Today in History for Aug. 13, 2017

Andrew Barclay Spurling

Aug. 13, 1422 – William Caxton, the first man ever to print a book in English, was born in Kent, England. His first book was “The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye,” printed in 1475.

Aug. 13, 1521 – After an extended siege, forces led by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés captured Tlatoani Cuauhtémoc and conquered the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, present day Mexico City.

Aug. 13, 1777 - George Weedon acceded to Hugh Mercer's command as colonel of the 3rd Virginia Regiment.

Aug. 13, 1779 – During the American Revolutionary War, the Royal Navy defeated the Penobscot Expedition with the most significant loss of United States naval forces prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Aug. 13, 1781 - Patriot forces led by Colonel William Harden and Brigadier General Francis Marion, known as the “Swamp Fox,” lured British commander Major Thomas Fraser and his 450 soldiers into an ambush at Parker's Ferry, 30 miles northwest of Charleston, South Carolina.

Aug. 13, 1784 - The United States Legislature met for the final time in Annapolis, Md.

Aug. 13, 1790 – Australian journalist, explorer, and politician William Wentworth was born on Norfolk Island.

Aug. 13, 1813 – By order of General Ferdinand Claiborne, about 50 of Major Daniel Beasley’s men were sent to Mount Vernon, a cantonment on the Mobile River, a few miles west of Fort Mims.

Aug. 13, 1831 – Nat Turner saw a solar eclipse, which he believed was a sign from God. Eight days later, he and 70 other slaves kill approximately 55 whites in Southampton County, Va.

Aug. 13, 1846 - The American Flag was raised for the first time in Los Angeles, Calif.

Aug. 13, 1849 – Daniel McCool was commissioned for his second term as Monroe County, Alabama’s Circuit Court Clerk, and William W. McCool was commissioned as Monroe County’s Sheriff.

Aug. 13, 1858 – R.B. Witter Sr., head of Evergreen Academy in Evergreen, Ala, reportedly died in a fire at the school around 11 p.m. that destroyed the school and its library. Witter occupied a bedroom in the building.

Aug. 13, 1860 – Sharpshooter Annie Oakley was born Phoebe Ann Mosey in Woodland, Ohio.

Aug. 13, 1861 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought near Grafton, W.Va.

Aug. 13, 1862 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Medon and Gallitan, Tenn.; at Yellow Creek, Mo. and at Orange Court House, Va. An engagement also occurred at Black River, S.C.

Aug. 13, 1862 - Robert E. Lee issued orders in preparation for the Army of Northern Virginia's movement north to engage John Pope's Union Army of Virginia.

Aug. 13, 1862 – During the Civil War, the Confederate invasion of Kentucky began. Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith began an invasion of Kentucky as part of a Confederate plan to draw the Yankee army of General Don Carlos Buell away from Chattanooga, Tenn. and to raise support for the Southern cause in Kentucky.

Aug. 13, 1863 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Pineville, Mo. and at Jacinto, Miss.

Aug. 13, 1864 – The Deep Bottom Run campaign began as Union General Ulysses S. Grant, sensing a weakness in the Confederate defenses around Richmond and Petersburg, Va., sought to break the siege of Petersburg by concentrating his force against one section of the Rebel trenches. However, Grant miscalculated, and the week-long operation at Deep Bottom Run that began on August 13 failed to penetrate the Confederate defenses. The campaign cost 3,000 Union casualties and about 1,500 for the Confederates. Apparently during this time, Confederate soldier Lewis Lavon Peacock was in the General Hospital at Howard’s Grove in Richmond, Va.

Aug. 13, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Searcy, Ark.; at Palatka, Fla.; at Hurricane Creek, Miss. and near Strasburg, Va. Actions also occurred at Dutch Gap and Four Mile Creek, Va., and an affair occurred at Berryville, Va.

Aug. 13, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that there were only two prisoners in the county jail, both imprisoned for capital offenses.

Aug. 13, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that Prof. George would open his school at the Academy on Sept. 1. “We learn that very near the requisite number of scholars have already been subscribed,” the newspaper reported.

Aug. 13, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that the “young gentlemen of Hunters Mill introduced lawn tennis, a game decidedly more laborious than recreative, to the young gentlemen of Monroeville. Lawn tennis is said to be quite an improvement on baseball. This is quite probable, but as we know but little about either, we shall not venture an opinion.”

