Browsing: September 13

A Brief History On September 13, 2019, we “celebrate” another Friday the 13th, the legendary bad luck spooky day, a day so scary an iconic motion picture franchise is based on its name!  Just a note to make this year’s edition of Friday the 13th a little scarier, tonight we will experience a “Harvest Moon,” an event that has not coincided with a Friday the 13th since the year 2000.  Oh boy, does this mean we have to deal with werewolves and vampires as well as general bad luck?  At least we will be able to see with the light…

A Brief History On September 13, 1848, a railroad worker was skewered with an iron rod over an inch in diameter.  He lived, and what is amazing, is the rod went right through his brain!  We previously told the tale of Phineas Gage and his incredible survival, and today we list 10 such amazing stories of survival against incredible odds.  (Note: These are tales of individual survival.  We will do group survival another time!) Digging Deeper 1. Phineas Gage, 1848. Phineas Gage was 25-years old at the time and had been using 13-pound iron rod to tamp explosives into holes that had been bored…

A Brief History On September 13, 1862, the Army of Northern Virginia and their commander, Robert E. Lee, suffered a catastrophic blunder when Lee’s battle plans for the upcoming Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg to the Rebels) were found near Frederick, Maryland by Union soldiers. Digging Deeper The orders, known as “Special Order 191” were found wrapped around 3 cigars where they had been lost by a Confederate officer, gave the Union forces under George McClellan a tremendous advantage.  As it was, Lee had half the forces that the Union had available, and the battle was fought to a stalemate, something…

A Brief History On September 13, 1848, a Vermont railroad worker suffered a bizarre injury when a 3-foot metal rod went right through his head and proceeded to land 80 feet away.  Digging Deeper Phineas Gage was 25-years old at the time and had been using 13-pound iron rod to tamp explosives into holes that had been bored in rock in order to blast a path for a railway.  An unexpected explosion occurred, and the rod penetrated the left side of his face and exited out the top of his head, passing behind his left eye.  Although much of Gage’s frontal brain lobe was damaged…