By: History.com Editors

1777

Archibald Bulloch dies under mysterious circumstances

History.com Editors

Published: November 13, 2009

Last Updated: January 25, 2025

On February 22, 1777, Revolutionary War leader and Georgia’s first Provisional Governor Archibald Bulloch dies under mysterious circumstances just hours after Georgia’s Council of Safety grants him the powers of a dictator in expectation of a British invasion.

American Revolution History

Did you know that Paul Revere didn't ride alone, and there were women on the Revolutionary War battlefields? Find out more about the war's lesser-known patriots.

Bulloch was born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1730 to a Scottish father, James, and his Puritan wife, Jean. He was educated and practiced law in South Carolina, and received a commission in the colony’s militia. Bulloch moved to Savannah, Georgia, in 1764 and married Mary de Veaux, the daughter of a prominent Savannah judge and landholder. He quickly became a leader in the state’s Liberty Party and was elected to the Commons House of Assembly in 1768, to the post of speaker of the Georgia Royal Assembly in 1772 and finally to the Continental Congress in 1775.

On June 20, 1776, Bulloch was elected the first president and commander in chief of Georgia’s temporary government, posts he held until February 5, 1777, when Georgia adopted its state constitution. Just over three weeks later, on February 22, 1777, Georgia faced a British invasion, and the state’s new government granted Bulloch executive power to head off the British forces. A few hours later, Bulloch was dead. The cause of his death remains unknown but unsubstantiated rumors of his poisoning persist.

Archibald Bulloch has gone down in history as one of the American Revolution’s great leaders; he is also known as the great-great-grandfather of America’s 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt. Theodore Roosevelt’s son, Archibald, and Bulloch County, Georgia, were both named in the Georgia Patriot’s honor.

Timeline

Also on This Day in History

Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on February 22nd

1732

George Washington is born

On February 22, 1732, George Washington is born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, the first of six children of Augustine and Mary Ball Washington. (Augustine had three additional children from his first marriage.) An initially loyal British subject, Washington eventually led the Continental Army in the American Revolution and became the new nation’s first president. He […]

1819

The U.S. acquires Spanish Florida

Spanish minister Do Luis de Onis and U.S. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams sign the Florida Purchase Treaty, in which Spain agrees to cede the remainder of its province of Florida to the United States. Spanish colonization of the Florida peninsula began at St. Augustine in 1565. By the 17th century, the Spanish began […]

1847

Battle of Buena Vista begins

During the Mexican-American War, Mexican General Santa Anna surrounds the outnumbered forces of U.S. General Zachary Taylor at the Angostura Pass in Mexico and demands an immediate surrender. Taylor refuses, allegedly replying, “Tell him to go to hell.” Early the next morning, Santa Anna dispatches some 15,000 troops to move against the 5,000 Americans. Thus […]

1851

San Francisco vigilantes take the law into their own hands

An angry mob in San Francisco’s business district ”tries” two Australian suspects in the robbery and assault of C. J. Jansen. When the makeshift jury deadlocked, the suspects were returned to law enforcement officials. It was one of the most prominent vigilante moments of the California Gold Rush period. Jansen was working at his store at […]

1917

Mussolini wounded by mortar bomb

On February 22, 1917, Sergeant Benito Mussolini is wounded by the accidental explosion of a mortar bomb on the Isonzo section of the Italian Front in World War I. Born in Predappio, Italy, in 1883, the son of a blacksmith and a teacher, Mussolini was well-read, largely self-educated and had worked as a schoolteacher and […]

1942

President Roosevelt to MacArthur: Get out of the Philippines

President Franklin D. Roosevelt orders Gen. Douglas MacArthur out of the Philippines, as the American defense of the islands collapses. The Philippines had been part of the American commonwealth since it was ceded by Spain at the close of the Spanish-American War. When the Japanese invaded China in 1937 and signed the Tripartite Pact with […]

1946

George Kennan sends “long telegram” to State Department

George Kennan, the American charge d’affaires in Moscow, sends an 8,000-word telegram to the Department of State detailing his views on the Soviet Union, and U.S. policy toward the communist state. Kennan’s analysis provided one of the most influential underpinnings for America’s Cold War policy of containment and became a foundational document of 20th-century U.S. […]