Aug. 13, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that Warren Broughton, a young farmer, brought the newspaper a well-matured boll of open cotton one day during the previous week. He said he discovered it about July 24.

Aug. 13, 1886 – The Monroe Journal reported that Col. H.H. Hybart of Bell’s Landing was in Monroeville.

Aug. 13, 1892 – Brantley, Ala. was officially incorporated as a municipality.

Aug. 13, 1896 - Jno. I Watson, Monroe County’s newly elected Sheriff, filed his official bond with the Judge of Probate, which was approved. On the arrival of his commission, he was to assume the duties of his office.

Aug. 13, 1896 - Monroeville’s first bale of the new cotton crop was received on this Thursday. It was grown by J.J. Autrey of Bermuda and was sold to Messrs. Hudson & Roberts for 6.80 cents per pound.

Aug. 13, 1899 – Director Alfred Hithcock was born in London, England.

Aug. 13, 1905 – On this Sunday evening near the Local community, G.K. Fountain, who was attempting to arrest Jas. Reese, who had escaped from a Williams McLauchlin Co. turpentine camp, was shot at by Columbus Donnelly with a .44-caliber, double action, 6.5-inch barrel pistol. Fountain shot Donnelly in the neck and throat, “causing a very serious wound,” and Donnelly died on Tues., Aug. 15. The incident was examined in a preliminary trial before B.L. Hixon and W.Y. Gordon, and Fountain was discharged after evidence showed he acted in self defense.

Aug. 13, 1906 – Former Union Army General, Andrew Barclay Spurling, of “Spurling’s Raid” passed away in Chicago, Ill. at the age of 73. He is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Chicago. The height of his military career occurred at Evergreen, Alabama when, in 1865, the company of scouts he was commanding captured three Confederate soldiers who were attempting to call reinforcements, a feat for which he received a Congressional Medal of Honor in 1897. According to a newspaper at the time: “On that day he captured three Johnnie Rebs single handed, wounding two of them and bringing all three into the Union camp. He was at that time in command of a cavalry expedition and, while visiting his pickets, heard men approaching. Leaving his outpost he advanced in the dark and came upon the three rebels. He fired at them and the fire was returned. Gen. Spurling wounded two of the rebels and proceeded to take the trio back into the Union lines. The official endorsements on his papers in the War Department state that this capture prevented the rebels from obtaining information concerning the movements of Union troops and was of great value to the Union cause.”

Aug. 13, 1911 – Lt. Gov. Walter D. Seed delivered a speech at the Masonic Conference at Burnt Corn, Ala.

Aug. 13-15, 1914 – The Monroe County Masonic Conference was held at Monroe Lodge No. 485 at Franklin, Ala.

Aug. 13, 1917 - The Wilcox County Masonic Conference was scheduled to convene with Dale Lodge beginning on this Monday night, Grand Lodge Deputy Rennye of Selma was to preside. Grand High Priest McCormick was also expected. The eight Masonic lodges located at Lower Peach Tree, Sunny South, Pine Hill, Furman, Oak Hill, Pine Apple, McWilliams and Camden were to be represented by their worshipful masters and wardens and other visiting and county Masons. The members of Dale Lodge were preparing to give their county brethren a most fraternal welcome.

Aug. 13, 1917 - The regular term of the Wilcox County commissioners court was scheduled to be held at the courthouse on this Monday morning. A considerable number of citizens were expected to attend.

Aug. 13, 1918 – Women enlisted in the United States Marine Corps for the first time. Opha May Johnson was the first woman to enlist.

Aug. 13, 1918 - Five days after an Allied attack at Amiens, France, led German commander Erich Ludendorff to declare “the black day of the German army,” Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany summons his principal political and military leaders to a crown council at Spa, a resort town in Belgium, to assess the status of the German war effort during World War I.

