Ed Jackson and Charles Pou

The University of Georgia

August 31

1812 Georgia newspaper editor William Thompson was born in Ravenna, Ohio. In his early 20s, he moved to Augusta, Georgia, where he studied law under Augustus B. Longstreet, editor of the State Rights Sentinel. Without the outbreak of the Seminole War, Thompson enlisted in a local militia unit that was dispatched to Florida. During the campaign, he wrote letters detailing his unit's adventures to Longstreet, who published them in his newspaper. In 1838, Thompson began publishing the Augusta Mirror, a literary endeavor. In 1842, he wrote the first of a series of fictional letters from a semi-literate Major Joseph Jones. That same year, Thompson moved to Madison, where he became editor of the weekly Southern Miscellany. He continued writing his series of fictional letters, and in 1843, 16 of them were published as Major Jones' Courtship. After leaving the Madison, Thompson wrote Chronicles of Peneville (1845) and Major Jones' Sketches of Travel (1848).

In 1850, Thompson helped establish the Savannah Daily Morning News , which he edited until his death in 1882. In his later years, Thompson became involved in politics, and was a member of the convention that framed Georgia's redeemer Constitution of 1877. But of all his accomplishments, William Thompson probably is best remembered for his humorous Major Jones' letters, which skillfully employed dialect to portray comical characters in antebellum Georgia.

1864 In a day that would be plagued by confusion and bad command decisions, Confederate forces charge Union forces just after 3:00 p.m. starting the Battle of Jonesboro. In less than an hour, the Confederates suffer 1,400 casualties. Many more are captured. Even before hearing the bad news from Jonesboro, Gen. Hood ordered Gen. Stephen Lee to pull his corps out of Jonesboro and bring it back to Atlanta. Hood finally concluded that Atlanta could not be defended, so he began making plans to evacuate the city.

1886 The great Charleston earthquake that devastated the port city was felt across northern Georgia. In downtown Atlanta, shaking buildings caused frightened citizens to flee to the streets out of fear that the structures were about to collapse.

1956 Morehouse College graduate and Olympic gold medalist Edwin Moses [1976 and 1984} and the first athlete to only take 13 strides between hurdles, was born in Dayton, Ohio.

1964 The trial of Joseph Howard Sims and Cecil William Myers began in Danielsville, Ga. They were two of three Athens Klansmen accused of murdering Lemuel Penn. [See July 11 entry for information on the murder.]

1979 President Jimmy Carter named Donald McHenry to succeed Andrew Young as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

1983 Morehouse College graduate Edwin Moses set the 400m hurdle record (47.02) in Koblenz.

In Their Own Words on This Day. . .

1742 Several days earlier, Georgia president William Stephens had recorded in his journal of a "common distemper" afflicting the colony. Today he recorded more of its fatal effects:

"Two more Young Children died, one of which was another of Mr. Pyes; but 'twas hoped now, that after this sad Visitation, most of our Sick People were upon the Recovery, 10 or more being buried within this month of August. . . ."

Source: E. Merton Coulter (ed.), The Journal of William Stephens, 1741-1743 (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1959), p. 126.

1864 From outside of Atlanta, Col. Fredrick Winkler of the 26th Wisconsin Infantry wrote to his wife:

"We are enjoying pleasant weather now with our easy times; the nights are very cool, everything is wet in the morning. Today there was a reconnaissance sent out; they found some rebel forces not very far out. From the main army we hear nothing; we I do not know what it is doing, nor exactly where it is. Things seem to be picking up a little in Virginia. Our success in holding the Weldon Railroad, notwithstanding the strenuous efforts of the rebels to drive us from it, is certainly of importance."

Source: Civil War Letters of Major Fredrick C. Winkler, in 26th Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers Home Page

1886 On this day, the great Charleston Earthquake shook a large area of Georgia. Near Augusta, Gertrude Thomas witnessed the event, as she vividly recorded in her journal ten days later:

". . . Just then a noise was heard right above my head as if a hundred rats might have been scampering. 'Look out for the ceiling' said Mr. Thomas, 'run here,' as he rushed into the bed room which is not plastered and exclaimed, 'It is an earthquake.' As that one horrible word, so portent with evil was uttered, as I glanced in his face, as I took in the meaning of the word some impulse prompted me to rush out into the front piazzi where I met Turner [her son] just escaping from the parlour. I do not think either of us uttered one word. Together we stood while the house shook and reeled like a drunken man, and still that awful, rushing, roaring sound is heard. I look, I see the piazzi sway to and fro (I seem to feel it now) and then as a man flies for his life I grasp Turner, and hand in hand we rush down the step and out into the front yard. I feel the earth sway to and fro. Oh God! the horror of the moment! Just then I expect the earth to heave and swallow us up. Has the day of judgement come? And as I sway with that awful, horrible motion, far away from the distant coloured church is heard the most pathetic, mournful wail I ever listened to. I looked up for one instant. I expected the heavens to fall. Just where that day the lovely clouds floated the stars now shone brightly. The sight steadied me thank God. Turner and I had separated. He looked toward the house expecting it to fall. I had just time to glance towards the sky when another shock came. I heard Mr. Thomas say 'support your mother Turner.' I felt my husband's arms around me. I was conscious that I was falling. I was conscious of an intolerable pain in my back, and an awful nausea, and from that time through the successive shocks I was sick like unto death. . . ."

Source: Virginia Ingraham Burr (ed.), The Secret Eye: The Journal of Ella Gertrude Clanton Thomas, 1848-1889 (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1990), p. 438.