1959

Lee Petty wins first Daytona 500

On February 22, 1959, Lee Petty defeats Johnny Beauchamp in a photo finish at the just-opened Daytona International Speedway in Florida to win the first-ever Daytona 500. The race was so close that Beauchamp was initially named the winner by William France, the owner of the track and head of the National Association for Stock […]

1967

Suharto takes full power in Indonesia

On February 22, 1967, Indonesian President Sukarno surrenders all executive authority to military dictator General Haji Mohammad Suharto, remaining president in title only. In 1965, Suharto, a senior army officer, narrowly saved Sukarno from a communist coup. In the aftermath, he moved to replace Sukarno and launched a purge of Indonesian communists that resulted in […]

1969

Barbara Jo Rubin becomes first female jockey to win a U.S. thoroughbred race

On February 22, 1969, 19-year-old Barbara Jo Rubin becomes the first female jockey to win a race at an American thoroughbred track when she rides Cohesion to a victory by a neck over Reely Beeg in the ninth race at Charles Town, West Virginia. That she raced at all was a testament to Rubin’s ability […]

1978

Navstar 1, the world’s first operational GPS satellite, launches

The U.S. Air Force launches Navstar 1, the world’s first operational GPS satellite, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. GPS begins as a military technology, but expands to transform industries from aviation to communications. Global Positioning System (GPS) technology is an indispensible part of 21st century life, powering everything from rideshare apps to fitness […]

1980

U.S. hockey team beats the Soviets in the “Miracle on Ice”

In one of the most dramatic upsets in Olympic history, the underdog U.S. hockey team defeats the Soviets at the XIII Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York

Team USA celebrates "the Miracle on Ice"

1983

“Moose Murders” opens—and closes—on Broadway

The notorious play “Moose Murders” bombs on Broadway, opening and closing at New York’s Eugene O’Neill Theater on the same night. In doing so, its name becomes synonymous for an abysmal theatrical flop. An aging movie star, Texas oil money and a man-eating moose failed to save the show, which tied the Broadway record for […]

2006

Gang commits largest robbery in British history

In the early morning hours of February 22, 2006, a gang of at least six men, some of them armed, steal £53 million from the Securitas bank depot in Kent, Great Britain. It was the largest such theft in British history. The plot was well planned. On the evening before, two men, dressed as police […]

2014

‘El Chapo,’ the world’s most-wanted drug kingpin, is captured in Mexico

On February 22, 2014, one of the world’s most-wanted criminals, Joaquin “El Chapo” (“Shorty”) Guzmán Loera, head of the Sinaloa cartel, the world’s biggest drug trafficking organization, is captured and arrested in a joint U.S.-Mexican operation in Mazatlán, Mexico, after outrunning law enforcement for more than a decade.  Guzmán had been the target of an international […]

Related Articles

See All Articles
Benedict Arnold
American Revolution

When Benedict Arnold Tried to Capture Quebec

The Revolutionary War officer-turned traitor had a brilliant strategy—except that everything went wrong.

7 Events That Led to the American Revolution
American Revolution

7 Events That Enraged Colonists and Led to the American Revolution

Colonists didn't just take up arms against the British out of the blue. A series of events escalated tensions that culminated in America's war for independence.

What is Federalism and Why Did the Founding Fathers Create It?
American Revolution

How the Founding Fathers Divided Power Between States and Federal Governments

Federalism, or the separation of powers between state and federal government, was entirely new when the founders baked it into the Constitution.

American Revolution

George Washington’s Hair Found in 18th-Century Almanac

The first president’s tresses were a keepsake for the family of Alexander Hamilton.

See All Articles

About the author

History.com Editors

HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Articles with the “HISTORY.com Editors” byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan, Matt Mullen and Christian Zapata.

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

Citation Information

Article title
Archibald Bulloch dies under mysterious circumstances
Website Name
History
Date Accessed
March 25, 2025
Publisher
A&E Television Networks
Last Updated
January 25, 2025
Original Published Date
November 13, 2009

History Every Day

Sign Up for "This Day in History"

Uncover fascinating moments from the past every day! Learn something new with key events in history, from the American Revolution to pop culture, crime and more.

By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Global Media. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.

More details: Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact Us