John Pemberton who invented Coca-Cola", is chosen as one of the few people allowed to leave the city of Atlanta, just before it sinks into the Atlantic Ocean. In 2010, the Coca-Cola Company paid tribute to Pemberton as a key character in an advertising campaign called "Secret Formula". Centered on the secret ingredients of Coca-Cola, imagery related to Pemberton was used to make people more aware of Coke's history and mythology. In 2013, Pemberton was portrayed by Bill Hader in the "Atlanta" episode of Comedy Central's "Drunk History", created by Derek Waters. Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers have an album track
John C. Pemberton (Pemberton, well aware of his reputation as a Northerner by birth, was probably influenced by his fear of public condemnation as a traitor if he abandoned Vicksburg.) On the evening of July 2, 1863, Pemberton asked in writing his four division commanders if they believed their men could "make the marches and undergo the fatigues necessary to accomplish a successful evacuation" after 45 days of siege. With four votes of no, the next day Pemberton asked the Federals for an armistice to allow time for the discussion of terms of surrender, and at 10:00 a.m. on July 4 he surrendered