Daily history

Good morning,




Quote of the day:

“I was going to buy a copy of The Power of Positive Thinking, and then I thought, what good would it do?”

                                     Ronnie Shakes



Down on I-20 near Fort McClellan, Alabama the road surface is in terrible shape. A few days ago a family of four was traveling east toward Atlanta in an SUV. The parents were in the front and their two young children were in the back strapped into safety seats. A car was coming in the opposite direction and hit a pothole. The pothole had been repaired in the past but was falling apart again. When the car hit the pothole a piece of concrete flew up and crashed into the windshield of the SUV striking the mother in the forehead killing her instantly, then the concrete went between the two kids in the back and exited through the rear window. What are the chances of that piece of concrete and that woman’s forehead being at the same point in space at the same instant traveling in opposite directions and be an accident? The odds are astronomical, but it happened.



This date in history December 23




1944 In January of this year a man named Eddie Slovik was drafted into the United States Army. Slovik was originally rejected for the draft because he was a convicted felon (grand theft auto) but the standards were changed when more manpower was needed. Slovic was trained as a rifleman and in August of 1944 was assigned to the 28th Division which had taken a beating in the last few months both in France and in Germany because of the Battle of the Bulge. Slovic vowed that he would never fight because he hated guns but in October he arrived in France and went in search of the 28th Division during a ferocious battle and got lost. He found a Canadian outfit and they took him in. Eventually the heat of the battle abated and the Canadians took him to 28th Division Headquarters. It was not unusual for replacement troops to get lost in the midst of a major battle so Slovic’s tardiness was overlooked. Slovic again told the personnel at Division Headquarters that he hated guns and would not fight and would run away if forced to. He was ignored until the next day and Slovic showed up missing. A day later he came back in but still told his superiors that he would not fight. His commanding officer was fed up and told him he had a choice. Grab a rifle and go into combat immediately or face a court martial. He reminded Slovic that the United States Army in general and the 28th Division in particular was not in a forgiving mood because of all the casualties they had suffered. Slovic still refused and sure enough a court martial was convened. He was found guilty of desertion and given the death penalty and Slovic was “to be shot to death by musketry”. A stunned Slovic appealed to General Eisenhower for leniency. On this date General Eisenhower signed the order for the execution of Private Slovic. Eisenhower was in no mood for mercy either because of all the American casualties and the “Battle of the Bulge” was well under way where thousands of Allied solders were being slaughtered. In January of 1945 Private Slovic was stood up before a squad of 12 riflemen and shot to death. None of the riflemen even flinched because they believed that Slovic was getting what he deserved. He was the first American soldier executed for desertion since the Civil War.



1783   After the signing of the Treaty of Paris which declared the United States as a separate and sovereign nation General George Washington resigns as commander-in-chief of the American Army. He told his men this:



"Happy in the confirmation of our independence and sovereignty, and pleased with the opportunity afforded the United States of becoming a respectable nation, I resign with satisfaction the appointment I accepted with diffidence; a diffidence in my abilities to accomplish so arduous a task; which however was superseded by a confidence in the rectitude of our cause, the support of the supreme power of the Union, and the patronage of Heaven.”



George Washington wished to go back to his plantation and live the life of a gentleman planter but his country called again when he was elected our first President. As I have said before, we were very fortunate to have the group of Patriots that we had on our side during this time frame. It almost seems like an act of Providence for all of these things to come together as they did when they did.



1862 On this date the President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis declares US General Benjamin Butler a felon. This meant that if Butler was captured by Confederate forces he would be hanged on the spot. What happened was that the city of New Orleans was captured by US forces and Butler was made military governor. Butler’s leadership had nothing to do with the capture; it was the expertise of the US Navy commanded by David Porter. Anyway, Butler was a complete horse’s ass during his tenure. He allowed his troops to plunder the civilians personal effects. He also allowed his brother to set up shop in New Orleans and sell contraband that General Butler let him steal. And finally he issued General order No. 28. This abomination stated that if any lady insulted any of his troops, the lady would be assumed to be a prostitute and treated accordingly. In these days the ladies of the South were treated with great respect and honor. This order by Butler was the ultimate insult and President Davis essentially put a bounty on the head of Benjamin Butler.



Born today:



1896   Italian writer Giuseppe Lampedusa. He said “If you want things to remain as they are, they there will have to be some changes.” Huh?



1908   Armenian photographer Yousef Karsh. He said “There is a secret in every man and woman. It is my task as a photographer to reveal it if I can.”



Died today:



1834   English economist Edward Malthus. He said “Population, when unchecked, makes a geometrical progression of such a nature as to double itself every twenty-five years.” That is spooky, ya’ll, but this was before “the pill”.



1959   English politico Edward Halifax. He said “True merit, like a river, the deeper it is the less noise it makes.” Good thinking, Ed.



Thanks for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow.