19 April 2015

April 19 ...

You're about to be remembered forever if you are:
1775 - Major John Pitcairn
1943 - A resident of the jewish ghetto of Warsaw 
1993 - David Koresh or any other Branch Davidian,
1996 - Timothy McVeigh
2014 - The Tzarnaev brothers

Go ahead, look them up in your Funk and Wagnall's , uh, Wikipedia?

I more like to remember Major Pitcairn. His most famous quote, the exact words of which are not universally remembered the same, are:
Disperse, you rebels! Damn you! Lay down your arms and disperse!
This was followed by a command to open fire on Lexington Green. His account of the action, written a few days later, goes as:

Report on the Battles of Lexington and Concord

Major John Pitcairn
April 26, 1775

Boston Camp,
To: General Thomas Gage

Sir,
As you are anxious to know the particulars that happened near and at Lexington in the 19 th Inst agreeable to your desire, I will in as concise a manner as possible state the facts, for my time at present is so much employed, as to prevent a more particular narrative of the occurrences of that day.
Six companies of Light Infantry were detached by Lt Colo Smith to take possession of two bridges on the other side of Concord, near three in the Morning, when we were advanced within about two miles of Lexington, intelligence was received that about 500 men in arms were assembled, determined to oppose the Kings troops, and retard them in their march. On this intelligence, I mounted my horse, and galloped up to the six Light Companies. When I arrived at the head of the advance Company, two officers came and informed me, that a man of the rebels advanced from those that were assembled, had presented his musket and attempted to shoot them, but the piece flashed in the pan. On this I gave directions to the troops to move forward, but on no account to fire, or even attempt it without orders; when I arrived at the end of the Village, I observed drawn up upon a Green near 200 rebels; when I came within about 100 yards of them, they began to file off towards some stone walls on our right flank. The Light Infantry, observing this, ran after them. I instantly called to the soldiers not to fire, but surround and disarm them, and after several repetitions of those positive orders to the men, not to fire, etc. some of the rebels who had jumped over the wall fired four or five shots at the soldiers, which wounded a man of the Tenth and my horse was wounded in two places, from some quarter or other, and at the same time several shots were fired from a meeting house on our left. Upon this, without any order or regularity, the Light Infantry began a scattered fire, and continued in that situation for some little time, contrary to the repeated orders both of me and the officers that were present. It will be needless to mention what happened after, as I suppose Colo Smith hath given a particular account of it..
I am, Sir, Your Most Obedt
Humble Servant
John Pitcairn
The Pitcairn Report 

What else transpired that day has become a mixture of fact, fable and myth. The fact is that "the shot heard round the world" happened on April 19, 1775. That is why the 19th of April is called Patriots' Day and is a holiday in many places, notably Massachusetts and particularly Boston. That's also the reason that McVeigh and Tsarnaev chose to do what they did on the days they did it - McVeigh as a response in date to the Branch Davidian invasion and slaughter by Attorney General Reno (my opinion - your opinion and your mileage may vary according to your own individual driving habits) and the Tsarnaevs because it was a convenient day to blow up as many people in one place in Boston as would be possible with their pressure cookers.

Ralph Waldo Emerson chose to immortalize the events with his famous poem:

"Hymn: Sung at the Completion of the Concord Monument, April 19, 1836
By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.

The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.

On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set to-day a votive stone;
That memory may their deed redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.

Spirit, that made those heroes dare,
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.
 Emerson's son, Edward Waldo Emerson,who edited The Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1904), noted: 'In the early editions of the Poems the date is given as 1836. This is a mistake. The Middlesex Yeoman gives the account of this celebration in 1837, and on the original slip in my possesion some one sending it to a friend at that time, has written "Sung by the people on battle-ground at the completion of the monument, 4th of July, 1837."'

Emerson, either one actually, was not there at Concord Bridge. Neither is the bridge that you see today at Concord, as it is a reconstruction of what was originally there and may or may not resemble the original (being a former bridge designer at one point in my life, I can fairly confidently say that you would never build it the same the second time). Nonetheless, several thousand painters who were there, have been there, or have never been there have succeeded in painting not only the bridge but also the various interpretations of battle scenes that there took place.




Overall, the initial clash at Lexington Green was somewhat muddled. [1], [2], [3], and reported in an eyewitness account written nearly 50 years later by a no longer young man who was there [4].

But, it will always be known as the shot heard 'round the world.*
 Incidentally - during the British retreat, the Minutemen kicked butt according to all accounts. Pitcairn lost his mount, having it shot "out from under him" in word if not in total deed and had to walk back to Boston.

*Unlike NASA launching a space shuttle containing 4 cattle orbiting the earth 3 times before landing, thus becoming the herd shot 'round the world.  

18 April 2015

Thoughts Between Remembrances

It seems to me somewhat ironic, although I am sure that it is not as I believe history drives the future, as those who do not remember the past are forever condemned to repeating it, that the Tech memories each year are the precursor to dates of fame and infamy, April 18 and April 19.  

Anyone who has been following me on Facebook knows that I went to Virginia Tech for graduate school, and that Thursday the 16th marked the 8th anniversary of the loss of 32 Hokies in one unforgettable day.

I won't elaborate. I have said before that it is one of those events that will remain forever etched in my memory. Eight years ago was the first of what have become annual remembrances of the fallen, in which the huge drillfield is filled with those paying their respects.



