This Date in History

[dawg80]

With a load of iron ore, 26,000tons more than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty

RIP to the 29 sailors who lost their lives 45 years ago today.

The sister ship of the EF, the Arthur M. Anderson, was less than 5 miles away when the EF suddenly disappeared. The two ships had departed port together and because of the forecasts for rough weather stayed together for the trip to White Fish Bay. The two captains stayed in constant radio contact. The last message from the EF was "We're holding our own." Then gone...

There are many theories about exactly what happened, but most experts seem to agree about a rogue wave being the culprit. There is also mention of poor maintenance being a contributing factor, including known flaws in the structure of her hull.

[dawg80]

November 11, 1918...at the 11th minute of the 11th hour on the 11th day WWI ended. Known originally as Armistice Day.

[BullPupN'46]

Here in Ruston, the Old Cotton Compress on South Trenton street just south of the RR would blow their steam whistle at 11 o'clock eleven times. At noon the whistle was blown every day.

[turbodawg]

Here in Ruston, the Old Cotton Compress on South Trenton street just south of the RR would blow their steam whistle at 11 o'clock eleven times. At noon the whistle was blown every day.

Good stuff right there. Thanks for sharing that.

[dawg80]

November 14, 1970....the Marshall plane crash.

[SicemDawgz]

On this day in 1965, Col Hal Moore and the 1st Batallion, 7th Cavalry fought the first major engagement of the Vietnam War in the la Drang Valley.

[dawg80]

On this day in 1965, Col Hal Moore and the 1st Batallion, 7th Cavalry fought the first major engagement of the Vietnam War in the la Drang Valley.

"We were Soldiers."

[dawg80]

November 17, 2019...."patient zero" allegedly a woman in Wuhan who contracted the virus at a "wet market" died. Other sources express doubt about this story, as told by the Chicoms, and some think the woman contracted the virus either directly, or indirectly, from the research lab in Wuhan.

[dawg80]

January 6th...the Epiphany, the 12th Day of Christmas...Twelve Drummers drumming!. It was on the 12th day after the birth of Jesus that the Three Wise Men arrived and brought tribute to the King of kings.

It's also the first day of Mardi Gras season...gold, purple, and green represent the gifts brought by the Three Wise Men. And the reason a baby (er, plastic) is baked into a King Cake.

And! the reason we still have our Christmas tree and other decorations up...my wife insists Christmas is not over until January 7th.

[FriscoDog]

January 6th...the Epiphany, the 12th Day of Christmas...Twelve Drummers drumming!. It was on the 12th day after the birth of Jesus that the Three Wise Men arrived and brought tribute to the King of kings.

It's also the first day of Mardi Gras season...gold, purple, and green represent the gifts brought by the Three Wise Men. And the reason a baby (er, plastic) is baked into a King Cake.

And! the reason we still have our Christmas tree and other decorations up...my wife insists Christmas is not over until January 7th.

Every year, I always bring a few king cakes to work (except this year due to Covid and we are all working from home). I always have enjoyed explaining the reason behind the king cake, the colors, and what the baby represents.

[DawgyNWindow]

January 6th...the Epiphany, the 12th Day of Christmas...Twelve Drummers drumming!. It was on the 12th day after the birth of Jesus that the Three Wise Men arrived and brought tribute to the King of kings.

It's also the first day of Mardi Gras season...gold, purple, and green represent the gifts brought by the Three Wise Men. And the reason a baby (er, plastic) is baked into a King Cake.

And! the reason we still have our Christmas tree and other decorations up...my wife insists Christmas is not over until January 7th.

Well I learned something here. I grew up in New Orleans and did not know about the significance of the Mardi Gras colors.

[dawg80]

January 12, 2021...oh joyful day! CNN is ending its contract for "CNN Airport Network," meaning no more of that crap being on in every bar and outlet in terminals. I may start flying again.

[dawg80]

March 6, 1836

At 4am Santa Anna launched the final, all out, assault on The Alamo. Over 4,000 Mexican soldiers joined in the attack that hit all four walls at the same time. It was over in the matter of 90 minutes and at the end all 187 defenders were dead. The last 5, including Davy Crockett, were executed after being captured. The Mexicans lost 327 killed and another 415 wounded in the final attack, making their total losses about 1,200 for the two-week siege. Not a single defender of The Alamo had been killed or even wounded until the final assault.

[FriscoDog]

159 years ago today: all hell broke loose along the banks of the Tennessee River...


Near a small wooden church called Shiloh. It was here on the morning of April 6, 1862, that the 40,000 man Army of Mississippi - Albert Sidney Johnston commanding - attacked the Army of the Tennessee, an army of equal size, under the command of Ulysses S. Grant. Johnston's goal was to destroy Grant's army before it could be united with the Army of the Ohio under the command of Don Carlos Buell. A major battle developed as places such as the Sunken Road (or Hornet's Nest as the South called it) became immortalized due to the savage nature of the fighting. By the end of the day, thousands of men had been killed and wounded, the Union army had been pushed back to the river, and commanding general Johnston had been killed in action (the highest-ranking officer to die in the war).

Not willing to admit defeat, Grant resolved to counterattack the next day - April 7. This he did, pushing the Confederates now under P.G.T Beauregard back over the ground that had been fought over the day before, back into Mississippi. The butcher's bill for the Battle of Shiloh was staggering with nearly 24,000 men becoming casualties of war in the two-day action (more casualties than all previous American wars combined). The savagery of the battle shocked both sides and made many military commanders realize that the gloves had officially come off and that there was no longer any turning back.

[dawg80]

General Albert Sidney Johnston, the "Stonewall Jackson of the west," was a huge loss for the Confederates. In fact, his fatal wounding that day saved Grant's butt. The other commanding generals, all busy with their own corps, did not receive word of Johnston's wounding and thus no one took overall command for several fateful hours. The Confederate attack grinded to a halt until Beauregard, the ranking 2nd in command, could see to his own corps, then meet with the other commanders and determine a continued plan of attack. That delay allowed the Yanks to stabilize their lines of defense, but also brought nightfall on before the Confederates could finish off Grant's army.

Beyond Shiloh the loss of General A.S. Johnston cost the South the war in the west.