Daily history

Good morning,




Quote of the day:

“I went to this restaurant and it had the worst food I have ever tasted, but they had really small portions.”

                                        Woody Allen



I keep reading about someone named Kanye West grabbing a microphone and uttering some gibberish that means nothing to anyone but himself. I had to do a little research to find out exactly who this egomaniac was. He is a hip-hop performer. I hesitate to say “singer” because he ain’t. He is just as good a singer/performer as I am an astronaut. Some men get a little notoriety and then they think they are the smarter than any man in South Carolina. I use that comparison advisedly because South Carolina is the home of Alvin Greene. But Alvin has made one contribution; I was able to initiate an award in his behalf. It is the AGCUS award. He will be remembered.



A good friend from Texas advised me that Joe Scarborough who is the co-host of “Morning Joe” on MSNBC has stated that he is dismayed by the fact the present day schools are not teaching the real history of this great nation. They do not even acknowledge the greatest tragedy to ever befall this country and that being the American Civil War from 1861-1865. This war cost the lives of more Americans that all other wars combined AND THE DON’T TEACH IT?? I guess it is not politically correct but it is disgusting. To try and help Joe out I sent an e-mail telling him about my lessons that are available on my blog site. It is unlikely that anything will happen but I feel like I did the right thing.



Up in the Asheville, NC area a woman and her three year old kid were walking down the sidewalk and a pit bull charges out of the undergrowth, knocked the kid over backward and bit it on the face. I have said it before and here it is again. Fighting cocks, bull terriers and pit bulls have been used as a form of amusement fighting since the early 1700’s in America. There has to have been an imprint on their genetics that carries on to this day. I think a well mannered Pit Bull or a Rottweiler is the exception rather than the rule. Give me a Lab, Beagle or Golden Retriever anytime. Forgive me “Daddy”.



I am reading about the American Revolutionary War once again. From the start the American military knew that they could not stand up the British military in the traditional manner of infantry encounters of the day. They would gather in neatly dressed lines about 100 yards apart and blaze away until one side or the other lost their nerve. The Americans had been dealing with the Indians for many years and the Indians did not buy that routine of lining up out in the open, they attacked from ambush. George Washington found favor with this method and formed a company of 500 snipers lead by Daniel Morgan. The first major battle won by the Patriots was as a direct result of Daniel and his boys. It was at the Battle of Saratoga. The British were coming through a dense forest from Canada to Saratoga. Daniel’s snipers began by picking off the Native American guides until there were none left, then they started picking off the commanding officers until there were just a few left and then the British lost contact with their supply train, it was all over after that. British general Burgoyne surrendered.



This date in history December 13



2003    After nine months on the run, on this date former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is found by American soldiers in a “spider” hole in the ground near his home town of Tikrit, Iraq. The search for this ghoul and monster was intense and all encompassing after the invasion of Iraq by the Allies. They had cornered Saddam’s sons in one of their castles but they wanted to fight rather than surrender and fight they did. But it was for naught because the Allies brought in a tank and leveled that building killing all of the occupants including Saddam’s sons. The atrocities committed or allowed by Saddam and his sons were inserted in the catalog of crimes on humanity never to be forgotten. Saddam was put on trial convicted and was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity. Saddam went to meet Allah with a rope around his neck.



1937    At the outset of the Sino-Chinese war, the Japanese military leader Matsui Iwane ordered the leveling of the city of Nanking after the Chinese leadership had escaped inland. The Japanese troops swept into Nanking and unceremoniously killed over 150,000 men, raped over 20,000 women and children and burned the town to the ground. This atrocious act of terrorism is known to this date at “The Rape of Nanking.” Not that it really matters, but after the war all the major Japanese officers involved in these acts were tried and hanged for crimes against humanity. Crimes, indeed.



1621    I don’t know it ya’ll remember it or not, but in an earlier lesson I stated the Governor William Bradford had discovered that his interpreter Squanto had been extorting the Indians and the chief came to Bradford and complained. Well, Bradford knew how important good relationship with the Indians was and was taking Squanto to the gallows when he spied a British sailing vessel coming over the horizon and knew it was a ship load of settlers. He also knew that Squanto would be important to the newcomers and spared Squanto but impressed upon him to knock off the extortion shit with the Indians. Well, the ship was “The Fortune” with 35 settlers aboard commanded by Captain Robert Cushman. Cushman unloaded the settlers and took on a load of furs, especially beaver pelts to take back to England. Unfortunately for Cushman he was overtaken by a French pirate ship and his furs were taken. But the permanent settlers thought they were going to make their living off the Cod fishing close off shore. After finding out that furs were just a valuable as Cod fish and began running trap lines instead. It was the fur market that caused the opening of the western frontier in the United States.



1862    Yesterday I told ya’ll about the Union Army finally being able to cross the Rappahannock River and occupy Fredericksburg, Virginia. But CSA General R.E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia had been there for two days digging in on a hill and aiming their artillery. Not only that at the base of the hill was a road with a stone wall on one side. Lee sent General George Cobb and a few hundred of Georgia sharpshooters to hide behind the stone wall and wait on an infantry charge. At one point General Lee’s artillery commander said “General, I don’t think a chicken could cross that field and live.” He was nearly correct. Burnside ordered infantry charge after infantry charge and all were cut to pieces by Lee’s artillery before they got half way and those that did were met with Cobb’s Georgians at the stone wall who shot them at nearly point blank range. As I said yesterday, it was the worst battle loss in American history. Burnside was going to try it again on the 14th of December but he was talked out it by cooler head and he headed back north. As soon as he got back he was immediately relieved by US General Joseph Hooker, he wasn’t very good either. It was during this battle that General Lee said the Immortal words “It is good that war is so terrible or we would learn to love it.” These words were parroted by US General George Patton.



1798    On this date one of the greatest mountain men/explorers in American history is born in the backwoods of Tennessee. Joseph R. “Joe” Walker was recognized as being very intelligent and had the talent to be able to remember any lands that he had traveled; therefore he was rarely lost and made an excellent guide. He was persuaded by William Bonneville to into the southwestern area and does some mapping for his upcoming fur trapping enterprise. At that time that land belonged to Mexico and he was captured and put into jail in Santa Fe. He got out of jail when he helped the Mexicans fight off several raids from the Pawnee and the Apache. He was released and continues his searching. In 1833 he and three of his party accidentally came upon the Yosemite Valley. It is believed that he and his men were the first honkies to see the wonders of this magic land. Walker established a farm in northern California where he died ravaged by rheumatism and blindness. He wanted his gravestone to read “Camped Yosemite, November 11, 1833.” Evidently the viewing of Yosemite was the most important time of his life. Joe Walker was not the only trailblazer out there. There were Jim Bridger and Kit Carson among many others. But Joe Walker found his niche in life and enjoyed every second of it. We should all be so fortunate.



Famous quotes:



“Dyslexia means you never have to say your syrro.” Anon



Born today:



1797    German writer Heinrich Heine. When speaking of one of his enemy he said “He was ordinarily insane but he had lucid moments when he was merely stupid.” I think I know this person.



1879    English actress Emily Belmont. She said “The private railcar is not an acquired taste. One takes to it immediately.” I would think so.



1915    US Mystery writer Ross McDonald. He said “There is nothing wrong with Southern California that a sudden and complete rise in the ocean level wouldn’t cure.”



1949    US musician Tom Verlaine. He said “The press deserves nothing but lies”. Why not, that is what the feed us



1954    English singer Berton Averre. He said “To err is dysfunctional; to forgive is to be codependent.” Bert, you need to simplify your life.



Thanks for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow