August 10, 1774

1774 Despite Gov. James Wright’s August 5 proclamation prohibiting any public meetings to address grievances against British colonial policies, about 30 Georgia patriots assembled at Tondee’s Tavern in Savannah. There, a series of eight resolutions opposing British policies were adopted.

August 10, 1776

1776 The Declaration of Independence was read to the citizens of Savannah. A copy had arrived in Georgia two days earlier and been read to the Council of Safety.

August 10, 1807

1807 In Louisville, then Georgia’s capital, drawings began for Georgia’s second land lottery, which gave additional territory to Baldwin and Wilkinson counties.

August 10, 1814

1814 William L. Yancey was born in Warren County, Georgia. He would become a prominent leader in the secession movement in Alabama. Yancey died on July 27, 1863.

August 10, 1864

1864 The artillery bombardment of Atlanta escalated. At 5 p.m. Union batteries began firing new 4 1/2-inch rifled cannon, with each weapon fired every five minutes. After Sherman complained about not hearing the guns fire, the frequency of shelling increased. That night, Sherman wrote Gen. Howard, "Let us destroy Atlanta and make it a desolation."

August 10, 1901

1901 Former Confederate general Gilbert Sorrel died in Roanoke, Va. [See Feb. 23 entry for biographical information on Savannah-born Sorrel.]

August 10, 1909

1909 Gov. Joseph M. Brown signed an act making it illegal to "wilfully [sic] or falsely utter or circulate any defamatory words or statements derogatory to the fair fame or reputation for virtue of any virtuous female." Violation of the law was punishable as a misdemeanor.

August 10, 1910

1910 The General Assembly adopted a joint resolution appropriating $2,500 to a fund-raising campaign by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to erect a monument to Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston in Dalton, Georgia. The UDC chose to place the monument in Dalton because it was here that Johnston assumed command of the Confederate Army of Tennessee, which was quartered in Dalton during the winter of 1863-64.

August 10, 1921

1921 Gov. Thomas Hardwick signed legislation enacting Georgia’s first motor fuel tax of one cent per gallon. The new tax was not an excise tax as such but rather an occupation tax on fuel distributors (defined by the law as anyone who imports or manufacturers motor fuel). However, it was a tax that distributors presumably would pass on to the gas stations, who would pass it on to motorists. The law contained no provision for earmarking the new tax for construction of highways.

August 10, 1938

1938 President Franklin D. Roosevelt arrived in Georgia for his thirty-third visit to his "second home." This was a brief two-day campaign visit; he delivered two major speeches the follwing day - See August 11 entry.

August 10, 1949

1949 Georgia-born Ezzard Charles knocked out Gus Lesnovich in the eighth round at Yankee Stadium in his first world heavyweight title defense.

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Today in History

2002 The White House announced that two people with Georgia ties were among the 12 winners of the 2002 Presidential Medal of Freedom. Atlanta Braves baseball great Hank Aaron is … read more