June 22, 2009, 10:25 PM | #326 | |
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Cheese. Civil War era
We melt it over our corn chips, we throw a slice on the burger, we top our pizza with the stuff. It comes in many colors, sizes, shapes and flavors. But do you know how to make it? Here's a fine recipe I found recently:
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June 22, 2009, 10:38 PM | #327 |
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Not exactly about firearms, but with a war theme:
The airport tower controllers at Munich Airport are reportedly pretty arrogant and autocratic. One day a British Airways 707 landed, and on roll out was told by ground control what gate to go to, but no directions there were given. So the pilot stopped the rollout, came to rest on the runway and took a look at the airport map for a way to get there. The tower says, "British Air, clear the runway." The British pilot says, "You cleared me to a gate but offered no directions; when I can find it on my map, I'll be on my way." The tower says, "Never been to Munich before, eh?" The British pilot says, "Yes, I was here 3 times, in 1944, but it was dark and we didn't stop." |
June 24, 2009, 05:56 PM | #328 | |
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Army clothing - some things don't change
I'm reading another regimental history, this time of the 49th Massacusetts.
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July 4, 2009, 10:45 PM | #329 | |
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Black bakers v. White bakers!
First, an apology. I've read about four books about the Civil War, and only one of them had anything to offer for this column. It is posted above. Since then, I haven't been finding anything. Presently, I'm reading a book on the Austro-Prussian War.
Now, onto our topic of black bakers versus white bakers. First, this is not a race riot as one might think. Rather, it is between baking guilds, as explained in the snippet below: Quote:
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July 17, 2009, 05:38 AM | #330 | |
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Womanly compassion
Here's an amusing tidbit from Rutherford B. Hayes's diary. Hayes served in the Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
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July 20, 2009, 05:56 PM | #331 | |||
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In a Nov. 27, 1861 letter we learn that Lt. Col. Rutherford B. Hayes sends a neat gift home to one of his sons. It may have had a surprise inside and it's not a crackerjack toy either:
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Post edited to add some on-line research. Click on this link. It may be the gun that is the subject of the above excerpts: Here. There are two M1841 rifles in the collection but one was captured in 1863 - far too late to be the one that is the subject of the above letters. I emailed the museum and will post their response. Update: Here's their response Quote:
I've gotten up to May 25, 1862 of his book (OK, so I read a couple of books by Russians on the Chechen Wars) and Hayes mentions "tomorrow a couple of men leave here for Camp Chase with a prisoner. I shall send a Mississippi rifle with them. This is the most formidable weapon used against us in this region by the Rebels (West Virginia); they will leave it either with you or at Platt's in Columbus."
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July 20, 2009, 09:49 PM | #332 | |
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And now for something completely different
This is from an antebellum newspaper that I read. It was actually over 150 years old and not some micro-film copy. The paper must have been a cotton fiber paper and not a wood-pulp based paper. It wasn't crumbling and yellowed. I was asked to research something for an editor and this is what I dug out for him.
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July 23, 2009, 06:32 PM | #333 | |
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There is no stronger bond than the affection of love
The Tuesday, March 4, 1862 entry of Rutherford B. Hayes in his diary doesn't quite say that though. I'll let you judge for yourself.
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August 23, 2009, 10:27 PM | #334 | |
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Why men run from battle is explained.
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September 13, 2009, 06:30 PM | #335 |
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Terry-Broderick Duel
After a meeting today to discuss the 2010 Annual West Coast Civil War Conference, a buddy and I went to Daly City to see the reenactment of the Terry Broderick Duel. It was hosted by the Historical Guild of Daly City which had reenactors in period attire.
