Tag Archives: Neglected history

DONIPHAN’S THOUSAND FOR MEMORIAL DAY

Doniphan

William Doniphan, sporting the Hungover Christopher Walken look.

For Memorial Day Weekend here’s a look at a needlessly neglected U.S. military unit.

DONIPHAN’S THOUSAND

Conflict: Mexican War

Comment: This unit of the American Army was named for its leader, Alexander William Doniphan, who had served in his native Missouri’s Mormon War of 1838. Though Doniphan led troops against the Mormon forces he was instrumental in sparing the life of the Mormon leader Joseph Smith, whom his men had captured.

In the Mexican War Doniphan led his eponymous “Thousand” in the longest geographical campaign since the days of Alexander the Great. Doniphan’s Thousand was with General Kearney when he took Santa Fe and in December they defeated  Mexican forces at El Brazitos on Christmas Day. Continue reading →

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MEDAL OF HONOR: A FEW RECIPIENTS FROM THE PHILIPPINE WAR

Medal of HonorMemorial Day is fast approaching! It’s a day for remembering the people who go out and actually DO something and acknowledge their service along with the physical risks and the political abuse heaped upon them. In keeping with my blog’s theme of addressing items that slip through the cultural cracks I’m showcasing a few of the Congressional Medal of Honor winners from the neglected war fought in the Philippines from 1899 to 1902.

Hiram BearssHIRAM BEARSS (Correct spelling) – This Captain won the Medal for his actions on November 17th,1901 during a battle at the confluence of the Sohotan and Cadacan Rivers in Samar. Bearss led his men in a surprise attack on the enemy positions in the fortified cliffs. Relying mostly on bamboo ladders the Captain and his troops drove their opposition from their entrenched positions, literally “charging uphill” against enemy fire.

They also had to contend with the countless booby-traps lining the hills, many of which had been in place since the Spanish- American War of 1898. Those deadly traps took the form of pits, poison- tipped spears, trip-sprung vine nets loaded down with literally tons of stones and many others. The opposition in the caves honeymooning the cliffs needed rooting out as well with various forms of death lurking around every twist and turn in the caverns. Continue reading →

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RANDOLPH C BERKELEY: MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT

Major BerkeleyRandolph C Berkeley earned the Congressional Medal Of Honor as a Marine Corps Major during action in Vera Cruz, Mexico on April 21st and 22nd, 1914. Berkeley’s daring leadership of his battalion from the initial assault and then through street to street fighting on both days earned him the decoration.

Major Berkeley’s performance was especially noteworthy in the fighting in Cinco de Mayo Street, where his brilliant tactics resulted in an incredibly low percentage of casualties for the men under his command.  Continue reading →

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LEAP DAY MILESTONES

Charles “The Bearded Badass” Darwin

Some things happen only once every four years – things like Michael Moore having a coherent thought and Bill O’Reilly prying his head out of his ass. Another one of those things would be February 29th: Leap Day. Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at some of the milestone events that got cheated out of a yearly anniversary by happening on this date.

1704 – French provocateurs and Native Americans attack Deerfield, MA and kill roughly 50 inhabitants while abducting 100. Ronald Reagan’s ancestor recommends selling arms to Persia to secure the release of the abductees.

1712 – In Sweden February 29th is followed by February 30th to help usher in the new calendar system … and because Al Sharpton’s ancestor demanded an extra day in February to make Black History Month a little bit longer.  

1720 – Back to Sweden, where Queen Ulrica Eleonora resigns following general public ridicule of her name “Ulrica”. I’m kidding! But she did resign.

1784 – In France, the Marquis de Sade is transferred from the fortress of Vincennes to the Bastille in exchange for 3 other sadists and a masochist to be named later.

1832 – Charles Darwin explores the Continue reading →

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HEROIC MUSLIM WOMAN SHAMS BANDAR

Shams Bandar

*** *** *** *** *** Shams Bandar: a singer far more courageous than any American celebrity.

Another courageous Muslim woman has joined the real-life League of Extraordinary Women by going where far too many people fear to tread. Shams Bandar, a popular singer in the Middle East, denounced Muslim fascism and set the current world situation into its proper context.

Ms Bandar’s finest moment came on Egyptian television when she shocked the host by challenging them during their standard “it’s all the fault of the Western World” shpiel. The entire transcript can be found online, by the way.

One of Shams’ best lines about the Muslim (and American Left) tendency to blame the West for their dysfunctional state was “We Muslims have been fighting and shedding blood for 1,400 years and now we are blaming America and Britain?” YOU GO GIRL!

Shams Bandar 2

Why? Probably because the Western Left encourages Muslims to do it.

Other lines which the condescending people of the American left will NOT be giving any publicity to include:

(In reply to the tired argument that the Western World has done some bad things, too) – “But show me where it says in their constitutions that you can chop people’s hands off, stone people, execute them in the streets, or do all the things done by ISIS and the Islamist movements, which are harmful to Islam. Do you see in the American constitution and law any of the things perpetrated by our Muslims?”

