feb. 7, 1994 - Michael Jordan signed a contract with the Chicago White Sox to play baseball.

Feb. 7, 1995 - U.S. President Bill Clinton invited the two sides of the major league baseball strike to the White House in an effort to reach an agreement. The two sides did not resolve the issue that day.

Feb. 7, 1997 - Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills announced his retirement from the NFL. He was the only quarterback to date to guide the same team to four losing Super Bowls.