On May 28, 1754, Lieutenant Colonel George Washington (in his early 20s), his militia and a group of Native Americans launched a surprise attack against French Canadian forces in Western Pennsylvania.
Known as the Battle of Jumonville Glen, it was the first battle of the French and Indian War.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
America’s greatest all-around athlete, Jim Thorpe, was born on May 28, 1887 (some sources say that his date of birth was May 22nd and his birth year was 1888) near Prague, Indian Territory, Oklahoma.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Walk-in-the-Water, the first steamboat to navigate Lake Erie was launched on May 28, 1818.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Troops waiting on the Norfolk Army docks, Virginia, on May 28, 1918, prior to boarding the ship.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Almost thirty-seven years after being established following the Spanish-American War, the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) received a charter from U.S. Congress on May 28, 1936.
Image: New and retiring heads of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Washington, D.C. Oct. 2. Bernard W. Kearney, (seated) recently elected National Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars at their annual convention in Denver, pictured at the national headquarters here with his predecessor James Van Zandt. Kearney who was district attorney for Fulton County, N.Y., served with the 1st N.Y. cavalry during the World War. Van Zandt served as commander for three terms but refused the nomination this year.
via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
11th US Secretary of State, US Senator, Congressman and 46th Mayor of New York City Edward Livingston was born on May 28, 1764 in Clermont, New York.
While Mayor of New York City he contracted yellow fever and became severely ill but survived.
His brother was Founding Father of The United States Robert R. Livingston who negotiated The Louisiana Purchase and who earlier was part of the Committee of Five that drafted The Declaration of Independence.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
A photo of Babe Ruth in his New York National Guard uniform dated May 28, 1924
Image via Library of Congress
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The Sierra Club was formed on May 28, 1892.
The establishment of Rainier and Glacier National Parks and the protection of Yosemite Valley were among the group’s first goals.
Image of John Muir, the club’s first President via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Written on the back of this photo says “Ohio Street, after snow […] May 28th 1880. Silver Cliff, Colorado.”
Image via NYPL Digital Collections, public domain
On May 28, 1918, the U.S. 1st Infantry Division (Big Red One) led by General Robert Lee Bullard captured the town of Cantigny in France from the German army.
Image via Wikimedia Collections, public domain
Swiss-American natural scientist Louis Agassiz was born on May 28, 1807.
He wrote a 10 volume work titled “Contributions to the natural history of the United States of America” in the mid 1800s.
There are mountains, glaciers, a lake and a creek in The United States named in his honor.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
On today’s date The 54th Massachusetts Infantry departed their training camp in Boston…
“May 28, at 6:30 a.m., the regiment formed line for the last time at Readville, and marching to the railroad station, embarked on cars, arriving at Boston about nine o’clock. As the companies filed into the street from the station, the command was received with cheers from a large gathering. One hundred policemen, under the chief, Colonel Kurtz, were present, to clear the streets. Unknown to the general public, reserves of police were held in readiness, under cover, to repress any riotous proceedings.”
From: History of the Fifty-fourth regiment of Masachusetts volunteer infantry, 1863-1865
by Luis F. Emilio, published in 1891
https://archive.org/details/historyoffiftyfo00emil_0/page/31/mode/2up
Born May 28, 1892 in Baltimore actress Minna Gombell appeared on Broadway and in 75 films including “Block-Heads” with Laurel and Hardy. In 2020 a headstone was placed on her unmarked grave in a Baltimore cemetery by a “tent, “or chapter of The Sons of the Desert, an organization devoted to Laurel and Hardy films.
Image via NYPL Digital Gallery via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US.
Happy Birthday John Fogerty!
Born on May 28, 1945 in Berkeley, California.
Image by Janwikifoto – CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
American actress Caroll Baker was born on May 28, 1931 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
Among her many movie appearances, Caroll played the role of Patricia Terrill in the 1958 epic Western The Big Country.
Image: Publicity photo of Carroll Baker in 1964 for the movie Harlow via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
