My friend Jay G. beat me to it by posting the text of the Declaration of Independence over at his blog, so go over and check it out.
http://stuckinmassachusetts.blogspot.com/
I make a special effort to read it every 4th of July just to remind myself what the holiday is all about. One year, I even had the honor of reading it aloud while wearing period clothing in front of about 500 people at Guilford Courthouse National Battlefield Park. (That, my friends was a stone cold trip)
If you can, take a few minutes and read this masterpiece of writer's skill. The words ring with a truth and brilliance that resound through the ages. With the current state of affairs, a great deal of what it addresses still troubles our great country to this very day.
Happy 4th of July folks, and remember our founding fathers (and mothers) AND BE MORE LIKE THEM !!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Today In History........
In 1863...........
At Gettysburg, PA after having hit the Union line on each flank, General R. E. Lee made the decision to attack the Federals in the center. His thinking was that the center would be weakened after the union forces re-enforced the flanks. General James Longstreet was ordered to make the assault. He objected to the attack, wanting to resort to a flanking attack, but Lee could not be dissuaded. Longstreet voiced his objection in this way:
General, I have been a soldier all my life. I have been with soldiers engaged in fights by couples, by squads, companies, regiments, divisions, and armies, and should know, as well as any one, what soldiers can do. It is my opinion that no fifteen thousand men ever arrayed for battle can take that position
Longstreet picked three divisions to make the attack commanded by Major General George Pickett, Brigadier General Johnson Pettigrew, and Major General Issac Tremble.
At the time that the assault began, Longstreet who still objected to the plan could not give his verbal command for Pickett to advance but merely nodded his head when asked by Pickett if he should attack.
The Confederate attack against the Federal positions on Cemetery Ridge was a failure, the Confederates suffering an estimated 50% casualties out of the assaulting forces. This was the "high water" mark of the war. Psychologically the failure of Pickett's assault (as well as the loss of Vicksburg on July 4th) was the death knell of the Confederacy. Only the most insanely optimistic thought the south could win the war after these two losses.
To this day, Pickett's charge still has a mystical hold on the typical southerner. It is best summed up by William Falkner in his book, Intruder in the Dust:
For every Southern boy fourteen years old, not once but whenever he wants it, there is the instant when it's still not yet two o'clock on that July afternoon in 1863, the brigades are in position behind the rail fence, the guns are laid and ready in the woods and the furled flags are already loosened to break out and Pickett himself with his long oiled ringlets and his hat in one hand probably and his sword in the other looking up the hill waiting for Longstreet to give the word and it's all in the balance, it hasn't happened yet, it hasn't even begun yet, it not only hasn't begun yet but there is still time for it not to begin against that position and those circumstances which made more men than Garnett and Kemper and Armistead and Wilcox look grave yet it's going to begin, we all know that, we have come too far with too much at stake and that moment doesn't need even a fourteen-year-old boy to think This time. Maybe this time with all this much to lose than all this much to gain: Pennsylvania, Maryland, the world, the golden dome of Washington itself to crown with desperate and unbelievable victory the desperate gamble, the cast made two years ago.
At Gettysburg, PA after having hit the Union line on each flank, General R. E. Lee made the decision to attack the Federals in the center. His thinking was that the center would be weakened after the union forces re-enforced the flanks. General James Longstreet was ordered to make the assault. He objected to the attack, wanting to resort to a flanking attack, but Lee could not be dissuaded. Longstreet voiced his objection in this way:
General, I have been a soldier all my life. I have been with soldiers engaged in fights by couples, by squads, companies, regiments, divisions, and armies, and should know, as well as any one, what soldiers can do. It is my opinion that no fifteen thousand men ever arrayed for battle can take that position
Longstreet picked three divisions to make the attack commanded by Major General George Pickett, Brigadier General Johnson Pettigrew, and Major General Issac Tremble.
At the time that the assault began, Longstreet who still objected to the plan could not give his verbal command for Pickett to advance but merely nodded his head when asked by Pickett if he should attack.
The Confederate attack against the Federal positions on Cemetery Ridge was a failure, the Confederates suffering an estimated 50% casualties out of the assaulting forces. This was the "high water" mark of the war. Psychologically the failure of Pickett's assault (as well as the loss of Vicksburg on July 4th) was the death knell of the Confederacy. Only the most insanely optimistic thought the south could win the war after these two losses.
