Today in History for Jan. 27, 2016

Donald W. Evans Jr.

Jan. 27, 1302 – Italian poet Dante Alighieri was exiled from Florence for his political sympathies.

Jan. 27, 1593 - The Vatican opened their seven-year trial against scholar Giordano Bruno, accused among other things, of believing in the existence of a plurality of worlds.

Jan. 27, 1596 – English captain and explorer Francis Drake died at the age of 55 at Portobelo, Colon, Panama.

Jan. 27, 1606 – In connection with the famous “Gunpowder Plot,” the trial of Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators began, ending with their execution on Jan. 31.

Jan. 27, 1756 – World famous musician (and prominent Freemason) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria.

Jan. 27, 1776 – During the American Revolutionary War, Henry Knox's "noble train of artillery" arrived in Cambridge, Mass.

Jan. 27, 1785 - The Georgia General Assembly incorporated the University of Georgia, the first state-funded institution of higher learning in the new republic.

Jan. 27, 1814 – During the Creek War, Capt. Samuel Butts was killed at the Battle of Calebee Creek in Macon County, Ala., 50 miles west of Fort Mitchell. Buttsville, Ala. (present day Greenville) was later named in his honor.

Jan. 27, 1825 – The U.S. Congress approved the “Indian Territory” (in what is present-day Oklahoma), clearing the way for forced relocation of the Eastern Indians on the "Trail of Tears".

Jan. 27, 1826 – Confederate Lt. General Richard Taylor was born in Springfield, Ky.

Jan. 27, 1832 – English author Lewis Carroll was born in Daresbury, Cheshire, England. His most famous writings are “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland” and its sequel “Through the Looking-Glass.”

Jan. 27, 1834 – Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev, who created the Periodic Table of Elements, was born in Tobolsk, Siberia.

Jan. 27, 1840 - The Alabama legislature passed a joint resolution accepting the disputed boundary line with Georgia. In recognizing the line marked by a Georgia commission in 1826, the legislature stated that “a fixed and known line between this State and Georgia, is of far higher consequence to us, than the acquisition of an inconsiderable portion of territory.”

Jan. 27, 1862 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issued General War Order No. 1, which ordered all Union land and sea forces to advance on Feb. 22, 1862. This bold move sent a message to his commanders that the president was tired of excuses and delays in seizing the offensive against Confederate forces.

Jan. 27, 1863 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Bloomfield, Mo.; Germantown, Tenn.; and in the vicinity of Suffolk, Va. Five Federal naval vessels attacked Ft. McAllister, at Genesis Point, on the Ogeechee River, south of Savannah, Ga. A two-day Federal reconnaissance took place along the Neuse, Dover, and Trent Roads, N.C.

Jan. 27, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought on the Cumberland River at Lebanon, Ky.; at Kelley’s Ford and McNutt’s Bridge, in the vicinity of Dandridge, Tenn. and along the Strawberry Plains Road, near Knoxville, Tenn.; and at Thoroughfare Mountain, Va. A 12-day Federal operation took place in Hampshire and Hardy Counties, West Virginia.

Jan. 27, 1865 – During the Civil War, a skirmish occurred at Elrod's Tan Yard in De Kalb County, Ala. and a skirmish was also fought at Ennis Cross Roads, S.C. A Federal operation also took place between Fort Pinney about the Federal gunboat, Number 28, to Kimball’s Plantation, Ark. Federals also refloated the Confederate torpedo Boat, Scorpion, on the James River below Richmond, Va.

Jan. 27, 1865 - General Robert E. Lee wrote a letter to Richmond. In it he pointed out that absenteeism, and frequently outright desertion, from his Army of Northern Virginia was reaching critical proportions. While it was hardly unknown on either side for men to go absent with or without leave to deal with family emergencies, the problem now was that they were neglecting to come back. Lee stated “the ration is too small for men who have to undergo so much exposure and labor as ours,” and suggested the Commissary Department be encouraged to provide more and better food.

Jan. 27, 1888 - The National Geographic Society was founded in Washington, D.C. for "the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge." Nine months after its inception, the Society published its first issue of National Geographic magazine.

Jan. 27, 1901 – Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Rooney was born in Coulterville, Pa.

