Browsing: Military

A Brief History On April 27, 1865, the paddle-wheel steamboat, SS Sultana was carrying 2427 people when she blew up, killing 1800! Digging Deeper The Mississippi steamboat was jammed with soldiers returning North from the Civil War, mostly Union soldiers who had been in Confederate prisoner of war camps (especially Cahawba and Andersonville). Crowded onto the riverboat designed to carry only 376 people, many of the soldiers were emaciated and ailing from their time in the horrendous prison camps.  The ship had started from New Orleans and had made a stop at Vicksburg (Mississippi) in order to repair a boiler. …

A Brief History The French Revolution was easily one of the most significant political revolutions in history and Napoleon was one of the greatest military leaders of all time.  Their era in history is not surprisingly full of bizarre moments as captured in the following timeline. Prologue On September 29, 1758 (New Style Calendar), one of the greatest naval heroes of all time was born, Horatio Nelson, the man that would become Vice Admiral and 1st Viscount Nelson, the hero of Trafalgar. On August 15, 1769, Napoleon Bonaparte was born.  He would later go on to be known for many things,…

A Brief History On April 24, 1885, Annie Oakley joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and went on to become America’s first female superstar.  Other women, famous or infamous, left their mark on the history of the American frontier.  Here are 10 well known ladies of the West. 10. Pearl Hart. Proving that the fair sex can be just as rotten as the next guy, Pearl came from Canada to live it up in the American West in the 1880’s.  Hooking up with an outlaw named Joe Boot (not her husband) she went on a crime spree robbing stagecoaches.  Drinking…

A Brief History On April 22, 1983, the world was shocked to hear that the Diaries of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler had allegedly been found. Digging Deeper Stern, a respectable German magazine, reported that they had received the diaries that had been found in the wreckage of an airplane crash in East Germany. Obviously, with documents of such great historical importance the establishing of their authenticity was the first order of business, and Stern allowed representatives of Times Newspapers (British) and Newsweek (American) to view the documents.   The diaries were declared genuine and the world was prepared to reassess what…

A Brief History On April 20, 1918, Baron Manfred von Richtofen shot down the last enemy airplanes of his short but spectacular career. Digging Deeper The German aviator known as The Bloody Red Baron, just a few days short of his 26th birthday, lead the German fighter plane unit called The Flying Circus.  The actual name of Richtofen’s command was Jagdgeschwarder 1, which is not as catchy of a name.  The highest scoring ace of World War I, Richtofen was feared and respected by his French and British foes, whom he terrorized in his bright red Fokker Triplane. Richtofen was born in…