Tuesday OYSTERS

Good morning,

Quote of the day:

When asked how he wanted be remembered he said “I want to be remembered as a friend and loved by my family.”

                                                  Doc Watson

Recently deceased Civil War historian Shelby Foote refused to use any mechanical or electronic device to write his essays, he used only pencil and paper. Here is one of his stories: There was a group of 10 Confederate infantrymen encircled by 100 Union soldiers and the Confederates were ordered to surrender. They refused and continued to fight at a ferocious pace. Finally all the Confederates were killed except one and he was out of ammo. The Union soldiers closed in and the Confederate came out of his cover swinging his musket like a Louisville Slugger. The Union officer in charge ordered this Confederate not to be killed and he was finally overpowered and restrained. Afterward he was asked why he fought so hard. He did NOT say so that John Reynolds up in North Carolina could keep his slaves to tend to his tobacco fields...he did NOT say so that Wade Hampton III in South Carolina could keep his slaves to tend to his rice fields and cotton plantation...he did NOT say so that the Gwinnett brothers down in Georgia could keep their slaves to tend to their pecan orchards, peach orchards and corn fields...what he DID say say “I fought like this because y'all are down here.” He felt invaded as did 90% of the average Confederate infantrymen. That is why the ferocity and persistence of their attacks were without parallel regardless of the odds. To them the political mystique about slavery meant nothing, they were simply fighting to save their homes and families from invaders. That is why the Union army suffered a series of ignominious defeats in the early years of the war. The Confederates were more motivated than their enemy and most of the early battles were fought on Confederate soil...it is not that hard to understand.

Thanks Shelby

Speaking of politics, the Congressman from my district before the present one was named Bob Inglis. As I remember it his campaign slogan was “two terms and out”. When he was running for his SIXTH term he was defeated in the primaries by a bulldog named Trey Gowdy. When asked why he had betrayed us by ignoring his campaign promise he said that the power he had was intoxicating. Once he was defeated in the primaries he only had a few more months left in office. He and five or six more “lame duck” couples were sent on a “fact finding mission” to the Galapagos Islands off the west coast of Peru and then to the Great Barrier Reef east of Australia. They went on a US Air Force equivalent of a DC-9 with a catering crew aboard seeing to their every need. Intoxicating indeed, but it sickened the hell out of me.

This Date in History September 29

 

1908 Gene Autry is born in Tioga, Texas. At a young age his family moved to Oklahoma where Gene became a railroad telegrapher. One day while sitting in the train station strumming his guitar and singing, a stranger walked up and listened for a while and suggested that he should try singing on the radio. The stranger was the world famous Will Rogers and Will told Gene he should go to New York and who to contact. Gene did not succeed in The Big Apple and came back to Oklahoma and started a radio show that ran for many years. He started a successful TV show also along with making many B Grade movies. Gene was a wise investor and became one of the wealthiest men in America. Gene went to that great ranch in the sky in 1998. By the way, his horse’s name was Champion.

1862 In Louisville Ky. US Gen. Jefferson Davis (not the President of CSA) and US Gen. William Nelson got into a screaming argument in the lobby of a hotel. Nelson losses it and slaps Gen. Davis and headed upstairs. Davis followed him and pulled out a pistol and capped Nelson. Davis was never taken to trial for two reasons and that being Davis was a recognized as a superior military leader and the Governor of Indiana intervened in Davis’ behalf. The Governor was with Davis when the shot was fired. Davis went on the serve with distinction in the Chickamauga/Chattanooga campaign among others.

1748 The legendary British hero Horatio Nelson is born in Burnham Thorpe, England. If there ever was a military leader that needed to be canonized it was Nelson. Nelson joined the British Navy and went to sea as a midshipman at the age of 12 and became a Captain at the age of 20. In their seemingly unending battles with Spain and France Great Britain gave Nelson command of the 64 gun frigate HMS Agamemnon to beef up the naval forces. He immediately showed his peers his bravery and skill in naval warfare and I could spend an entire lesson on the adventures of Nelson. His life was one that would make a great novel. But briefly he won several important naval engagements that prevented Spain or France from invading England. During these battles he lost and eye and his right arm but kept his command. He had a lover who was the wife of a British diplomat along with a wife of his own. His lover’s husband Lord Hamilton allowed the tryst because of Nelson’s importance in his country. Finally he was in command of the frigate HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar where his navy crushed the French navy that was in support of Napoleon stopping him from invading England. During this battle Nelson was shot in the shoulder and chest by a French sharpshooter. Knowing he was close to death Nelson uttered the famous phrase “Thank God I have done my duty.” After he died, his body was put into a barrel of rum to preserve it while reroute back to England for a heroes burial. He was buried at the famous St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. I have been to St. Paul’s and have seen the statue of Nelson at, you guessed it, Trafalgar Square. From that time on the rum kept aboard ships was known as “Nelson’s blood”

Born today:

1547 Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes. He said “Where there is music there can be no evil.” Miguel is the author of The Man of La Mancha better known as Don Quixote, one of the most read and beloved creations of literature in history.

1810 English writer Elizabeth Gaskell. She said “I’ll never listen to reason. Reason means that you are listening to what someone else has to say.” Good thinking, Liz.

1889 German author Martin Heidegger. He said “Man acts if he were the shaper and master of language, when in fact language remains the master.” Hey Martin, did you say something?

1903 US actress Greer Garson. When speaking about Marlon Brando she said “Actors like him are good but I do not like people that try to communicate with their armpits.” Marlon was one of my favorites but he has gone to that great sound stage in the sky.

1935 US rock and roll pianist Jerry Lee Lewis. He said “If I go to hell, I will go playing a piano.” Jerry Lee married his 14 year old cousin at one time. A lot of people remember Jerry Lee for the song Great Balls of Fire but I think his rendition of Hank Williams’ Born to Lose is his best. It really gets to me.

1943 Polish leader Lech Welesa. He said “I must tell you that the supply of words worldwide is increasing, but it appears the demand is falling.” I agree with you, Lech.

            Thanks for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow