1. On October 5, 1764, the British Crown issued the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which forbade settlers from occupying lands west of the Appalachian Mountains. This proclamation was a response to the Pontiac Rebellion, which saw Native American tribes organizing to resist British expansion.

2. On October 5, 1777, American and British forces clashed in the Battle of Germantown, which took place outside Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War. The battle resulted in a British victory, but the American army was able to retreat and regroup.

3. On October 5, 1859, John Brown led a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (which is now West Virginia). Brown hoped to spark a slave rebellion, but his plan was foiled and he was captured by government troops.

4. On October 5, 1961, James Francis Byrnes, a native of South Carolina, died in Columbia at the age of 82. Byrnes was a prominent figure in American politics, serving as a U.S. senator, Supreme Court justice, and Secretary of State under President Harry Truman.

5. On October 5, 1984, the first Womanless Wedding fundraiser was held in Columbia. This annual event, which still takes place today, features men dressing up as women and performing a mock wedding ceremony to raise money for the local fire department.