Jan. 27, 1905 – O.L. Peckham, a truck farmer who had moved to Evergreen, Ala. from Missouri, was found dead shortly after noon near where he was building a home in front of D.G. Rutland’s house in Evergreen. Rutland discovered Peckham’s body leaning against a tree and moved the body to his house. The ensuing investigation revealed that Peckham had apparently committed suicide by drinking carbolic acid, which he’d purchased from an Evergreen drug store on Jan. 21. Investigators found the empty bottle and a dipper by Peckham’s side. He was buried in the Evergreen Cemetery on Jan. 28 at 10 a.m.

Jan. 27, 1915 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Prof. C.C. Smith of Healing Springs had been elected superintendent of the Orphans Home in Evergreen, Ala., succeeding M.C. Reynolds, who had resigned to move to Birmingham. Smith was expected to reach Evergreen the following week with his family.

Jan. 27, 1915 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Charles Savage Jr. was “painfully injured several days ago by being caught in some part of the machinery at the oil mill.”

Jan. 27, 1916 – The Conecuh Record reported that the tax assessor’s books showed a “multiplicity of dogs” in Conecuh County, Ala.

Jan. 27, 1916 – The Conecuh Record reported that Emmitt Lee Stallworth, the son of Dr. Stallworth, had been chosen to represent the Evergreen Baptist Church at the Sunday School Convention in Selma, Ala. The Evegreen Methodist Church was to be represented at the convention by Bryan Northcutt, the son of W.B. Northcutt.

Jan. 27, 1916 – The Monroe Journal reported that Walter S. Harper, a “gifted member of the staff of” The Montgomery Advertiser, had spent several days in Monroe County, Ala. that week, “visiting various towns and communities in the collection of data for the adequate representation of Monroe County’s resources in the forthcoming ‘All-Alabama’ edition of The Advertiser.”

Jan. 27, 1916 – The Monroe Journal reported that railroad contractor J.T. McCarthy was in Monroeville, Ala. for a few days that week. McCarthy “will probably keep his construction outfit in the county until the work of putting the Deep Water road bed in apple pie shape for regular train service is completed.”

Jan. 27, 1920 – R.R. Elder, a well known resident of the Flat Rock, Ala. community, passed away.

Jan. 27, 1927 - United Independent Broadcasters Inc. started a radio network with contracts with 16 stations. The company later became Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS).

Jan. 27, 1944 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Staff Sgt. Meldon R. Holland, 26, of Castleberry, Ala. had been awarded the Purple Heart. Holland, a mechanic, was injured by shrapnel in the spring of 1943 during a Japanese bombing raid in New Guinea.

Jan. 27, 1945 – During World War II, the Red Army liberated the remaining inmates of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp built by the Nazi Germans on the territory of Poland.

Jan. 27, 1949 – Evergreen, Ala. Postmaster Mary Cunningham announced that the Evergreen Post Office would be painted inside and out in the “very near future.” The Evergreen Post Office was one of the few in the state to be approved for this type of work.

Jan. 27, 1950 – Evergreen High School’s boys basketball beat Pleasant Home, 53-22. John Greel Ralls led Evergreen with 19 points.

Jan. 27, 1958 - Little Richard entered Oakwood College in Huntsville, Ala. This was after he announced that he was giving up Rock & Roll so he could serve God.

Jan. 27, 1959 – Members of the Dyatlov expedition departed Vizhai, the last inhabited settlement so far north, on their way to Otorten, a mountain 6.2 miles north of the site of the Dyatlov incident.

Jan. 27, 1959 – NFL wide receiver Cris Collinsworth was born in Dayton, Ohio. He played college ball at Florida and his entire NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Jan. 27, 1964 – Evergreen High School’s varsity boys basketball team beat Frisco City, 63-62, at Memorial Gym in Evergreen, Ala. Sid Lambert led Evergreen with 18 points, and Joe Sasser scored 15.

Jan. 27, 1967 - Paige Cothren became the first player to sign with the New Orleans Saints.

