Monday, May 28, 2018

Today in History for May 28, 2018

The Alabama Masonic Home in Montgomery, Alabama.

May 28, 585 BC - A solar eclipse in Asia Minor occurred, leading to a battle truce, and historical astronomy has set May 28th, 585 BC as the likely day for this event. This became a cardinal point from which other dates in ancient history have been calculated.


May 28, 1754 – In the first engagement of the French and Indian War, Virginia militia under 22-year-old Lieutenant colonel George Washington defeated a French reconnaissance party and Indian scouts in the Battle of Jumonville Glen in what is now Fayette County in southwestern Pennsylvania.

May 28, 1828 – A United States arsenal was established at Mt. Vernon, Ala., near the juncture of the Tombigbee and Alabama Rivers. It had previously been the headquarters for General Claiborne in the Creek War of 1813-1814. In 1873, the Arsenal was converted into a barracks, which from 1887 to 1894 housed Apache Indian prisoners, including Geronimo. In 1895 the land was conveyed to the State of Alabama and became the site of the Mt. Vernon Hospital.

May 28, 1830 – U.S. President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act which relocated Native Americans. The policy primarily affected five tribes: the Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, and Seminole nations of the southeastern United States.

May 28, 1832 – Confederate officer William Hugh Means King was born in Madison in Morgan County, Ga. He would go on to serve as captain of Co. H of the 5th Georgia Regiment and organized a company of infantry called the Hardee Rifles in Georgia. The unit mustered in at Pensacola, Fla. on May 12, 1861, and King was cited for gallantry at Santa Rosa Island, Fla. He was promoted to major and served as brigade adjutant for Gen. R.H. Anderson, Brigadier General Kirby Smith and General Braxton Bragg. He was ordered to collect scattered cavalry troops and report to Gen. Joseph Wheeler, where he served until the end of the war. King was a graduate of State University of Georgia in Athens and was a lawyer, Mayor of Evergreen and served as principal of the Evergreen Academy. He passed away in Evergreen at the age of 82 on June 3, 1914 (some sources say June 5) and he was buried in the Old Evergreen Cemetery.

May 28, 1861 – During the Civil War, Robert Anderson assumed command of the Department of Kentucky. Irvin McDowell assumed command of the Department of Northeastern Virginia. Confederates seized the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from Point of Rocks to Cumberland Maryland.

May 28, 1862 - Since long before the Revolutionary War, it had been the tradition in British naval service to issue sailors a ration of a pint of rum per day at sea. This tradition had carried over to American sailors. Not willing to leave a good thing alone, Asst. Navy Sec. Fox wrote on this day to a senator, “I beg you for the enduring good of the service, to abolish the spirit ration and forbid any distilled liquors being placed on board any vessel belonging to the United States, excepting of course the Medical Department. All insubordination, all misery, every deviltry on board ships can be traced to rum.” The forces of enforced temperance would eventually prevail.

May 28, 1863 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at Florence, Ala.

May 28, 1863 - The 54th Massachusetts Infantry, the Army’s first black regiment, left Boston for combat in the South when they marched onto a steamer and set sail for Port Royal, South Carolina. The unit saw action right away, taking part in a raid into Georgia and withstanding a Confederate attack near Charleston, South Carolina. The story the 54th Massachusetts was immortalized in the critically acclaimed 1990 movie Glory, starring Mathew Broderick, Denzell Washington, and Morgan Freeman.

May 28, 1863 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought near Fort Gibson in the Indian Territory.

May 28, 1863 – During the Civil War, the siege of Vicksburg, Miss. entered its tenth day.

May 28, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Jones's Farm, Totopotomoy River, Crump's Creek and Haw's Chop in Virginia.

May 28, 1865 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at Sweetwater Station, Wyoming.

May 28, 1878 – French sinologist and explorer Paul Pelliot was born in Paris, France. He is best known for his explorations of Central Asia and his discovery of many important Chinese texts among the Dunhuang manuscripts.

May 28, 1878 – The Monroe Journal reported, under the headline “FINAL SETTLEMENT,” that Maj. Joseph F. Boyles, “our old tax collector, was the first tax collector in the state, again, as usual, to make a final settlement with the state for the county. Old Monroe stands first on the list of honest tax-paying counties in the state at Montgomery, and to untiring energy of our tax collector, is much credit due for this fact.”

