Birth of James Oglethorpe
On December 22, 1696, James Oglethorpe was born in Surrey, England. He settled the Georgia Colony in 1733 and served as its leader for a decade.
Army
Death of General George Patton
On December 21, 1945, General George S. Patton died from injuries he received in a car crash 12 days earlier. His death came mere months after the end of World War II, in which he’d commanded troops in some of the war’s major battles.
Battle of Fredericksburg
On December 13, 1862, Union forces launched a bloody attack during the Battle of Fredericksburg. However, the tide turned and it became one of the most one-sided battles of the war.
Battle of Chattanooga
On November 25, 1863, General Ulysses S. Grant broke the Confederate siege of Chattanooga.
Birth of Wiley Post
Wiley Hardeman Post was born on November 22, 1898, Van Zandt County, Texas. A world-renowned aviator, he pushed the limits of early aviation technology to break the ’round the world record twice!
Birth of Astronomer Edwin Hubble
On November 20, 1889, one of the world’s most renowned astronomers, Edwin Hubble, was born. Hubble discovered and classified galaxies beyond ours and his studies revealed an expanding universe. His name lives on today through the Hubble Telescope, which has provided incredibly clear images of deep space for over 30 years.
Lincoln Delivers Famed Gettysburg Address
On November 19, 1863, Abraham Lincoln delivered his eloquent Gettysburg Address. Delivered at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery, it went on to become one of the most famous speeches in US history.
Sherman’s March to the Sea
After burning Atlanta, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman embarked on his month-long March to the Sea on November 15, 1864.
Fort Bliss
On November 7, 1848, the War Department established a post on the Rio Grande that would later come to be known as Fort Bliss. Still in use today, it’s the second-largest US Army installation in the world.