July 14, 1742

1742 Spanish forces began withdrawing from St. Simons Island. Oglethorpe recorded that the Spaniards "embarked with such precipitation that they left behind them cannon &c. and those dead of their wounds unburied."

July 14, 1787

1787 Doctor, politician, banker, and education proponent Tomlinson Fort was born in Wilkes County. In 1809, he received one term of medical training at the University of Pennsylvania and returned to Georgia to practice medicine for over four decades. He was instrumental in the formation of the Medical College of Georgia.and the state lunatic asylum. He served on the boards of trustees of the University of Georgia and Oglethorpe University. Fort also served in the Georgia House of Representatives (1819-1825) and in Congress (1827-29). He was president of the Central Bank of Georgia for almost a decade, during which time he helped finance construction of the Western and Atlantic Railroad.

July 14, 1864

1864 Assuming Johnston would continue his strategy in trying to defend Atlanta, Gen. Sherman issued Special Field Order No. 35 outlining his strategy to taking Atlanta. Four days later, Sherman would find the Confederates had a new commander -- and a new strategy.

July 14, 1865

1865 The Atlanta City Council passed an ordinance making blacks subject to the same city ordinances and punishments as whites.

July 14, 1914

1914 Gov. John Slaton signed a joint resolution of the General Assembly proposing a constitutional amendment to create Candler County. [The amendments were necessary because of a constitutional limit of 145 counties, meaning any additional counties had to be authorized through constitutional amendment.] The proposed new county was to be created from portions of Bulloch, Emanuel and Tatnall counties, and was named for former governor Allen D. Candler. On November 3, Georgia voters ratified the amendment thus creating Georgia’s 150th county.

July 14, 1930

1930 Following his winning the "grand slam of golf" -- the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open, British Amateur, and British Open -- Bobby Jones returned to Atlanta for one of the largest parades in the city’s history to that point in time.