(In reply to the usual “the West is racist and imperialist” type of argument) – “Can anyone convince me that in present-day America and Europe they do what the Islamic State is doing to the Syrians, to the Yazidis, to the Iraquis? Why do we pin all our problems on the West? We Muslims have been slaughtering each other for 1,400 years just because some Muslims pray one way and others pray another way.  America wasn’t around 1,400 years ago. It wasn’t around even 300 years ago.”

Shams Bandar 3

*** *** *** *** Shams Bandar

There are American high school and college teachers who would be too terrified to make those common sense arguments but Shams waded right in! And on Egyptian television yet! She’ll never be invited on The View or get to be the subject of a Hollywood movie (only if she HATED the West would they admire her) because she is brave enough to tell the truth about how blood-soaked and unstable the Muslim World has long been.

Continue reading →

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HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY 2015

American flagBalladeer’s Blog wishes a happy birthday to the USA! What happened in early July of 1776 certainly needs no rehashing so in keeping with my blog’s theme of addressing more out of the way subjects this post will examine various events that took place on other July 4th’s throughout American history.

JULY 4TH, 1778 – George Rogers Clark led his rebel forces in taking the British stronghold of Kaskaskia, near the confluence of the Mississippi and Kaskaskia Rivers. Clark and his Rangers were on a mission for then-Virginia Governor Patrick Henry.

JULY 4TH, 1783 – The Massachusetts Supreme Court is finalizing its written decision holding that slavery has been illegal in the state since adoption of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights in 1780.

JULY 4TH, 1788 – Continue reading →

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ELIZABETHTOWN: FORGOTTEN REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLE

Elizabethtown New Jersey Revolutionary WarIn the spirit of the 4th of July season here’s another neglected battle from the American Revolution.

BATTLE OF ELIZABETHTOWN

Date(s): January 5th-7th, 1777

Location: Elizabethtown and Springfield, NJ

American Commander: General William Maxwell

British Commander: Colonel Charles Mawhood

The Battle: On January 5th American Rebels attacked a British Cavalry patrol, killing one man and wounding another. The next day some cavalrymen and 50 infantrymen set out from the town to kill or capture any Rebels in the area. Continue reading →

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SPANKTOWN: FORGOTTEN REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLE

William MaxwellThe 4th of July is fast approaching! In the spirit of the season here’s another neglected battle from the American Revolution.

BATTLE OF SPANKTOWN

Date: February 23rd, 1777

Location: Spanktown, NJ (Now Rahway)

American Commander: General William Maxwell

British Commander: Colonel Charles Mawhood

The Battle: Colonel Mawhood, with 2,000 men, was roaming the New Jersey No-Man’s Land with orders to destroy any American forces he encountered. At Spanktown Mawhood’s troops came upon American Militiamen herding livestock for supplies while being accompanied by Continental Army Regulars. The American forces totaled fewer than 900 men.  Continue reading →

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MILLSTONE: FORGOTTEN REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLE

General Philemon Dickinson

General Philemon Dickinson

The 4th of July is fast approaching! As usual Balladeer’s Blog is posting relevant material and in keeping with my blog’s overall theme here’s a forgotten American victory from the Revolutionary War.

BATTLE OF MILLSTONE

Date: January 20th, 1777

Location: Weston, NJ (Now called Manville)

American Commander: General Philemon Dickinson (Younger brother of John Dickinson)

British Commander: Colonel Robert Abercromby

The Battle: The forces of the United States and the British Army (augmented by their Hessian allies) clashed frequently in the winter of 1777. These battles were often the result of both armies attempting to provision themselves off the increasingly barren New Jersey No-Man’s Land. Continue reading →

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TOP FORGOTTEN U.S. NAVAL BATTLES OF WORLD WAR ONE

Navy in World War OneYes, Memorial Day Weekend is here so Balladeer’s Blog will once again feature a few seasonal posts. In keeping with my blog’s theme I will take a look at more military actions that don’t get the attention that others do. The members of the armed forces who died in those battles deserve to be remembered as fondly as those who perished in more renowned clashes. The army gets more attention than the navy and World War Two gets more attention than World War One so I’m shedding light on two neglected areas at once with this look at U.S. Navy battles of the First World War.

OCTOBER 15th, 1917 – America entered the war just six months earlier and the Navy had been transporting the American Expeditionary Force under General “Black Jack” Pershing to Europe, with additional Navy craft escorting those transport ships and fighting German U-Boats. On this date the USS Cassin encountered U-Boat 61 and, after an hour’s pursuit the German submarine turned to fight the Cassin. After a lengthy exchange of torpedoes and depth charges the Cassin was battered but still afloat, while the U-61 suffered substantial damage also, including the destruction of its conning tower, forcing the sub to break off the action and flee.

NOVEMBER 17th, 1917 – The USS Fanning and USS Nicholson clashed with the German U-Boat designated U-58 when eagle-eyed sailors spotted the German sub’s periscope above the water line. Depth charges from the two U.S. ships damaged the U-58 and forced it to surface and engage in standard ship-to-ship combat. The Fanning and Nicholson sank the U-Boat, becoming the FIRST United States ships to Continue reading →

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