Browsing: June 1

A Brief History On June 1, 1862, the Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks, was fought during the American Civil War. Both sides claimed victory in the battle, a phenomenon often seen after battles. Digging Deeper In this case, the Union forces were on the offensive in an attempt to take the Confederate capital, Richmond, and were stopped by the Army of Northern Virginia.  Both sides suffered numerous casualties, although the Confederates suffered more casualties, 6,134 to the Union’s 5,431. The Union could claim victory due to fewer casualties and the failure of the…

A Brief History This article presents a chronological list of notable events that happened on June 1st.  For each date below, please click on the date to be taken to an article covering that date’s event. Digging Deeper On June 1, 1495, a Dominican Friar of the Stirling house in Scotland named John Cor is the first person named in a written reference to Scotch Whisky, while the first known written reference to Scotch dates from 1494. On June 1, 1813, the commander of the USS Chesapeake, James Lawrence, lay dying, and uttered the immortal words, “Don’t give up the…

A Brief History On June 1, 1495, a Dominican Friar of the Stirling house in Scotland named John Cor is the first person named in a written reference to Scotch Whisky, while the first known written reference to Scotch dates from 1494. Digging Deeper Although originally written in Latin, a translated version of the entry in the Exchequer Rolls is: “To Brother John Cor, by order of the King, to make aqua vitae VIII bolls of malt.” Note that the description of the whisky, aqua vitae, means “water of life,” an indication of the importance of the wonderful liquid refreshment…

A Brief History On June 1, 2009, General Motors, once the single corporation that most personified America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a shocking turn of events for a once mighty company.  So iconic was General Motors, that US Secretary of Defense (1953-1957) Charles Wilson, a former CEO of General Motors, has been often misquoted as saying, “What’s good for GM is what’s good for the country.”  The real quote was not quite as provocative, but still very telling about the importance of GM to the United States and vice versa.  When a US Senator asked Wilson about the conflict…

A Brief History On June 1, 1879, the so-called “Napoleon IV” died in the unlikely service of the British Army fighting Zulu warriors in what is now South Africa. Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the only child of Napoleon III, Emperor of the French. Digging Deeper Born in Paris in 1856, the little Louis-Napoléon had the distinction of having the Pope as his Godfather at his baptism! His Godmother was Josephine, Queen of Sweden, the granddaughter of Napoleon I’s first wife, Josephine. In spite of this auspicious beginning, the young Bonaparte was fated to never succeed his father on the throne of Imperial…