Musings
and History
Quote
of the day:
“Life
is like riding a bicycle, to maintain your balance you must keep
moving.”
Albert
Einstein
A
while back at Sonny’s Café over in Gaffney, SC four teenagers as
young as 16 walked in and tried to stick up the joint at about 3:30a
on a Saturday morning. Little did the robbers know that Sonny’s
had been robbed three days before and that all of the restaurant
employees were armed. The employees opened fire and all of the
robbers were hit including one fatally. Where are these kid’s
parents? What are they doing out at 3:30a? It is too late to worry
about it now.
This
Date in History May 10
1869
On this date the track layers from the Union Pacific railroad meet
the track layers from the Central Pacific railroad at Promontory,
Utah completing a railroad that went from the American east coast to
the west coast. This last section began heading toward each other
from Omaha, Nebraska and Sacramento, California. Since 1832 American
legislators realized that a continental railroad would be necessary
for western expansion but it was not until 1856 that money was
appropriated for the completion of the last leg. The tension between
the northern and Southern states got into the way for a few years but
both sides knew the importance of this railroad. The railroad
workers working west from Omaha were primarily Irish immigrants and
the workers coming east from Sacramento were primarily Chinese
immigrants. The workers that crossed the Great Plains from Omaha
encountered the savage plains tribes who mystified by this great
“Iron Horse” crossing their land and attacked often, not to
mention the blistering heat in the summer and the blizzards in the
winter. The Chinese coolies had the unenviable task of crossing the
Sierra Nevada Mountains. At times entire crews were wiped out in
avalanches and inopportune dynamite blasts. Once they reached the
eastern slope of the Rockies they suffered from the hostile Indian
tribes and the weather also. But in spite of all that hardship, the
railroad was completed on time and under budget. It was a tribute to
the will of man to overcome the wilderness. Now pioneers could reach
California and Oregon in a matter of days rather than by ox-cart and
several months. Or the 22,000 miles by ship that included a
harrowing trip around Cape Horn on the southern tip of South America.
With the completion of this link between east and west our country
grew exponentially and made some railroad owners mighty wealthy.
1865
In early April CSA General Robert E. Lee warned the Confederate
Government in Richmond that it was unlikely he could protect that
city for much longer and it would be wise for them to reestablish the
Confederacy at another location. Soon after that, the President of
the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis left Richmond with several of his
staff and moved temporarily to Danville, Virginia. Davis was
extremely upset at the failure of the Confederacy and began to try to
establish diplomatic relations with England and France In the hopes
of saving the Confederacy. He left Danville and headed on down into
Georgia and was captured by US General James Wilson and the 4th
Michigan Cavalry near Irwinville, Georgia. Davis was brought back to
Fort Monroe, Virginia where he was imprisoned for two years and
charged with treason but was never tried. The reason was the US
Government was afraid that Davis could prove to a court that the
Southern secession was legal under Federal Law. Finally Davis was
released on bail with the help of several wealthy northern
businessmen. Davis tried several business ventures but eventually
said to hell with it and retired to his mansion Beavoir
in Biloxi, Mississippi and began writing his two volume book The
Rise and Fall of the Confederacy.
He died in 1889 and was buried in New Orleans. Four years later he
was disinterred and buried in Richmond, Virginia where he spent his
most turbulent and memorable years.
1863
On this date one of the finest military officers this country has
ever produced died of pneumonia near Guinea Station, Virginia. CSA
General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was delirious with fever and
his last words were “Let us cross over the river and rest under the
trees.” Jackson was born near Clarksburg, West Virginia and was
raised by his uncles and grandparents and had a very lonely
childhood. He had only a rudimentary education but was able to
secure a selection to the United States Military Academy at West
Point. He studied hard and was able to graduate 17th
in a class of 59. As with most of his classmates he went into the
Mexican War almost immediately after graduating. Jackson proved to be
a superior officer which was acknowledged many times. After the
Mexican War he resigned and became an instructor at Virginia Military
Institute but at the outbreak of the Civil War he offered his
services to the Confederacy. Jackson got his nickname of “Stonewall”
at the Battle of 1st
Manassas when the Confederates were being driven back and CSA General
Bernard Bee of South Carolina saw that Jackson and his division were
not retreating and yelled “Look, there is Jackson stand like a
stone wall, rally around the Virginians!” Rally they did and
turned the battle around from a retreat to a complete rout of the
Union Army. I am not going into detail about the many exploits of
this great leader hoping that just this taste of his leadership
ability will inspire y'all to look into it for yourselves. By the
way General Bernard Bee was killed in this battle.
1996
On this date eight members of the same climbing expedition died in
a storm Mount Everest. In fact, between 1980 and 2002, 91 people
have died trying to conquer this mountain. It was in 1953 that New
Zealand mountain climber Sir Edmund Hillary and his Nepalese guide
Tensing Norgay were the first to reach the summit. But since then
the climbing equipment has improved to where even an intermediate
climber has the capability to make the trek. Therein lays the rub.
Many people that do not have the right experience think they can
climb Mount Everest counting on their superior equipment alone.
“You
can’t fool the mountain, Pilgrim, the mountain has its own ways.”
this is a quote by “Bear Claw” Chris Lapp in the movie Jeremiah
Johnson.
Chris Lapp was portrayed by Will Geer. There really was a mountain
man/trapper “Bear Claw” Chris Lapp.
Born today:
1899
US dancer Fred Astaire. He said “The hardest problem facing
kids today is trying to learn good manners without ever seeing any.”
1965
Canadian supermodel Linda Evangelista. She said “I don’t get
out of bed for less that $10,000 a day.” Do it now Linda. Beauty
is fleeting, ugly is forever.
Died today:
1863
CSA General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson. He said “Always
try to mystify, mislead and surprise your enemy if possible.”
Sounds like my last marriage.
Thanks for
listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow
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