Anecdote
OVER EIGHTEEN
This is the third anniversary of this site. In honor of that, I am posting one of my favorite anecdotes. It’s a Civil War story and makes light of the fact that many underage boys enlisted. It is estimated that Read more…
Anecdote
THE BLACK SOX SCANDAL
The Chicago White Sox were the best team in baseball in 1919. They were the clear favorites to win the World Series. But they didn’t. Because some of the players cheated. It all started when infielder Chick Gandil contacted some Read more…
Anecdote
ARCHIMEDES’ SIEGE ENGINES
Archimedes was one of the greatest minds of the Ancient World. He lived in Syracuse on the island of Sicily. In 215 BCE, Roman general Marcellus laid siege to the city. Being a patriot, Archimedes aided the defense of Read more…
Anecdote
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER
GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER’S EDUCATION – One day in 1878, Mariah Watkins found a fourteen year-old African-American boy sleeping in her wood pile. She took him in and enrolled him in the local one room school house. He did chores and Read more…
Anecdote
GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS AN INCREDIBLY LUCKY MAN
In 1752, the 19-year-old Washington was on an expedition in the wilds of Pennsylvania. His Indian guide took a shot at him that whizzed by his head. In 1755, Washington was serving as an aide to British Gen. Braddock and Read more…
Anecdote
THE COMBAT OF THE 30
In 1351, France hosted the Breton War of Succession (1341 – 1365). This was a sub-war to the Hundred Years’ War. It was fought for control of the Duchy of Brittany. Jean de Beaumanoir, a prominent knight of the Read more…
Anecdote
THE GOLDEN SPIKE
Here’s the true story of the most famous moment in railroad history. It occurred on May 10, 1869. The finishing of the transcontinental railroad at Promontory, Utah was a big event. A huge crowd was gathered, including many railroad Read more…
Anecdote
THE FEMALE PAUL REVERE
On April 25, 1777, a force of 2,000 redcoats landed at Westport, Connecticut and marched on Danbury. There they burned homes and destroyed rebel supplies. The raid was similar to the one on Concord, Massachusetts a year earlier. Col. Read more…
Anecdote
CARRYING THE COLORS
One of the most dangerous jobs in a Civil War army was carrying your unit’s flag into battle. The colors, as they were called were carried at the front of the unit as it moved towards the enemy. This Read more…
Anecdote
THE FIRST “COLORED CADET” TO GRADUATE FROM WEST POINT
Henry Flipper was born into slavery in 1856. A bright child, he went on to Atlanta University. While a freshman there, he received an appointment to West Point. He was one of five “colored cadets” that entered the military Read more…