May 28, 1878 – The Monroe Journal reported that the medical society of Monroe County recently elected the following officers: J.M. Lindsey, President; S.S. Gaillard, vice president; F.S. Dailey, treasurer; J.T. Packer, secretary; and J.T. Russell, chairman. W.W. Boroughs and S.S. Gaillard, compose the board of censors.

May 28, 1878 – The Monroe Journal reported that Dr. J.M. Wiggins, who lived at Midway, paid Monroeville and his old friends a visit a few days before.


May 28, 1878 – The Monroe Journal reported, in news from Perdue Hill, that the “new saloon on the Hill is handsomely fixed up, and looks neat, cozy and enticing. The liquors and cigars are the best brands, the wines are the best the market affords, and the best of beer is always kept on tap.”

May 28, 1878 – The Monroe Journal reported that E.H. Bixler and Walter Forwood “took their fine trotters – Billie and Sidney – to the Mobile Fair, the latter of which acquitted himself with great credit and did the prettiest trotting on the track, and but for unfriendly jockeying, would have been winner of several races. Mr. Bixler’s horse became excited and unmanageable, though a very fast trotter.”

May 28, 1885 – Major C.L. Scott of Monroeville and his private secretary, Col. B.L. Hibbard, were to set sail from New York for Caracas on this day. Earlier in the month, U.S. President Grover Cleveland appointed Scott to be U.S. Minister to Venezuela.

May 28, 1887 - Olympic athlete, baseball and basketball player Jim Thorpe was born in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma.

May 28, 1892 – In San Francisco, John Muir organized the Sierra Club.

May 28, 1892 – German SS general Sepp Dietrich was born in Hawangen, Bavaria, German Empire.

May 28, 1896 – The Monroe Journal reported that A.T. Sowell had accepted a position as salesman for the Bear Creek Mill Co.

May 28, 1896 – The Monroe Journal reported that J.S. Lambert of Mount Pleasant was in Atlanta, Ga., being treated by the doctors of the National Surgical Institute.

May 28, 1896 – The Monroe Journal reported, in news from the Manistee community, that the Bear Creek Mill was running regular after some repairs.

May 28, 1897 – The Evergreen Courant reported that a few days before, “one of our local fishermen caught with an ordinary trout hook in Murder Creek a gar fish 41 inches long.”

May 28, 1902 - Owen Wister’s “The Virginian” was published by Macmillan Press. It was the first “serious” Western and one of the most influential in the genre.

May 28, 1907 - Journalist Eddy Gilmore was born in Selma, Ala.

May 28, 1908 - Author, journalist and “James Bond” creator Ian Fleming was born in London.

May 28, 1909 – The Conecuh Record reported that 1.5 inches of rain fell in Evergreen, Ala. and about four inches fell on the following day.

May 28, 1913 – Poet May Swenson was born in Logan, Utah.

May 28, 1913 - The second annual commencement of the Monroe County High School concluded on this Wednesday evening with the baccalaureate address by Hon. John McDuffie and the award of the Coxwell medal in the oratorical contest. The medal was awarded to Mr. Riffie Simmons. “A pleasant incident connected with the delivery of a diploma to Miss May Belle Broughton, the first to complete the high school course, was the presentation of a beautiful gold watch as a memento from citizens of Monroeville and friends of the school,” according to The Monroe Journal. The presentation speech was delivered by Judge W.G. McCorvey. Prof. G.A. Harris was announced as the principal of the high school for the ensuring year with Miss Mamie Borough and Miss Adele Kirk as assistants.

May 28, 1916 – Novelist Walker Percy was born in Birmingham, and he is best known for his 1961 novel, “The Moviegoer.”

May 28, 1916 – As part of the closing exercises of the Second District Agricultural School in Evergreen, Dr. J.A. Hendrix of Howard College preached the baccalaureate sermon at the Baptist church on this Sunday morning to “an appreciative congregation.”

May 28, 1917 - Commencement exercises of the Moore Academy were held at Pine Apple on this Monday night. The graduating class, consisting of Misses Lila Davidson, Julietta Norred, Nellie McCrory and Adele Haskew, rendered their essays in a creditable way, according to The Wilcox Progressive Era. John H. Wallace Jr. delivered the graduating address and was introduced by J.R. Melton. The diplomas were delivered to the graduates by J.T. Adams, mayor of the city. At the conclusion of the exercises, C.H. Newsom, principal of the school, delivered a prize offered by Miss Julia Barge for punctuality in the fifth, sixth and seventh grades, which was won by William Stasford Jr. Professor Newsom was re-elected for the term 1917-1918.

