Monday

                              Musings and History

Quote of the day:

“The main dangers in the like “as is” people that want to change everything---or nothing.”

                                                         Nancy Astor

Trivia question of the day:

Who was the first African-American to win an Oscar? Answer at the end of the blog.

                       This Date in History   March 19

1865 Earlier, as we all know, US General Ulysses Grant tasked US General William T. Sherman with starting at Chattanooga, Tennessee and going down the middle of Georgia all the way to Savannah burning and destroying everything in sight. This was the first time war was prosecuted against civilians in American history. After resting a month in Savannah, Sherman turned his 60,000 man army north through the center of South Carolina and on into the center of North Carolina. After laying waste to Columbia, South Carolina Sherman sent a message to General Grant saying that there was no appreciable resistance left from the Confederate army in the Carolinas and he was on his way to join Grant in his siege of the Confederate forces under CSA General Robert E. Lee entrenched at Petersburg, Virginia. The commander of the Confederate Army in the Carolinas was CSA General Joseph E. Johnston. Somehow Johnston was able to assemble an army of about 17,000 and decided to make a stand at Bentonville, North Carolina. Even though Sherman had split his army into two branches with one going through the center of South and North Carolina and the other following the coast, Johnson would be outnumbered nearly two to one whichever way he went so he chose Bentonville. Johntson launched a surprise attack and was initially successful but eventually the Union forces overwhelmed him by numbers alone. Johnston was threatened with encirclement and withdrew to the north. Johnston had no intention of defeating Sherman’s army but was trying to delay the joining of Sherman and Grant. After this debacle Johnston sent a message to Lee saying that he could not slow down Sherman but just irritate him. Soon thereafter Johnston surrendered to Sherman in Charlotte, North Carolina. In about a month, Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered to Grant at Appomattox.

1831 On this date the very first bank robbery in the United States happened in New York City. An English immigrant named Edward Smith walked into the City Bank on the newly formed street of Wall Street and stuck them up for $245,000. This was enormous sum for time. As you might suspect there was no such thing as a fast getaway because the mode of transportation was a horse or a bicycle. Anyway, the police found Edward in short order and retrieved most of the booty. According to the FBI 70 to 80 percent of all attempted bank robberies fail at the outset or the perpetrators are caught on site. In the late 1980’s the rate of bank robberies started an immense increase that was blamed of the increase of junkies. The robberies reached a peak in the mid-1990’s again putting the junkies as the villains. In the year 1991 the city of Los Angeles alone had 2,641 bank robberies. The oldest bank robber was in Miami and he was 87 years old. I guess he finally got fed up with the Latinos moving in around him and wanted enough money to escape, comprendo?

1842 On the date French playwright Honore Balzac trying to be cute, put out the word that his newest play that was opening this date, was sold out. Well, naturally no body showed up and the play opened to an empty house. Balzac was a wild one y'all. A very talented playwright but tended to be very irresponsible. He began writing under a pseudonym in case the play was a failure his name would not tarnish. Then his plays became very successful and he attached his name to them and began to be very wealthy. In typical Balzac fashion he used his profits and began a life of endless parties and investments in silver mines that later proved to be worthless and ended up bankrupt. Then he began serious writing to pay off his debts frequently working 12 to 14 hours a day. Soon Balzac became a famous and successful writer and filled the literary salons in Paris with his works. He died in Paris in 1850.

1864 One of the greatest of the western artists Charles M. Russell is born in Saint Louis, Missouri. At an early age Russell showed a propensity for sketching and modeling with wax. When he was 16 he was sent to live with a sheepherder in Montana. But Charlie was an adventuresome kid and left the sheepherder and joined up with a cattle rancher. It was during the long days and nights tending the herds that Russell began to make some serious models and sketches. He probably would have ended up as an itinerant ranch hand but he met up with and married a woman named Mary Cooper who encouraged Charlie to try and market his art. Some of Charlie’s works finally made it to New York City and even though the critics panned his work, the public loved it and he sold as much of his works as he could produce. Later on Charlie produced works about the American Indian and other famous persons. But he become melancholy knowing that the west he remembered was fading fast under the wheels of progress. He finally said to hell with it and moved to Great Falls, Montana where he lived out the rest of his days. He continued to paint and sculpt until his death in 1926. Anyone who has seen his paintings will never forget them. It was obvious that the person who painted them had first hand knowledge of what was being portrayed. There is no substitute for being there.

Born today:

1721 Scottish writer Tobias Smollett. He said “Some people are born wise and some are born otherwise.” To show you how my mind works, I think the commander of the ship in the book “Treasure Island” was Captain Smollett, the same name as the author of this quote.

1821 English writer Sir Richard Francis Burton. He said “The more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself.” Be careful there Dick, you are stepping on a lot of toes.

1824 Irish writer William Allingham. He said “Writing is learning to say nothing more cleverly every day.” That is the sign a true wordsmith

1848 US lawman Wyatt Earp. He said “Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything.” He ought to know, if anybody did

1906 German war criminal Adolph Eichmann. He said “Remorse is for children” Adolph went to meet his maker at the end of Jewish rope in Tel-Aviv after being tried and convicted of one being one of the worst monsters in history. They cremated this jack-ass and spread his ashes over the Mediterranean.

1955 US actor Bruce Willis. When asked about the difference between men and women he said “We men never experience childbirth, but we can open our own jars.”

Answer to the trivia question.

The first African-American to win and Oscar was Butterfly McQueen for her portrayal of “Mammy” in Gone With The Wind. She won Best Supporting Actor.

                   Thanks for listening   I can hardly wait until tomorrow