For sale: an army, and more…

December 10, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

This tongue-in-cheek “For Sale By Auction…A Warlike Nation” advertisement appeared in “The Connecticut Courant” newspaper of Hartford, August 19, 1783, shortly after the end of the Revolutionary War.  It offers some biting commentary on thoughts of the politicians of England and the military leadership after losing the Revolutionary War.  Enjoy…

The Civil War… December 7, 1861…

December 7, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

This week we return to our reflection upon the Civil War events of 150 years ago… as seen through the eyes of the original readers of the Harper’s Weekly issue printed for December 7, 1861.

Note:  The following commentary was written by Dr. James Robertson* as part of a weekly review for the reprint edition of the “Harper’s Weekly” which was done at the 100th anniversary of the Civil War.  It provides much insight into the events of the day and scholarly commentary on both the illustrations and reporting found in the original 1861 newspaper.

* The Virginia Tech website provides the credentials of Dr. James Roberson:

“One of the most distinguished names in Civil War history, Dr. Robertson was Executive Director of the U.S. Civil War Centennial Commission and worked with Presidents Truman, Kennedy, and Johnson in marking the war’s 100th anniversary.  Today his Civil War Era course at Virginia Tech, which attracts 300 students per semester, is the largest of its kind in the nation.
The Danville, Va., native is the author or editor of more than 20 books that include such award-winning studies as “Civil War! America Becomes One Nation”, “General A.P. Hill”, and “Soldiers Blue and Gray”. His massive biography of Gen. “Stonewall” Jackson won eight national awards and was used as the base for the Ted Turner/Warner Bros. mega-movie, “Gods and Generals”. Robertson was chief historical consultant for the film.”

The Traveler… Battle of Tippecanoe…

December 5, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

Today I traveled to December 5, 1811 where I found the Middlesex Gazette from Middletown, Connecticut carried an extract of a letter sent to a Member of Congress. This was reporting on “an action between the troops under Gov. Harrison and the Indians under the Prophet… There were 170 whites killed and wounded, and as many Indians… The battle was fought in sight of the Prophet’s Town…. There has been dreadful slaughter…”, being a report on the famous Battle of Tippecanoe.

Governor William Harrison later became our ninth President of the United States which had the campaign slogan “Tippecanoe and Tyler, too”. He also the shortest serving president and the first president to die in office.

A little tidbit of history for this day… 200 years past!

~The Traveler

A cynical view on the Constitutional Convention…

December 3, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

Perhaps it would not be a surprise that a British report on the beginning of the American Constitutional Convention would have a cynical slant, but this report seems to stretch the point. This observation appeared in the London “Gentleman’s Magazine” issue of July, 1787.

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