May 28, 1918 - In the first sustained American offensive of World War I, an Allied force including a full brigade of nearly 4,000 United States soldiers captured the village of Cantigny, on the Somme River in France, from their German enemy.

May 28, 1922 - Alabama author John Allan Wyeth died in New York, N.Y.

May 28, 1924 – The Evergreen Courant reported, under the headline “CELEBRATION OF ST. JOHN’S DAY: Masonic Lodges of Conecuh County to Come to Evergreen on June 24th in Annual Convocation,” that the citizens of Evergreen were cooperating in every way with the local Masonic bodies to make Tues., the 24th day of June, a red-letter day in the history and life of this section of Alabama. “All differences are obliterated and our people are of one mind and purpose to make the day the success that the occasion deserves. As stated in the columns of The Courant heretofore, every Masonic lodge of Conecuh County has been invited to come to Evergreen on that day and bring their officers who have been elected for the ensuing year to be publicly installed and the Masons of the county are to be guests of the citizens of Evergreen and immediate communities who will serve a basket picnic. The ladies of Evergreen and communities will prepare and send or bring these baskets, and it is safe to say that this part of the program will be in full keeping with the meaning which is that each family contribute liberally to a common table. The large auditorium of the new city school has been secured in which to hold the installation services which will be in charge of Lawrence H. Lee and Gen. H. Thigpen of Montgomery, who will also deliver an address each on the fundamental principles of this ancient and honorable fraternity. The brass band composed of the boys from the Alabama Masonic Home have been secured, and it is planned that all stores and offices of Evergreen be closed and business generally suspended in order that everybody may join in the celebration.”

May 28, 1929 – Conecuh County High School in Castleberry, Ala. was scheduled to hold graduation exercises and the commencement address was to be delivered by Dr. E.C. Moore, president of the Downing-Shofner Institute of Brewton. Also that night, CCHS principal G.M. Veazey was to deliver diplomas to 13 seniors. Members of the senior class included Anna Ree Brandon, Harvey Beard, Jessie Mae Ellis, Emma Lee Holland, Earle Howington, Ralph Howington, Lottie Lynch, Allene Miniard, Charles Price, Mary Ester Stapleton, Lillie Belle Stone, Hazel Clair Riley and Ercie Ward.

May 28, 1935 - John Steinbeck’s first successful novel, “Tortilla Flat,” was first published.

May 28, 1937 – The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California, was officially opened by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in Washington, D.C., who pushed a button to signal the start of vehicle traffic over the span.

May 28, 1940 – During World War II, Belgium surrendered to Nazi Germany to end the Battle of Belgium.

May 28, 1941 - The first night baseball game in Washington, D.C. took place. The Yankees beat the Senators, 6-5, at Griffith Stadium.

May 28, 1942 – During World War II, in retaliation for the assassination attempt on Reinhard Heydrich, Nazis in Czechoslovakia killed over 1,800 people.

May 28, 1945 – The USS Eldridge departed New York City for service in the Pacific. En route to Saipan in July, it made contact with an underwater object and immediately attacked, but no results were observed.

May 28, 1946 - The first night game in the original Yankee Stadium took place. The Senators beat the Yankees, 2-1.

May 28, 1948 - Graduation exercises at Conecuh County Training School were scheduled to be held in the school auditorium on this Friday at 8 p.m. Dr. Robert C. Hatch, Supervisor of Instruction of the Division of Negro Education, State Department of Education, Montgomery, Ala., was to deliver the commencement address. Fifty-three students were scheduled to receive diplomas.

May 28, 1948 – Evergreen High School’s graduation exercises were scheduled to be held in the high school auditorium on this Friday night at 8 p.m. Rev. A.A. Staples was to deliver the commencement address.

May 28, 1950 – On this Sunday afternoon, the Evergreen Greenies of the Dixie Amateur League were scheduled to play Bay Minette in Evergreen.

May 28, 1951 - Batting for the New York Giants against the Boston Braves, Alabama native Willie Mays got his first hit in the Major Leagues--a home run. Born near Birmingham, the "Say Hey Kid" went on to be named National League Rookie of the Year and hit 660 homers in a legendary Hall of Fame career.

