Gouverneur K. Warren and Joshua Chamberlain probably saved the Union from defeat in the battle, and perhaps the war itself, a hundred and fifty years ago today.
Category Archives: History
Sesquicentennial
It’s been a century and a half since the beginning of one of the (if not the) most consequential battles of American (and indeed, world) history. It was the beginning of the end for the southern cause, particularly after Grant took Vicksburg the day after the end of the battle, cutting the south in two and freeing him up to come east command the army that would eventually become the greatest the world had known up to that time.
[Update later morning]
Some thoughts from George Will.
The battle is also a sharp rebuke to those who claim that violence never solves anything. Ultimately, it solved slavery in America.
TWA 800
I’m not sure why it’s all of a sudden gotten new play, but given all of the lies and cover ups that the government has been seen to be involved in recently, it’s probably fertile soil for it right now. I was always sceptical of the official story, given so much eyewitness testimony about missile streaks and such, but none of the alternatives make a lot of sense either. I have no firm opinion on it.
But you know what would be an interesting investigation to reopen in this environment? Or rather, in the coming environment of late 2015, early 2016? When the Democrats are holding their primary?
Someone should do a documentary on Vince Foster. Next month (on Moon Day, in fact) will be the twentieth anniversary of his death, the circumstances of which remain a mystery to anyone actually paying attention. I have no idea who killed him, and we may never know, absent a deathbed confession or something, but I think that the likelihood that he killed himself is slight, and that he died in Fort Marcy park, vanishingly small.
For Mad Men Junkies Only
Is Megan Draper Sharon Tate?
Remember The Fallen
Have a happy Memorial Day, and take a moment from the barbecue to honor the day’s purpose.
[Update late morning]
Thoughts from Paula Bolyard.
“Get Up Off The Floor”
Sarah Hoyt cautions against despair.
Slavery And The Constitution
Thoughts on the asininity of Joan Walsh and others who seem to think that the Founders invented slavery.
Duck And Cover
It’s not just a relic of the Cold War. Every teacher and schoolkid should be taught this. For that matter, every workplace as well.
Muskets
Sorry, gun grabbers, but it’s an historically ignorant argument.
That’s probably why Piers Morgan uses is.
And amusingly, as Cooke points out, the implications of this argument is that it would justify civilians having select-fire weapons, since that’s what the military has.
Jamestown
We’d always known that it was rough there early on, but they’ve actually found solid evidence of cannibalism:
The researchers used this reconstruction, along with the other data, to determine the specimen was a female, roughly 14 years old (based on the development of her molars) and of British ancestry. Owsley says the cut marks on the jaw, face and forehead of the skull, along with those on the shinbone, are telltale signs of cannibalism. “The clear intent was to remove the facial tissue and the brain for consumption. These people were in dire circumstances. So any flesh that was available would have been used,” says Owsley. “The person that was doing this was not experienced and did not know how to butcher an animal. Instead, we see hesitancy, trial, tentativeness and a total lack of experience.”
As I discuss in the book (though I don’t mention this, and it’s probably not worth adding it at this point), the settlers were not well chosen, in terms of skill sets for settling. The only really useful skills most of them had were in fighting, not farming or homesteading.
I have to say, the one time that I visited the island, maybe twenty years ago, there were deer on it in rodent-like abundance. I guess they weren’t as plentiful back then. And of course, by then, it was a national historical park, and they were protected.