Thursday

                          Musings and History

Quote of the day:

Here is part of a letter by Sullivan Ballou an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

"But, O Sarah! If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the garish day and in the darkest night -- amidst your happiest scenes and gloomiest hours - always, always; and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath; or the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by.

Sarah, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again."

Sullivan Ballou was killed at the Battle of 1st Manassas a week later.

                  This Date in History   April 6

1862 CSA General Albert Sidney Johnson and his army based in Corinth, Mississippi detected a US army led by US General Ulysses Grant headed his way from Tennessee. He also found out that Grant has the army of US General Don Carlos Buell moving down the Tennessee River by boat to provide reinforcements. Johnson decided that now is the time to strike before both armies are joined. On this date the CSA army slams into the Union right flank and the battle is joined near a church named Shiloh Baptist Church which is close to Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River. The howling Confederates are well arrayed and well led and begin a push forcing the Union forces back closer and closer to the river. As the battle reaches a critical point, Grant knows that if the Confederates are not slowed or delayed, the Union army would be annihilated or forced to surrender with their back against the river. So he ordered an infantry unit to stop the Rebel advance at all costs to allow Grant to organize a defense. A particular Union infantry unit dug in and would not budge. The Confederate advance was indeed slowed and when CSA General Johnson rode forward to encourage his troops to advance he was killed by a shot through the thigh and he bled out in a matter of minutes. There was a brief time of confusion before Johnson was replaced by CSA General Beauregard but the delay provided by the stubbornness of the US infantry unit at a place that became known as “The Hornets Nest”. This unit was eventually surrounded and surrendered but not before the Confederates lined up four cannon hub to hub and fired one blast of canister which shattered their position. The brief confusion with the death of Johnson, gave Grant enough time to set up a defense and for a few Union warships to arrive and provide naval gunfire to turn back the Confederates. Beauregard called a halt to the attack after dark then US General Don Carlos Buell’s army arrived during the night. The next morning Grant launched a counter attack that drove the Confederates from the field. The first day of this battle is one of the bloodiest single days in United States military history. Had not that US infantry unit held their ground at the Hornet’s Nest and General Johnson had not been killed, the war probably been over that day and we would have been at least two nations.

1776 On this date the Continental Congress opened all its ports to international trade. Earlier the British has been trying to control the colonies by restricting trade. First the British ruled that the colonies could only trade with Great Britain and then when that didn’t work, the put an embargo of any trade with the colonies. Then they tried to seal off all the American ports and that didn’t work either. We won anyway.

1895 On this date the famous Scottish writer Oscar Wilde is sentenced to prison. A few years earlier Oscar, a flaming homosexual, had been having a relationship with the son of the Marquis of Queensbury much to the Marquis’ chagrin. The Marquis finally called Oscar a homosexual in the press and Oscar sued for slander. The Marquis had no problem with providing a ton of evidence showing that Oscar was indeed aflame which in those days was a crime in England. So Oscar lost his law suit and went to the joint. The strange thing was that after he was released his writings became even better. I guess he got an attitude adjustment in the joint, or some kind of adjustment.

1832 In 1767 the future chief of the Sauk Indians Black Hawk was born in the village of Saukenuk in present day Illinois. From the very beginning of his life he and his tribe had to deal with the encroachment of the honkie settlers coming in from the east. Eventually one of the Sauk chiefs met with a group of honkies. The honkies fed this chief a bunch of whiskey and then persuaded him to cede all their lands west of the Mississippi. The honkies began moving in on Black Hawk’s village which eventually became Rock Island, Illinois. Black Hawk got fed up and on this date, began a war against these white devils. He was successful at first but units of the United States Army came in and put a stop to it. Eventually Black Hawk was forced to surrender and the Native Americans took yet another step toward oblivion.

1830 It is on this day that Joseph Smith organized the first Church of God of Latter Day Saints in Fayette County, New York. This was the first Mormon Church in America. I guess y'all know the history of Joseph Smith. A thumbnail sketch is that he claimed that he was visited by a Christian angel name Moroni who led him to a buried golden book with indecipherable writings. Maroni empowered Smith with the power to read the book and he deciphered it to different people, including his wife, who translated it into English. The book was supposedly the history of an ancient Hebrew sect that made it to North America. This book was known as the Book of Mormon and is the basis for the Mormon religion. Joseph Smith and his followers were kicked out of several states primarily because of their polygamy. Joseph Smith and his son were hanged outside Carthage, Illinois but the people of the church, led by Brigham Young, moved on and finally settled in the Great Salt Lake Valley, Utah.

Born today:

1892 US newscaster/explorer Lowell Thomas. He said “After you reach the age of 80 everything you see reminds you of something else.” Say, that reminds me.....

1725 Italian writer Giovanni de Seingalt. He said “Every man is free, but not if he does not believe it”. I believe it Gio, just test me.

1882 Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. He said “Music is better understood by children and animals.” I hope Igor did not include Rap in this generalization.

Died today:

1998 US country singer Tammy Wynette. She said “I never said I was the best singer in the world, just the loudest.” Stand by your man, Tammy.

                 Thanks for listening   I can hardly wait until tomorrow.