May 28, 1956 - Dale Long became the first player to hit home runs in eight consecutive games.

May 28, 1957 - National League club owners voted to allow the Brooklyn Dodgers to move to Los Angeles and that the New York Giants could move to San Francisco.

May 28, 1959 – Lyeffion High School’s graduation ceremony was scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. in Lyeffion, Ala. Dr. L.Y. Trapp of Troy State Teachers College was to deliver the graduation address, and Principal J.O. Yawn was to pass out diplomas to 28 graduates. Carolyn Brown was the valedictorian, and Betty Jane Riley was the salutatorian.

May 28, 1959 - Two monkeys, Able and Baker, became the first living creatures to survive a space flight. Their voyage reached speeds of 10,000 mph and lasted 15 minutes. Miss Baker, a squirrel monkey, and Miss Able, a rhesus monkey, took a historic flight into space aboard a Jupiter rocket. It was the first NASA mission in which living mammals returned alive following a flight in space. Following her trip to space, Miss Baker became an attraction at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, where she lived for 25 years. She died in 1984 of kidney failure. (Miss Able died a few days after the flight, during a medical procedure to remove an electrode.) Miss Baker was inducted into the Alabama Animal Hall of Fame in 2005.

May 28, 1965 – Evergreen High School was scheduled to hold graduation exercises on this Friday night in Memorial Gymnasium at 8 p.m. Kay Holman was the valedictorian, and Nancy Nix was the salutatorian. Sixty-five students were expected to receive diplomas.

May 28, 1965 – Conecuh County High School in Castleberry, Ala. was scheduled to hold graduation exercises on this Friday night at 8 p.m. Donald Sawyer was the valedictorian, and Jimmy Oliver was the salutatorian. Twenty-nine seniors were expected to receive diplomas.

May 28, 1968 – Atomic submarine USS Scorpion, with a crew of 99, failed to return to its homeport in Norfolk, Va., seven days after sending its last routine message 250 miles west of the Azores. Presumed lost on June 5, a naval oceanographic research ship several months later would find its wreckage at more than 10,000 feet on the edge of the Sargasso Sea. The reason for its sinking remains undetermined.

May 28, 1969 – Army Cpl. Clarence Taylor, 25, of Greenville, Ala. was killed in action in Vietnam while serving in the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Taylor was featured in the June 27, 1969 edition of LIFE magazine in a cover story titled “The Faces of the American Dead in Vietnam: One Week’s Toll.” Born on Feb. 6, 1944 in Greenville, he is buried in the Sweet Home AME Zion Church Cemetery in Butler County. (Some sources give his rank as Private First Class.)

May 28, 1969 – During the Vietnam War, U.S. troops abandoned Ap Bia Mountain.

May 28, 1974 – John Drew of Beatrice, Ala. was drafted in the second round of the NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks.

May 28, 1988 – Major League Baseball relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel was born in Huntsville, Ala. During his career, he has played for the Atlanta Braves, the San Diego Padres and the Boston Red Sox.

May 28, 1993 – English amputee and sprint runner Jonathan “Jonnie” Peacock was born in Cambridge, England. An amputee and sprint runner, he won gold at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, representing Great Britain in the T44 men's 100 metres event.

May 28, 1995 - The White Sox and the Tigers combined for 12 home runs at Tiger Stadium.

May 28, 1998 - The Monroe County Health Department was scheduled to hold a ribbon cutting ceremony at its new offices on Agricultural Drive in Monroeville at 2 p.m. on this Thursday. After the ribbon cutting, the Health Department planned to hold an open house. The public was invited to tour the department’s new offices between 3 and 4 p.m. that day.

May 28, 2002 – The last steel girder was removed from the original World Trade Center site. Cleanup duties officially end with closing ceremonies at Ground Zero in Manhattan, New York City.

May 28, 2004 – The Iraqi Governing Council chose Ayad Allawi, a longtime anti-Saddam Hussein exile, as prime minister of Iraq's interim government.

May 28, 2006 - Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hit his 715th career home run, allowing Bonds to pass Babe Ruth on the all time list into second place.

May 28, 2012 – The Conecuh County Veterans Monument was officially dedicated during special ceremony attended by over 100 people.

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