Terry was a Kentuckian by birth who, at age six, moved with his family to Texas. Orphaned at thirteen, he later joined the Texas Rangers before leaving for California in 1849 to make his fortune in the Gold Rush. Once there, he found there was more money to be made as a lawyer in Stockton. Terry was picked for the California Supreme Court and served on it. As a southerner, Terry believed that slavery was a noble and benevolent institution. The Kansas debate split the Democratic Party and Terry belonged to the faction of that party that believed that Kansas should be a slave state. His bid for reelection was not successful and Terry blamed his misfortune on David Broderick. Son of a stonemason, David Broderick was born in Washington, D. C. and taught that trade by his father. He became adept at politics and moved out to San Francisco where he showed his political aptitude by fundraising. He minted $5 and $10 gold coins that had only $4 and $8 of gold in them respectively (and realized a 25% profit on every coin). He was elected to the Senate. Broderick was taking breakfast at the International Hotel (Jackson and Kearney Street back in the 1970s but it may have been elsewhere in 1859) when he read Terry's vitriolic speech that denounced him. Angered, he made a remark that reached Terry. Terry, being a southerner, was quick to defend any perceived slight against his honor. Said to be quick tempered, Terry was an excellent shot with pistols. He challenged Broderick to a duel and the two agreed to meet. Broderick considered himself the best shot in California and readily agreed to the duel. They met, but were arrested for dueling. The charges were dropped as the parties had not dueled yet and no illegal act was committed. They met again on Sept. 13, 1859. A coin was tossed and Terry won the right to select the set of pistols. Terry selected a set of Belgian made pistols that were known to have hair triggers. The pistols selected, the men stood back-to-back and paced off. They turned and were given the order to fire. Broderick, unaware of the hair trigger, discharged his gun while it was still pointed toward the ground. Terry deliberately raised his pistol, aimed and fire a shot which fell Broderick. A doctor examined Broderick and declared that the wound was not lethal. The men parted and Broderick was taken in a bumpy carriage ride to a friend's home in Fort Mason where he died three days later. The house he is said to have died in is still occupied to this day and its occupant says that while it is haunted, it is not a malicious spirit. Broderick was buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery and was later removed to Colma. Terry survived the war. In Stockton, California, he became angry at a US Supreme Court Justice and slapped him. An angered US Marshal rose up and said, "You can't do that," and at the same time, drew his pistol and shot Terry dead. Terry is buried in Stockton. His descendants still live in California. It was a nifty show that had band music at the beginning and refreshments at the end.
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September 20, 2009, 02:06 PM | #336 | |
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Firearms Safety
Ezekiel Baker, the man who built the rifle that was carried by the 5/60 (Royal Americans and later King's Royal Rifle Corps) and also the 95th (Rifle Brigade), cautioned his readers about the necessity of teaching youngsters firearms safety. He penned his words sixty years earlier that this article from the Oct. 19, 1873 edition of the New York Times:
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October 2, 2009, 06:31 PM | #337 | |
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Here's something from The Onion and if you don't know about The Onion, shame on you!
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October 3, 2009, 08:45 AM | #338 | |
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One shot stopping power revisited
From Rutherford B. Hayes's Diary & Letters page 534 we have an interesting example of the failure of one shot stops
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November 3, 2009, 09:17 AM | #339 | |
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Too good not to share
OK, since I finished the book, I've started reading modern stuff like WW II aviation and sniping books again. Recently I attended the Annual West Coast Civil War Conference in Clovis, CA and one bookseller, Lee Meredith, had Alexander V. Pyl'cyn's book, Penalty Strike, for sale. It's the wartime experience of an officer in a Soviet Penal Battalion. Having done no wrong, he was selected to lead a platoon because of his outstanding qualifications. Here's an excerpt that is worthy of Rambling Anecdotes:
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November 25, 2009, 09:07 PM | #340 | |
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Love at first sight (a modern story)
Forgive me for I am sinning. I'm still reading modern material. This is a story of youth and love at first sight. I'm sure everyone here will understand how the writer feels.
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December 8, 2009, 09:30 PM | #341 | |
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From John Coski's book, Capitol Navy: The James River Squadron, is a tale of a Confederate midshipman who was somewhat less than gentlemanly.
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December 30, 2009, 12:15 AM | #342 | |
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I am assagaid! I am assagaid!
If you remember the movie Zulu! or Zulu Dawn, you remember the short thrusting spear of the Zulu. Here's one gallant Englishman's panicked response at a mistaken night attack. It's not the stuff of stoic Victorian era heroics that we are normally accustomed to reading.
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January 2, 2010, 06:39 PM | #343 | |
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More from the same book.
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January 7, 2010, 11:34 PM | #344 | |
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Da-yam, just da-yam!