We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears and through all our sadness....
 We will prevail....
-- Nikki Giovanni, University Distinguished Professor, poet, activist




But, what of the history of the dates that follow:
April 18 and April 19. 

First, let's go back to 1775. Paul Revere doesn't know it, but he is about to go for a famous ride, due to the following orders:

Orders to Lieut. Colonel Smith, 10th Regiment ’Foot

General Thomas Gage

Boston, Massachusetts

April 18, 1775

 

Lieut. Colonel Smith, 10th Regiment ’Foot,

Sir,

Having received intelligence, that a quantity of Ammunition, Provisions, Artillery, Tents and small Arms, have been collected at Concord, for the Avowed Purpose of raising and supporting a Rebellion against His Majesty, you will March with a Corps of Grenadiers and Light Infantry, put under your Command, with the utmost expedition and Secrecy to Concord, where you will seize and distroy all Artillery, Ammunition, Provisions, Tents, Small Arms, and all Military Stores whatever. But you will take care that the Soldiers do not plunder the Inhabitants, or hurt private property.

You have a Draught of Concord, on which is marked the Houses, Barns, &c, which contain the above military Stores. You will order a Trunion to be knocked off each Gun, but if its found impracticable on any, they must be spiked, and the Carriages destroyed. The Powder and flower must be shook out of the Barrels into the River, the Tents burnt, Pork or Beef destroyed in the best way you can devise. And the Men may put Balls of lead in their pockets, throwing them by degrees into Ponds, Ditches &c., but no Quantity together, so that they may be recovered afterwards. If you meet any Brass Artillery, you will order their muzzles to be beat in so as to render them useless.

You will observe by the Draught that it will be necessary to secure the two Bridges as soon as possible, you will therefore Order a party of the best Marchers, to go on with expedition for the purpose.

A small party of Horseback is ordered out to stop all advice of your March getting to Concord before you, and a small number of Artillery go out in Chaises to wait for you on the road, with Sledge Hammers, Spikes, &c.

You will open your business and return with the Troops, as soon as possible, with I must leave to your own Judgment and Discretion.

I am, Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant
Thos. Gage.
  These are not the only significant days in the history of April 18. 
  • 1521 - Martin Luther, the chief catalyst of Protestantism, defies the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V by refusing to recant his writings before the Diet (assembly) of the Holy Roman Empire at Worms.
  • 1906 - The Great San Francisco Earthquake
  • 1942 - 16 American B-25 bombers, launched from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet 650 miles east of Japan and commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle, attack the Japanese mainland.
  • 1956 - American actress Grace Kelly marries Prince Rainier of Monaco in a spectacular ceremony.
  • 1983 - The U.S. embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, is almost completely destroyed by a car-bomb explosion that kills 63 people, including the suicide bomber and 17 Americans. The terrorist attack was carried out in protest of the U.S. military presence in Lebanon. 
  • 1989 - Thousands of Chinese students continue to take to the streets in Beijing to protest government policies and issue a call for greater democracy in the communist People’s Republic of China (PRC). 
  • 2012 - Dick Clark, the TV personality and producer best known for hosting “American Bandstand,” dies of a heart attack at age 82 in Santa Monica, California.
 Think about these things, and then tune in tomorrow. April 19 is a big deal ...

06 April 2015

02 April 2015



When Dr. Stanley coincides with the press, my Bible reading and the my conscience it is a sum pretty strong coincidences.

Minutepersons:  


The time has come to rise to the aid of 

God and Country

The Cross of Jesus Christ, the name of God, and the fundamental bases on which our Confederation was assembled are now under vicious attack by those who preach against the very acts they have been directing on fundamental Christians and our beliefs.

The Ten Commandments 
According to SOB 
(Sweet Old Barry) 





Where do I start? That's not a rhetorical question, it's addressed to myself. I guess it starts with me pulling out the copy of the Constitution that I carry with me (you do carry a copy with yourself, right? No? Well, email me and I'll tell you where to get one, and if you don't have the money, I'll pay for it) and re-reading the First Amendment. 
  • Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
I also re-read Thomas Paine: “This new world hath been the asylum for the persecuted lovers of civil and religious liberty from every part of Europe. Hither have they fled, not from the tender embraces of the mother, but from the cruelty of the monster; and it is so far true of England, that the same tyranny which drove the first emigrants from home, pursues their descendants still.” –Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776 

OK. Here's a bunch of links to check out that have my defense of liberties fuming and ready to write. I am going to simmer down now and try to address them, civilly, one at a time. But go ahead and check them out, please.



National Security Just Keep Talking

Hands Up, Don't Discriminate Against Gays! By Ann Coulter

Indiana and the Culture Wars By Cal Thomas

Sex Among the Goofballs By R. Emmett Tyrrell

The Democrats Win in Indiana By Michael Reagan

Obama's Surrender to Iran Postponed Negotiations with the Islamic Republic will extend until June -- as Congress prepares to act. By Arnold Ahlert

 Indiana Groans and the Template of Doom By Tony Perkins

Liberal Legislation Continues to Disrupt Our Healthcare System By James Shott

Vanity By William Stoecker

Who Will Save the Constitution? By Timothy Rosen

Obama Does It Again By Michael Oberndorf

Restoring Religious Freedom, Restricting Government By Andy Kerl Jr.

National Security Just Keep Talking

Obama Submits U.S. Pledge to UN for Climate Treaty