Tag Archives: President’s Day

U.S. PRESIDENTS IN THE MILITARY (A. Johnson-Hayes)

Tomorrow is Presidents Day, so here’s another seasonal post.

ANDREW JOHNSON

Conflict – U.S. Civil War: Service – From 1862-February 1865 Johnson held the rank of general in the Union Army. He held that position as Military Governor of Tennessee and saw no action in the field.

ULYSSES S. GRANT

NOTE: As I observed previously, Washington, Grant and Eisenhower would require thousands of words to capture their full military careers. I will write such blog posts in the near future but for this post I’ll be very brief.

Conflict – Mexican War: Service – From 1846 to 1848 Lieutenant Grant served in Zachary Taylor’s campaigns in northern Mexico and later in Winfield Scott’s campaign to take Mexico City to the south.

Conflict – U.S. Civil War: Service – The heroic Grant rose to command of all the Union’s armies during the 1861-1865 conflict and defeated Confederate General Robert E. Lee. A future blog post will cover his extensive service in the war.    Continue reading

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U.S. PRESIDENTS IN THE MILITARY (Pierce-Lincoln)

With Presidents Day coming up fast here’s another seasonal post.

FRANKLIN PIERCE

From 1831-1847 Pierce served in the peacetime New Hampshire Militia, rising to the rank of colonel.

Conflict – Mexican War: Service – Because of his experience with military norms and exercises Franklin Pierce was named a General of Volunteers. In 1847 he led his men to Vera Cruz, which had been taken in an amphibious operation in March by General Winfield Scott. He then led his 2,500-strong troop in transporting additional supplies for Scott despite guerilla attacks and fighting in his ongoing campaign to take Mexico City.

General Pierce saw further action in battles at Contreras, Churubusco, Molina del Ray, Chapultepec and Mexico City itself. Pierce had an unfortunate tendency toward undignified injuries, and an early bashing of his testicles caused complications which surfaced again and again throughout the war. Continue reading

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U.S. PRESIDENTS IN THE MILITARY (Polk-Taylor)

Another seasonal post from Balladeer’s Blog with Presidents Day approaching.

JAMES K. POLK

Conflict – Tennessee Unrest: Service – From 1821-1825 Polk served in the Maury County Cavalry unit of the Tennessee Militia. He retained his law practice and political activities throughout his service.

No official wars were fought during this period, so Polk and his comrades policed internal tribal violence among the Cherokee and the Creek. Periodic clashes between Native Americans and settlers had to be dealt with, too.

ZACHARY TAYLOR

Conflict – War of 1812: Service – In May 1808 Taylor enlisted in the U.S. Army as a lieutenant and by the June outbreak of the War of 1812 was a captain. Fort Harrison was under Taylor’s command and in September he led his men to victory defending the fort, the first American land victory of the war.

Promoted to major, Zachary took part in September campaigns into Illinois Territory and Indiana, fighting in November’s Battle of Wildcat Creek and other actions. Taylor spent 1813 at Fort Knox and in the spring of 1814 led troops in the Battle of Credit Island in Iowa. Continue reading

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U.S. PRESIDENTS IN THE MILITARY (Jackson-Harrison)

With Presidents Day approaching, here is another seasonal post.

ANDREW JACKSON

Conflict – Revolutionary War: Service – In June 1780 the 13-year-old Andrew Jackson and his older brother Robert enlisted in the South Carolina Militia and saw action in Southern Theater clashes like the Battle of Hanging Rock.

In April 1781 Andrew and Robert became Prisoners of War and Andrew was slashed across the face and hand by a British officer’s sword. The facial scar is sometimes omitted from painted portraits of the man but is visible in the primitive daguerreotype photograph of an elderly Jackson.   

Conflict – War of 1812: Service – War was declared by Congress on June 18th and by November 1st, General Jackson was placed in charge of Tennessee troops for southeastern campaigns against the British and their Native American allies. By February 1813, his troops saw action all the way to Natchez.

In March and April 1813 Jackson led his men back to Nashville and by then had been nicknamed Hickory and/or Old Hickory by his troops. October saw General Jackson assigned to lead his men against the Red Sticks Creek Tribe, who were allied with England and Spain against the U.S.

Jackson and his forces fought the Red Sticks Creek for months, including battles at Tallushatchee and Talladega. January 1814 brought the Battles of Emuckfaw and Enotachopo Creek. In March, Jackson and his combined force of American, Choctaw, Cherokee and Creek Indians won a major victory over the Red Sticks Creek at Horseshoe Bend. Continue reading

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BALLADEER’S BLOG RANKS THE PRESIDENTS: 2025

FIRST, I AM DOING WHAT ANY SUCH LIST COMPILER SHOULD DO IF THEY ARE TRYING TO BE AS OBJECTIVE AS POSSIBLE: I am omitting the most recent presidents because of the way emotion (and hysteria in some cases) can color perceptions of them. Presidential rankings lists which go all the way up to the present year are used simply as partisan political propaganda, not as true assessments.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT

GEORGE WASHINGTON 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT Continue reading

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THREE FORMER PRESIDENTS WHO RETURNED TO FEDERAL SERVICE

As Presidents Day Weekend continues here’s another seasonal post from Balladeer’s Blog. This item looks at the three former presidents who occupied other United States federal government positions after their years in the White House.