One thing researching the black-powder sharpshooter taught me was to overcome my prejudice about reading books written by non-combatants who wrote contemporaneous to the time of the conflict. For my research on Gettysburg, I read material written by a 15 year old girl (Tille Alleman Pierce) and by some boys who lived in Gettysburg. A veteran loaned me Merrill Mattes book, "Indians, Infants and Infantry: Andrew and Elizabeth Burt on the Frontier." Ranger Mattes annotated and edited Elizabeth Burt's diary. Elizabeth was married to Andrew Burt who was an infantry captain in the 18th U.S. Infantry in the Civil War. Post-war Burt and his command served on the frontier and fortunately for us, he took Elizabeth with him. She was witness to many incidents and her observations are well worth reading. I share one with you now. It concerns a Shoshone Indian Chief, Washakie who met Elizabeth Burt at Fort Bridger. They used his interpreter until Elizabeth mastered some Shoshone words along with Indian sign language.
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January 11, 2010, 02:08 PM | #345 | |
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We'll eat your harse
It is well established that an Apache of the 19th Century can outlast a horse. While the horse will have a quicker start and run faster, given a longer period, the slower, jogging Apache will past up the exhausted horse. Well, here's something that Maj. Andrew Burt recalled:
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January 24, 2010, 02:37 PM | #346 | |
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Nymph of the pave
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January 25, 2010, 09:09 PM | #347 | |
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February 3, 2010, 06:50 PM | #348 | |
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Take care of your captain and how to tame dogs
The following story involves a German rifleman of the British Army's King's German Legion who, like all worthy Napoleonic Era men of war, was adept at foraging. After all, when your army fails to provide for your fare, one must provide for himself as does this soldier. Our hero stands accused of theft and allows his accuser to air her grievances to his commanding officer.
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Born to a weaver, Lindau was apprenticed to a shoemaker and finding his master a hard taskmaster, fled to England where he enlisted in the 2nd Battalion of the King's German Legion. His unit becomes part of Wellington's army that returns to Portugal in 1811. Most of the book is an account of Lindau's foraging across the Peninsula. He does see his share of fighting including brawls involving the Portuguese natives who are unhappy about the "heretics" in their country. Fighting with distinction at Victoria and at Waterloo, Lindau is one of the few riflemen to be awarded the Geulphic Medal (which carried a pension). His account at the famous Belgian farmhouse at La Haye Sainte is vivid and is supplemented by two appendices written by KGL officers who also fought there.
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March 6, 2010, 11:54 AM | #349 | |
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Stealing from Stonewall Jackson
We all know Sam Watkins of the First Tennessee. He penned his famous memoirs, Company Aytch, which gives a private's view of the Civil War. Lesser known is Marcus B. Toney of First Tennessee's Company B. Toney penned, "The Privations of a Private." Here's an excerpt.
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March 21, 2010, 08:11 AM | #350 |
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Not a blackpowder era story
OK, blackpowder guns really stopped being used during World War I. The German Askaris in German East Afrika (Tanganika or modern day Tanzania) were armed with the blackpowder cartridge Model 71 Mauser bolt action rifle. After beating the British Indian Army, they were reequipped with the more modern smokeless SMLE. However, this story dates to World War I.
The American submarine H-3 grounded in Humboldt County, California (near Eureka on the northern coast of that sinful state). The Navy advertised for a salvager to help them get their beached sub back into the water. An old logger saw the ad and offered his services. When the Navy inquired as to his background, it learned that the old logger had never been to sea and never even saw a submarine in his life. Despite his assertion that to him it was just a bigger log, and tell that to a modern submarine skipper, the Navy's experts rejected him outright and decided to do it themselves. The experts called in the cruiser Milwaukee. Fitted with a million dollars worth of towing lines and other salvage gear, the Milwaukee stood off in the ocean and attached the lines to the beached submarine. The result? Well, thanks to the tide, the Milwaukee beached herself as the stubborn sub was too well anchored in sand to be moved. Now there was a predicament! The navy had two ships that were now stranded. The logger's techniques were now used to rescue H-3. However, his equipment couldn't handle the Milwaukee and no one could figure out how to rescue her. The end result is that the $7 million dollar cruiser remained beached as a total loss.
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