November 19, 1827

1827 Newspaper writer, civil engineer, and soldier Isaac M. St. John was born in Augusta, Ga. With the outbreak of the Civil War, he joined the Fort Hill Guards as a private. In 1862, he served as Magruder’s chief engineer and rose to the rank of captain and then major. The next year, he was promoted to Lt. Col. in the Confederate Niter and Mining Corps. In Feb. 1865, St. John was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and at the time of the war’s end, he was Confederate Commissary General with responsibility for supplying the Confederacy with gunpowder and metals. In May 1865, St. John was one of several Confederate cabinet members that met with Jefferson Davis at the home of Robert Toombs in Washington, Ga. for what amounted to the dissolution of the Confederate government. St. Johns died on Apr. 7, 1880 in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.

November 19, 1861

1861 A song that would be heard over and over in Georgia in 1864 originated when Julia Ward Howe wrote "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."

November 19, 1864

1864 From Richmond, Georgia’s delegation to the Confederate Congress sent a telegraph to the people of Georgia indicating that they had met with Confederate president Jefferson Davis and secretary of war James Seddon about Sherman’s March to the Sea. Noting that the Confederate government was doing all that it could, the message exhorted the people of Georgia: "Let every man fly to arms! Remove your negroes, horses, cattle, and provisions from Sherman’s army, and burn what you cannot carry. Burn all bridges and block up the roads in his route. Assail the invader in front, flank, and rear, by night and by day. Let him have no rest."

November 19, 1895

1895 This was Georgia Day at the Cotton States and International Exposition and well over 40,000 people attended the festivities. John Phillip Sousa, who had premiered the day before, led his band in several rousing concerts and many Georgia political and social notables spoke. The day was not without controversy, however, as most were surprised at the absence of Governor William Atkinson. Somehow he had not been invited to participate and assumed he was not wanted. This did little to dampen the enthusiasm of the attendees though, as unusually fair weather helped bring out the crowds and enliven the festivities.

November 19, 1938

1938 Advertising and cable television pioneer Robert E. (Ted) Turner was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. His father moved the family to Georgia and later began Turner Advertising--an outdoor billboard business. On his father’s death, Turner took over the successful business, which in 1970 allowed him to purchase an Atlanta UHF television station that had the license for channel 17. Thus was launched WTCG, which would be known for its schedule of reruns, Bill Tush, and Saturday professional wrestling hosted by Gordon Solie. In the 1970s, Turner began bouncing WTCG’s signal off a satellite, which allowed it to broadcast to the nation through cable television systems. The stations’s call letters were changed to WTBS to signify the Turner Broadcasting System. Quickly, Turner built a media empire from a small independent television in Atlanta. Turner subsequently purchased two professional sports franchises--Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks--and began broadcasting their games over his "Super Station." In 1980, Turner created Cable News Network as his second cable television offering. Headline News, Turner Network Television, and the Cartoon Network followed. He later married former actress and activist Jane Fonda. In 1991, Turner was named Man of the Year by Time Magazine, and in 1997 he made international news by announcing a donation of $1 billion (over ten years) to a foundation benefiting United Nations charities. The next year, he made additional news by announcing that he was seriously considering running for the presidency of the U.S. In 2000, Turner decided to live apart from his wife, who continued to make her residence in Atlanta.

November 19, 1973

1973 The speed limit on Georgia highways dropped to 55 miles per hour, and Sunday gas sales were eliminated, as President Nixon issued energy-saving rules to cope with the Arab oil embargo of the United States.

November 19, 1997

1997 The Atlanta Braves announced the trade of first baseman Fred McGriff to the new Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball team. McGriff, who is from Tampa, was acquired by the Braves from the San Diego Padres in 1993. McGriff’s departure, coupled with that of shortstop Jeff Blauser the day before, meant two members of the 1995 World Champion Braves were gone--with other personnel changes still looming.