Aug. 13, 1919 – Noah Dallas Peacock (Lewis Lavon Peacock’s older brother) passed away on this day at the age of 80. According to family, he died from blood poisoning in his leg, where he’d been wounded in the Civil War more than 50 years before. He is buried in Pilgrims Rest Baptist Church in Baker, Okaloosa County, Fla. Born in Dallas County, Ala. on Sept. 14, 1838, he served in Co. F of the 15^th Alabama Infantry and fought at the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Battle of Suffolk, the Battle of Gettysburg, the Battle of Chickamauga, the Battle of Lookout Mountain and was captured by Union forces after getting shot in the left leg during an engagement at Knoxville.

Aug. 13, 1928 - WRNY in Coytesville, N.J. became the first standard radio station to transmit a television image.

Aug. 13, 1930 – Major League Baseball pitcher Wilmer Mizell was born in Vinegar Bend in Washington County, Ala. He would go on to play for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Mets. He would later serve three terms as a Republican U.S. congressman from North Carolina between 1969 and 1975.

Aug. 13, 1931 – Dr. Michael Shadid established the first cooperatively owned and operated hospital in the United States in Elk City, Okla.

Aug. 13, 1931 – In what was perhaps his finest baseball moment, Camden native Tom “Sut” Jenkins hit a rare pinch-hit home run for the St. Louis Browns that drove in three runs in a 9-6 home win over his former team, the Boston Red Sox.

Aug. 13, 1931 – The Evergreen Courant reported, under the headline “Entries In Terrapin Derby Come From Far Near,” that interest in the International Terrapin Derby to be held in Evergreen on Sept. 5 continued to grow with entries coming from all sections of the United States and from foreign countries. Five states and one foreign country were represented at that point, with registrations only just begun. Lion L.J. Kelly, chairman of registrations, stated that he was receiving entries with each day’s mail from persons away from Evergreen. The registrations committee had centered its efforts so far in securing entries from persons elsewhere. Among the most notable to enter the derby up to that point was Congressman Lister Hill of Montgomery. Hill was a full-fledged entrant and was to be among the leading contenders for the first prize. He planned to send the name of his racer at a later date. Julian C. Hyer, President of Lions International of Ft. Forth, Texas, was one of the most enthusiastic entrants yet heard from. Another entry from Lions International was that of Harry A. Hill, Assistant Secretary, of Chicago, Ill. Among other entrants up to that point were: S.R. Butler, State Tax Commissioner. He named his terrapin “Spot,” Montgomery Lions Club had entered “Bull Lion,” P.O. Herbert, Mgr. Eureka Fire Hose Co., Atlanta, Ga., entered “Lindy.” He says, “Name the turtle after the celebrated Lindbergh, calling him ‘Lindy’ for short and a long race.” W.S. Hewlett, director Lions International, Bridgeport, Conn, entered “Shellback.” The Mobile Lions Club was sponsoring an entrant about which there was much speculation and doubt. Most other entrants were leaving the matter of selecting the terrapin to the local committee. The Mobile Club stated that it had its own racer and that he was being groomed for the race. Reports from there said that a large delegation of Lions from that city planned to be in Evergreen on the day of the race to witness the event and to pull for their entrant. Many other Lions Clubs in the state were expected to make entries before the time for closing. It was confidently predicted that more than 100 entries would be made that year. The fee for registering an entrant was $2. If one expected the committee to furnish a terrapin, 25 cents was to be added to cover this cost. Fifty percent of the entrance fees were to be divided among the four winners as follows: first, 25 percent; second, 15 percent; third and fourth, five percent each. The other 50 percent was to go to the Boy Scouts.

Aug. 13, 1931 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Cap Edson and son, Hubert, were lodged in the Conecuh County jail charged with the murder of Jim Merritt, brother-in-law of Edson, the killing having occurred in the vicinity of Grange Bridge on Pigeon Creek shortly after 12 o’clock on Tues., Aug. 11. According to reports, the difficulty arose over the shooting of some cows, Edson having accused Merritt of doing the shooting. The trouble had been brewing for about a week it seems. Merritt and another brother-in-law, Andrew Terry, were returning from Red Level when the trouble ended in the fatal killing. Merritt were cut twice, once in the breast, the gash severing a rib and entering the heart, the other on the arm. He died almost instantly it was said.

Aug. 13, 1932 - Adolf Hitler refused to take the post of vice-chancellor of Germany. He said he was going to hold out "for all or nothing."