To this day, Pickett's charge still has a mystical hold on the typical southerner. It is best summed up by William Falkner in his book, Intruder in the Dust:
For every Southern boy fourteen years old, not once but whenever he wants it, there is the instant when it's still not yet two o'clock on that July afternoon in 1863, the brigades are in position behind the rail fence, the guns are laid and ready in the woods and the furled flags are already loosened to break out and Pickett himself with his long oiled ringlets and his hat in one hand probably and his sword in the other looking up the hill waiting for Longstreet to give the word and it's all in the balance, it hasn't happened yet, it hasn't even begun yet, it not only hasn't begun yet but there is still time for it not to begin against that position and those circumstances which made more men than Garnett and Kemper and Armistead and Wilcox look grave yet it's going to begin, we all know that, we have come too far with too much at stake and that moment doesn't need even a fourteen-year-old boy to think This time. Maybe this time with all this much to lose than all this much to gain: Pennsylvania, Maryland, the world, the golden dome of Washington itself to crown with desperate and unbelievable victory the desperate gamble, the cast made two years ago.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Idiocy Knows No Bounds..........
Just in case there was any question in my mind before, I am now convinced that Michael Steel is a idiot. His comments about the war in Afghanistan are uniformed, idiotic and out of left field. As much as I despise the Lightbringer, the war in Afghanistan is no more his than Bush's. This war was brought to us by those same folks that brought us 9/11. Since we are engaged in this war, we need to win it, not use it for political grandstanding.
If Steel isn't smart enough to figure that out he needs to get the hell out of politics.
If Steel isn't smart enough to figure that out he needs to get the hell out of politics.
The Things You Hear.............
My last post on Ms. Crow brought a private email from a friend who told me that her nickname on tour is "stinky fingers" and her roadies wear rubber gloves when handling her guitars. I guess that one sheet of T.P. is working for her about as well as the hope and change thing is working for the Lightbringer.
I am torn between shaking my head ruefully and laughing out loud........
I am torn between shaking my head ruefully and laughing out loud........
Today In History part II
In 1863...............
On Little Round Top at the battle of Gettysburg, PA, Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain commander of the 20th Maine Regiment, his men running out of ammunition after an long and extended fight, personally led a bayonet charge against attacking Confederate forces. This ballsy move broke the momentum of the Confederate attack and saved the Federal Army from being flanked. For his valor and leadership, Chamberlain was awarded the Medal of Honor.
On Little Round Top at the battle of Gettysburg, PA, Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain commander of the 20th Maine Regiment, his men running out of ammunition after an long and extended fight, personally led a bayonet charge against attacking Confederate forces. This ballsy move broke the momentum of the Confederate attack and saved the Federal Army from being flanked. For his valor and leadership, Chamberlain was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Today In History........
Coincidence? I think not.........
In 1937................
Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan go missing somewhere in the Pacific Ocean in an attempt at Circumnavigation of the globe at the equator.
In 1947................
In Roswell, New Mexico an alleged U.F.O. crashes. Government officials issue denials it was a U.F.O. but rather a weather balloon.
In 1962...............
The first Walmart opens in Rogers, Arkansas.
In 1937................
Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan go missing somewhere in the Pacific Ocean in an attempt at Circumnavigation of the globe at the equator.
In 1947................
In Roswell, New Mexico an alleged U.F.O. crashes. Government officials issue denials it was a U.F.O. but rather a weather balloon.
In 1962...............
The first Walmart opens in Rogers, Arkansas.
Friday Random Thoughts.............
I caught most of the Lightbringer's speech on immigration reform yesterday. All I heard was a bunch of talking points that were designed to placate the masses. No firm solutions to any of the problems that we have. He did say that with so many illegals (I refuse to call them immigrants) in the country that we couldn't get them all, so the feeling I get is that enforcement will fall by the wayside. O.K. working along that track, since so many people speed on the highway (and we can't stop them all) let's not enforce traffic laws. Same to same on any law that is either unpopular or difficult to enforce. Matt G. over at http://maypeacebewithyou.blogspot.com/ (A law enforcement officer down Texas way) has a good overview of the Lightbringer's speech. Check it out.
I also saw that Sheryl Crow (She of the use only one sheet of toilet paper per visit) has held forth about her discomfort with the tea party types. She whips out the ignorant and uneducated label as well as holding forth about how she knew all about the movement from the videos she checked out on You Tube. I will not make any statement about about my thoughts on celebrities who think their fame gives them wisdom beyond that of us "common folk" nor will I say anything about the education level of the tea party goers. I will say that I have to wonder about someone who gets their world view from You Tube videos. I get the overwhelming idea that Ms. Crow needs to get out more and see how us "little people" live.
Just sayin.............
I also saw that Sheryl Crow (She of the use only one sheet of toilet paper per visit) has held forth about her discomfort with the tea party types. She whips out the ignorant and uneducated label as well as holding forth about how she knew all about the movement from the videos she checked out on You Tube. I will not make any statement about about my thoughts on celebrities who think their fame gives them wisdom beyond that of us "common folk" nor will I say anything about the education level of the tea party goers. I will say that I have to wonder about someone who gets their world view from You Tube videos. I get the overwhelming idea that Ms. Crow needs to get out more and see how us "little people" live.
Just sayin.............
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)