Today in History for April 12, 2015

General Pierre G.T. Beauregard

April 12, 1606 - England adopted the original Union Jack as its flag.

April 12, 1633 – Galileo Galilei was put on trial by the Inquisition for supporting the theory that the Earth revolves around the sun.

April 12, 1770 - The British government repealed most of the clauses of the Townshend Act. The act placed import taxes on many of the British products bought by Americans, including lead, paper, paint, glass and tea.

April 12, 1771 – In Lovecraftian fiction, a party of raiders led by a secret committee of Providence, Rhode Island’s most powerful men marched on the Pawtuxet farm of Joseph Curwen, a wealthy trader and sorcerer. What exactly happened during the raid is unclear, but following this action, Curwen was seen no more.

April 12, 1776 – During the American Revolution, with the Halifax Resolves, the North Carolina Provincial Congress authorized its Congressional delegation to vote for independence from Britain. In other words, North Carolina became the first state to vote in favor of independence from Britain.

April 12, 1782 - In the Indian Ocean, the Battle of Providien between the British and French took place.

April 12, 1806 – Congress appropriated $6,400 to build 1,152-mile long post road from Georgia to Mobile, Ala.

April 12, 1839 – The first meeting was held after the organization of the board of trustees of the Evergreen Academy in Evergreen, Ala.

April 12, 1857 – Flaubert’s first novel, “Madame Bovary,” was published.

April 12, 1861 – The Civil War began when Confederate shore batteries under the command of General Pierre G.T. Beauregard opened fire at 4:30 a.m. on Union-held Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. Beauregard began firing based on orders telegraphed to him from Montgomery, Ala. Beauregard fired 4,000 shells from 50 cannons between April 12-14.

April 12, 1862 – During the Civil War, the Andrews Raid, which is also known as the “Great Locomotive Chase” occurred, starting from Big Shanty, Ga. (now Kennesaw).

April 12, 1864 - Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest's troops overwhelmed Fort Pillow and 580 Union troops on the Mississippi River. It was believed by many that the Union defenders were trying to surrender and were needlessly massacred. Fort Pillow is located in western Tennessee in Lauderdale County.

April 12, 1865 – During the Civil War, Mobile, Ala., the last major Confederate port city, fell to the Union Army.

April 12, 1877 - A catcher's mask was used in a baseball game for the first time by James Alexander Tyng.

April 12, 1880 – Pro Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Addie Joss was born in Woodland, Wisc. He would go on to play for the Cleveland Broncos/Naps. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1978.

April 12, 1887 - Alabama industrialist Henry DeBardeleben and his partners sold the first lots for the new city of Bessemer. Located 12 miles southwest of Birmingham and named after Henry Bessemer, the British inventor of the Bessemer steel process, the community was envisioned as a steelmaking center. Within a year Bessemer had a population of 3,500 and boasted a large industrial complex.

April 12, 1905 - Author Howard Weeden died in Huntsville, Ala.

April 12, 1916 – Children’s book author Beverly Cleary was born in McMinnville, Oregon. Her books include “Henry Higgins” (1950), “Ramona the Pest” (1968), “Ramona the Brave” (1975) and “Ramona Forever” (1984).

April 12, 1925 – In Lovecraftian fiction, rescuers found Gustaf Johansen, the only survivor of the Emma’s crew.

April 12, 1926 - Alabama author Amelie Rives's play “Love-in-a-Mist” opened on Broadway.

April 12, 1933 – Major League Baseball catcher Charlie Lau was born in Romulus, Mich. He would go on to play for the Detroit Tigers, the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, the Baltimore Orioles and the Kansas City Athletics.

April 12, 1934 – The strongest surface wind gust in the world at 231 mph, was measured on the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire.

April 12, 1934 – The “big store” at Buena Vista, Ala, which was built by J.J. “Jack” Finklea, burned down.

April 12, 1934 - F. Scott Fitzgerald novel "Tender Is the Night" was first published.

April 12, 1940 – Major League Baseball pitcher Woody Fryman was born in Ewing, Ky. He would go on to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Philadelphia Phillies, the Detroit Tigers, the Montreal Expos, the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs.

April 12, 1944 – Major League Baseball second baseman and shortstop Terry Harmon was born in Toldeo, Ohio. He would go on to play for the Philadelphia Phillies.

April 12, 1944 - Alabama author Lillian Hellman's play “The Searching Wind” opened on Broadway.

April 12, 1945 – U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt passed away at the age of 63 from a cerebral Hemorrhage at a resort in Warm Springs, Ga. Harry Truman was sworn in as president.

April 12, 1947 - Espionage and military thriller author Tom Clancy, whose books included “The Hunt for Red October” and “Patriot Games,” was born in Baltimore, Md.

April 12, 1951 – The Evergreen, Ala. Golf Club’s Sixth Annual Invitational Tournament was scheduled to be played.

April 12, 1960 – Around 11 a.m., Conecuh County Sheriff James “Shorty” Brock, Evergreen Police Chief Johnny Andrews, Deputy Sheriff Mancel Pearce and Highway Patrol Sgt. Tom Melton captured convicted murderer Russell Lee Harris, 32, formerly of Brewton, in front of Olen’s Department Store in downtown Evergreen, Ala. Harris was an escaped prisoner from the Georgia State Prison at Leesburg.

April 12, 1963 - Police used dogs and cattle prods on peaceful civil rights demonstrators in Birmingham, Ala.

April 12, 1966 - Emmett Ashford became the first African-American major league umpire.

April 12, 1981 - The New York Giants drafted University of North Carolina linebacker Lawrence Taylor as their first-round pick and the second selection overall in the NFL Draft. Taylor went on to revolutionize the linebacker position and revitalize the Giants football franchise.

April 12, 1981 – Boxing great Joe Louis, aka “The Brown Bomber,” a native of LaFayette, Ala., died of a heart attack at the age of 66 in Las Vegas.

April 12, 2002 - A first edition version of Beatrix Potter's "Peter Rabbit" sold for $64,780 at Sotheby's. A signed first edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" sold for $66,630. A copy of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," signed by J.K. Rowling sold for $16,660. A 250-piece collection of rare works by Charles Dickens sold for $512,650.

April 12, 2004 - The Philadelphia Phillies played their first game at Citizens Bank Park.

April 12, 2004 - Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hit his 660th home run to tie Willie Mays for third on baseball's career list.