Aug. 13, 1939 – Early on this Sunday morning, heavy rains that accompanied a “gale” that struck Monroe County, Ala. did heavy damage to cotton, corn and other crops over a wide area. Roads were also widely damaged in Monroe and surrounding counties.

Aug. 13, 1940 – On this Tuesday night around 9 p.m., a fire was discovered inside the J.F. Lathram Store, which was located between the Monroeville Bus Station and the Lee Motor Co. building. Monroeville firefighters kept the fire from spreading to other buildings, but the interior of the store was completely destroyed.

Aug. 13, 1942 – Walt Disney's fifth full-length animated film, Bambi, was released to theaters.

Aug. 13, 1946 - H.G. Wells, often called 'the Father of Science-Fiction,' passed away at the age of 79 in Regent's Park, London, England.

Aug. 13, 1950 - A fire on this Sunday afternoon partially damaged Thompson’s Dogwood mill in Monroeville but officials of the firm said operations would resume by Tues., Aug. 22. Firemen were called to the blaze about 1 p.m. and soon checked the conflagration. B.F. Thompson, manager of the mill, was out of town at the time.

Aug. 13, 1951 – One of the large transformers at the substation two miles east of Evergreen, Ala. caught fire early on this Monday morning and plunged the entire city into darkness. The lack of power disabled the city’s fire siren, so firefighters had to be notified by phone and word of mouth. According to Supt. of Lights F.W. Wright, the transformer had been completely repaired and everything was back to normal by Tuesday morning.

Aug. 13, 1961 - A barbed-wire barrier was strung between East and West Berlin. Within days, workers cemented the concrete blocks that became the Berlin Wall.  East Germany closed the border between the eastern and western sectors of Berlin to thwart its inhabitants' attempts to escape to the West.

Aug. 13, 1961 – Novelist Tom Perrotta was born in Garwood, N.J.

Aug. 13, 1964 – Evergreen High School basketball player Ronnie Jackson, 17, was scheduled to play in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s A-AA All Star Basketball Game at the University of Alabama. The 6-foot-3, 165-pound Jackson, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Orman Jackson of Evergreen, Ala. was selected as a member of the South A-AA All Star team in July 1964. He played guard and forward.

Aug. 13, 1966 - Prince Norodom Sihanouk, ruler of neutral Cambodia, criticized the United States about the attack on Thlock Track, a Cambodian village close to the South Vietnamese border.

Aug. 13, 1972 - Communist sappers (demolitions specialists) attacked the ammo dump at Long Binh, destroying thousands of tons of ammunition.

Aug. 13, 1972 - Ex-U.S. Army Captain J. E. Engstrom said that a military report he helped prepare in 1971, estimating that 25 percent of the lower-ranking enlisted men in Vietnam were addicted to heroin, was suppressed and replaced by a “watered-down” version considered more acceptable to the U.S. command.

Aug. 13, 1976 - The Greensboro Historic District in Hale County, Ala. was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This historic district is centered on Main Street and runs from Hobson Street on the western side of the city to 1st Street on the eastern side. It features examples of Federal, Greek Revival and regional vernacular architecture.

Aug. 13, 1976 – NBA point guard Geno Carlisle was born in Grand Rapids, Mich. He went on to play for Northwestern, Cal and the Portland Trail Blazers.

Aug. 13, 1979 - Lou Brock of the St. Louis Cardinals got his 3,000th career hit.

Aug. 13, 1982 - Alabama author Lonnie Coleman died in Savannah, Ga.

Aug. 13, 1986 - United States Football League standout Herschel Walker signed to play with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League.

Aug. 13, 1990 - Iraq transferred $3-4 billion in bullion, currency and other goods seized from Kuwait to Baghdad.

Aug. 13, 1995 – National Baseball Hall of Fame center fielder Mickey Mantle died of liver cancer at the age of 63 just after 2 a.m. at the Baylor University Cancer Center in Dallas, Texas. He played his entire career for the New York Yankees. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974.

Aug. 13, 1997 - Comedy Central aired the first episode of "South Park."

Aug. 13, 2007 – National Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Phil Rizzuto passed away at the age of 89 in West Orange, New Jersey. He played his entire career for the New York Yankees. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.

Aug. 13, 2015 – At least 76 people were killed and 212 others were wounded in a truck bombing in Baghdad, Iraq.