July 18: Civil War Battle, Roosevelt's Third Term and a Mass Shooting

On this day in history, July 18, a total of 294 people lost their lives. Some in battle and some in a horrific mass shooting. Also, President Roosevelt was nominated for a third consecutive term as president.

1863: Assault of Battery Wagner and Death of Robert Gould Shaw

Robert Gould Shaw was commander of the 54^th Massachusetts Infantry, a famous regiment of African-American troops during the Civil War.

On this day, July 18, 1863, Shaw and 272 of his troops were killed in an assault on Fort Wagner, near Charleston, South Carolina.

Fort Wagner was located on Morris Island, guarding the approach to Charleston Harbor. Fort Wagner stretched 600 feet wide and stood 30 feet tall. The only way to reach the fort was across a narrow stretch of beach bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and a swampy marshland on the other.

Union General Quincy Gilmore lead the operation on July 18. Gilmore was to take the island and seal the approach to Charleston. Union artillery battled Fort Wagner all day on July 18, but the barrage did little damage to the fort and its garrison.

“At 7:45 p.m., the attack commenced. Yankee troops had to march 1,200 yards down the beach to the stronghold, facing a hail of bullets from the Confederates. Shaw’s troops and other Union regiments penetrated the walls at two points, but did not have sufficient numbers to take the fort. Over 1,500 Union troops fell or were captured to the Confederates’ 222,” said History.com.

1940: FDR Nominated for Unprecedented Third Term

Franklin Delano Roosevelt took his seat in office in 1933 and became the 32^nd president of the United States of America. On this day, July 18, 1940, Roosevelt was nominated for an unprecedented third term in office.

Belonging to the Democratic party, Roosevelt was elected to a record of four terms as president, making him the only U.S. president to serve more than two terms.

On this day, in 1940, Roosevelt was nominated for his third presidential term at the Democratic Party convention in Chicago. History.com stated Roosevelt “received some criticism for running again because there was an unwritten rule in American politics that no U.S. president should serve more than two terms.”

The custom of a president only running for two term began with the first president of the United States, George Washington. In 1796, Washington declined to run for a third term in office.

“Nevertheless, Roosevelt believed it was his duty to continue serving and lead his country through the mounting crisis in Europe, where Hitler’s Nazi Germany was on the rise,” History.com stated.

1984: 21 People Shot to Death at McDonald’s

July 18, 1984, 21 people lost their lives and 19 others were wounded at a local McDonald’s restaurant in San Ysidro, California. James Oliver Huberty opened fired into the crown with several automatic weapons.

Huberty had a history of mental problems. History.com said, “Minutes earlier, [before the shooting], Huberty had left home, telling his wife, “I’m going hunting… hunting for humans.”

After losing his job in Ohio in 1983, Huberty brought his family to San Diego. He began working as a security guard, until he was fired again, a month before the shooting.

History.com stated, “His wife claimed that Huberty called a mental health clinic to make an appointment for counseling but was never called back. Huberty had a love affair with guns, keeping a small arsenal in his bedroom. Neighbors described him as very angry.”

Huberty brought several of his guns to the shooting that fateful day. He brought a 9mm automatic pistol and a semiautomatic rifle into the McDonalds.

Huberty demanded that the 45 people inside the McDonalds get on the floor.

“He then walked around the restaurant, calmly shooting people," said History.com "He killed 20 in the first ten minutes, including four who tried to escape. There were so many shots fired that the police first assumed that there was more than one gunman inside.”

An hour after the shooting began, a McDonald's employee escaped through the basement and informed the SWAT team the Huberty was alone and without hostages.

After this information was given, sharpshooters were given an order to “take him out.” A marksman was able to find a shot and took out Huberty. With one shot, Huberty was shot through the chest and was killed.