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The Traveler… the frigate Huzza… struck by lighting!
July 25, 2011 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
In today’s travels, I found the July 25, 1811 issue of the Middlesex Gazette from Middletown, Connecticut was carrying a lengthy article from Thomas Pickering to the People of the United States pertaining to Commodore Roger’s actions in the “Little Belt” incident.
There is also a report of the DIVING BELL which had just located the British frigate Huzza which had sunk during the Revolutionary war period. The frigate had 28 guns and was heading to Boston with money to pay the British troops when it struck a rock and sunk.
A death notice is also mentioned for Richard Penn, Esq., former governor of Pennsylvania. He was also the grandson of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania.
Also within is a report from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, of a miraculous event. A boy was struck by lightning, which went through him and even instantly killed the horse he was riding. The boy escaped with but a singe behind his ear and his side somewhat scorched and blistered. He managed to make it the rest of the way to his home (less than a mile) on his hands and knees, and recollects nothing whatever of the circumstances.
~The Traveler
Interesting wording of an obituary…
July 23, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The photo shows an obituary of Lady Oglethorpe as found in the “Country Journal Or the Craftsman” newspaper from London, July 1, 1732. It is always interesting to see how differently reports were presented several hundred years ago:
A well dressed runaway…
July 16, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
It is not uncommon that runaway reward ads include a small engraving of a person, but never have I seen an engraving of so well-heeled a runaway as this guy. And his reward of “1 mill” is a bit of an insult as to his value. This ad appeared in the “Middlesex Gazette” from Middletown, Connecticut, July 29, 1829…
The Traveler… times at odds… three shots, but not dead…
July 11, 2011 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I decided to travel back a little further than I have been of recent. Within the “The Post Boy” dated July 10, 1711, I found that it seemed that most of Europe was at odds with each other. The news from Paris, Lisbon, Genoa, Turin, Milan, Warsaw, Vienna and Hague all were dealing in some type of army and/or war activity.
A correspondence from Dover is of which a Privateer “had 3 small Shots in his Body, but was not dead; that only 3 of the Privateers engag’d him, and a great many are kill’d on both sides, the 3 Privateers had 300 Men each.”
Even with all that is occurring in our lives today, I’m thankful that we don’t live in the 18th century…
~The Traveler
Gen. John H. Morgan’s revenge…
July 9, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The following item from “The Crisis” newspaper from Columbus, Ohio, March 2, 1864, notes a curious revenge by General Morgan for having his whiskers shaved when in the Ohio penitentiary…
Reporting a non-event…
July 2, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
It must have been a very slow news day as the “Boston American” of April 11, 1912 has a bold headline (see below) proclaiming a non-event (see). Ironically, this was also the day after the Titanic set sail for its maiden voyage. Four days later the headline would be extremely significant.
What to do with Adolf…
June 25, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
With an historical perspective of the hunting of Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden it is interesting to read this piece in the “Stars And Stripes” military newspaper of April 6, 1945, less than one month before the death of Adolf Hitler. They wonder what to do with him once captured…
The Traveler… permission to buzz the dome… if things could be redone…
June 20, 2011 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today’s travels found the front page of The Christian Science Monitor dated June 20, 1911 with a nice variety of articles. Harry Atwood was resuming his across the country flight in his Burgess-Wright biplane, carrying different passengers on each leg of the journey. While in Concord, New Hampshire, 
“Atwood glided down toward the dome of the New Hampshire state capitol and circled three times about the capitol building.” I wonder if he had permission to buzz the dome? There are additional articles pertaining to the raising of the U.S.S. Maine which had been sunk in Cuba and also of the celebration of President Taft’s silver wedding anniversary.
I found within the issue an article “See Philippines Passing As Naval Base for U.S.” The article identifies which state-side naval bases would remain open and which would be considered for closing. They also referenced Pearl Harbor calling it the “Gibraltar of the Pacific”. It further mentions it would be the base of operations for the Pacific… “no foreign power would be able to land a large force of men in the Philippines.” Interesting to see how this statement played itself out over time.
~The Traveler
Warnings of climatic changes…
June 18, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
With much attention today given to climatic change and how mankind is affecting weather patterns around the globe, it was interesting to find this article in the “Daily State Journal” newspaper from Austin Texas, May 10, 1871. The article paints a rosier picture in terms of mankind’s affect on climate than most environmentalists do today…
He could cure almost anything…
June 11, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Advertisements for physicians have certainly changed much over the last 270 years. This ad for “Richard Rock, Practitioner in Physick and Surgery” has a curious list of ailments he treats. This ad appears in the March 30, 1734 issue (and others) of “The Country Journal or the Craftsman” from London. Note that he keeps officers hours of 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m…