Video: 'Ulysses S. Grant and the Battle of the Wilderness' (May 6, 1864, at 32:52)
(Friday, May 6, 1864; during the Overland Campaign of the American Civil War) — Confederate General James Longstreet was caught in the fire of his own troops during the Battle of the Wilderness today near Fredericksburg, Virginia, leaving his right arm paralyzed.
(Friday, May 6, 1864; during the American Civil War) — The March on Atlanta began today when Union General William Tecumseh Sherman, at Chattanooga, Tennessee, moved inexorably southeastward, forcing the Confederates under Joseph T. Johnston to try to stop him in the Atlanta Campaign.
(Saturday, May 5, 1974) — U.S. President Richard M. Nixon today officially opened Expo ’74, a six-month-long world’s fair, in Spokane, Washington.
Video: 'Seven Up! excerpt - London Adventure Playground, 1964'
(Tuesday, May 5, 1964) — The Granada TV documentary Seven Up!, which profiled a group of 7-year-old British children, first aired today on Britain’s ITV network. The subjects were revisited every seven years in sequels called “7 Plus Seven,” “21 Up,” “28 Up,” etc., the latest one to date being “56 Up.”
(Saturday, May 5, 1934) — Woman Haters, the first short subject for Columbia Pictures starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges, was released today; directed by Archie Gottler.
Video: 'Another World 1964 Opening Theme'
(Monday, May 4, 1964, 3:00 p.m. EDT) — Another World, a television daytime drama set in the fictional town of Bay City, began a 35-year run this afternoon on NBC-TV.
Video: 'Gaslight' (trailer)
(Thursday, May 4, 1944) — Gaslight, a mystery-thriller film about a newlywed who fears she’s going mad when strange things start happening at the family mansion, opened today at the Capitol in New York City.
Directed by George Cukor, the film starred Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten, Dame May Whitty and Angela Lansbury.
Video: 'Abrahams and Liddell'
(Sunday, May 4, 1924) — The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, opened today in Paris, France, with 3,089 athletes participating. Competition would continue through July 27, 1924 (click here for a 16 video playlist).
Video: 'Building the US Panama Canal Zone 1904'
(Wednesday, May 4, 1904) — The U.S. formally took control of the Panama Canal today, inheriting from the French a depleted workforce and a vast jumble of buildings, infrastructure and equipment, much of it in poor condition.
Video: 'Ulysses S. Grant and the Battle of the Wilderness' (May 4, 1864, at 24:42)
(Wednesday, May 4, 1864; during the Overland Campaign, part of the American Civil War) — Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, crossed the Rapidan River today, seeking to defeat Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia by quickly placing his forces between Lee and Richmond and inviting an open battle.