Jan. 27, 1967 - Specialist Four Donald W. Evans, a 23-year-old medic from Covina, California, was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor for action on this day in the Kontum Province. Evans’ platoon had not yet been committed to the battle near the hamlet of Tri Tam when firing broke out in an adjacent unit. Without hesitation, Evans charged forward through 100 yards of open ground to reach six wounded soldiers. With total disregard for his own safety, he moved among the soldiers, treating the men and carrying two of the more seriously wounded back to his platoon. Grenade fragments hit Evans, but he ignored his wounds to rejoin his unit as it entered the battle. Twice more he carried the wounded out of the line of fire. He was running toward another man when he was killed by enemy fire. His devotion to duty and uncommon valor won him the nation’s highest award for bravery.

Jan. 27, 1968 – The Minerve, a French submarine, disappeared in the Mediterranean, never to be found.

Jan. 27, 1973 - The United States, South Vietnam, Viet Cong and North Vietnam formally signed “An Agreement Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam” in Paris. Due to South Vietnam’s unwillingness to recognize the Viet Cong’s Provisional Revolutionary Government, all references to it were confined to a two-party version of the document signed by North Vietnam and the United States—the South Vietnamese were presented with a separate document that did not make reference to the Viet Cong government. This was part of Saigon’s long-time refusal to recognize the Viet Cong as a legitimate participant in the discussions to end the war. The settlement included a cease-fire throughout Vietnam. It addition, the United States agreed to the withdrawal of all U.S. troops and advisors (totalling about 23,700) and the dismantling of all U.S. bases within 60 days. In return, the North Vietnamese agreed to release all U.S. and other prisoners of war. Both sides agreed to the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Laos and Cambodia and the prohibition of bases in and troop movements through these countries. It was agreed that the DMZ at the 17th Parallel would remain a provisional dividing line, with eventual reunification of the country “through peaceful means.” An international control commission would be established made up of Canadians, Hungarians, Poles, and Indonesians, with 1,160 inspectors to supervise the agreement. According to the agreement, South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu would continue in office pending elections. Agreeing to “the South Vietnamese People’s right to self-determination,” the North Vietnamese said they would not initiate military movement across the DMZ and that there would be no use of force to reunify the country.

Jan. 27, 1973 - The last U.S. serviceman to die in combat in Vietnam, Lt. Col. William B. Nolde, was killed by an artillery shell at An Loc, 60 miles northwest of Saigon, only 11 hours before the truce went into effect.

Jan. 27, 1976 – Actor and writer Clint Ford was born in Fort Worth, Texas.

Jan. 27, 1990 – Roy Lee Moorer, 99, of Evergreen, Ala. passed away. He pitched for the University of Alabama in 1911-1912 and played professional baseball in Evansville and for the Birmingham Barons.

Jan. 27, 1991 - Whitney Houston sang the "Star Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV.

Jan. 27, 1994 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the Conecuh County (Ala.) Commission had approved the recommendation of the Conecuh County Emergency Medical Services, Inc., and had chosen City Ambulance, Inc. as the contract holder for Conecuh County.

Jan. 27-28, 1994 – Hillcrest High School hosted the annual Hillcrest Invitational Basketball Tournament in Evergreen, Ala. The tournament featured Hillcrest, Excel and T.R. Miller.

Jan. 27, 2001 – According to this day’s edition of the Agence France Presse, an airport in southern Siberia was closed down for 90 minutes when a UFO hovered above its runway, preventing conventional aircraft from flying. The crew of an I1-76 cargo aircraft refused too take off when they sighted a large glowing object hovering above the runway of Siberia’s Barnaul airport, and the crew of another cargo plane refused to land when they spotted the same luminescent UFO above the runway, choosing to take their jet to another airport. After the mysterious object had performed whatever unknown mission constituted its unknown agenda, it left the airport and disappeared.

Jan. 27, 2002 - Stephen King's three-part, six-hour miniseries "Rose Red" began airing on ABC-TV.

Jan. 27, 2003 – The first selections for the National Recording Registry were announced by the Library of Congress.

Jan. 27, 2010 – Author J.D. Salinger passed away at his home in New Hampshire at the age of 91.

Jan. 27, 2015 – Around 6 p.m. in Birmingham in Jefferson County, Ala., a UFO witness was driving home from the grocery store when he saw an “object hovering in the distance, blinking and changing colors.” He pulled over and attempted to film the object without success.