William Howard TaftWILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

Gang Affiliation: Republican

Post-Presidency Office: Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

Comment: In July of 1921, President Warren G. Harding took time out from letting his criminal cronies run the country to appoint former President Taft as the new Chief Justice.

Among the Associate Justices serving on the Supreme Court when Taft took the position were three of the legends of the Court – Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr, Louis Brandeis and Willis Van Devanter. (I like to think that when the other Justices dissented from a Willis Van Devanter opinion those dissents would start with the words “Whatchoo talkin’ ’bout, Willis?” But I’m kind of weird.) Continue reading

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BALLADEER’S BLOG RANKS THE PRESIDENTS

american flag revo warEvery Presidents Day, Democrat media outlets release their hilariously biased lists ranking the presidents – lists compiled by Democrats who call themselves “historians.” (LMAO) Remember, the past decades have seen Democrats drive most non-Democrats from the “educational” profession.

Democrats like to pretend those prejudiced historians’ opinions carry more weight than the opinions of other people as part of their overall philosophy that everyone must bow to so-called “experts.” Remember, Democrats idiotically think someone has to be a biologist to define what a woman is as another example of their “Only experts who subscribe to The Party’s talking points should be listened to” approach.

american flag picI’m presenting my own ranking of the presidents in this blog post, but obviously people are free to disregard it as readily as they disregard all other such lists. These lists are fun conversationally, but none of them – including mine – have any relevance in the real world.

FIRST, I AM DOING WHAT ANY SUCH LIST COMPILER SHOULD DO IF THEY ARE SUPPOSEDLY TRYING TO BE AS OBJECTIVE AS POSSIBLE: I am omitting the most recent presidents because of the way emotion (and hysteria in some cases) can color perceptions of them. Presidential rankings lists which go all the way up to the present year are used simply as partisan political propaganda, not as true assessments.

Here is my ranking of U.S. presidents: Continue reading

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RECENT U.S. PRESIDENTS: PROS AND CONS

It’s Presidents Day, so here are some sarcastic takes on the more recent presidents, with both political parties shown the irreverence they deserve.  

EisenhowerDWIGHT EISENHOWER

Character Type: Well-meaning but befuddled sitcom grandfather.

Military Service: World War One and World War Two

Motto: “FOOORE!” (Remember,  the traditional cry as you’re teeing off in golf? Oh, never mind!)

Nickname: Uncle Milty

Pro: Knew enough to distrust Richard Nixon long before it became the national pastime. 

Con: Was the first president to pronounce nuclear as “nucular”.

john f kennedyJOHN F KENNEDY

Character Type: Rich playboy who disdained both Liberals and Conservatives and played by his own rules.

Military Service: World War Two

Motto: “Thank God for television!”

Nickname: FDR  

Pro: The man was shrewd enough to distrust both liberals and conservatives equally. I can’t praise that attitude highly enough given our present circumstances. 

Con: I can’t find out what happened to this guy. Anybody hear anything?  Continue reading

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15 PRESIDENTS DAY ITEMS

presidents day bitToday is Presidents Day, so here are several articles about America’s executive branch. 

democrat republican otherAMERICAN PRESIDENTS FROM EISENHOWER TO TRUMP – Be forewarned that my takes on U.S. Presidents can offend members of both major parties since I’m an Independent Voter. Anyway, don’t try accusing me of belonging to either party. I go after both sides’ presidents. Click HERE

U.S. PRESIDENTS FROM WASHINGTON ONWARD – If you want takes on our presidents from the very beginning this is the post for you. Click HERE.

VICE PRESIDENTS: JOKES ABOUT THESE ULTIMATE SECOND BANANAS – Prefer to see jokes about America’s various Vice Presidents instead? Click HERE.

THE FOUR MOST INCOMPETENT PRESIDENTS IN HISTORY – There are two Republicans and two Democrats on the list. Click HERE.

1912: BATTLE OF THE THREE PRESIDENTS – My take on the 1912 election, which pitted Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft against each other. Click HERE.

FIVE MOST UNQUALIFIED PRESIDENTS IN HISTORY – This post does not go by how these presidents performed in office, just their levels of experience before the presidency. Click HERE. Continue reading

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PRESIDENT TRUMP AGAIN DEFEATS AMERICA’S CESSPOOL OF CORRUPTION

Trump in the wayIndependent Voter site Balladeer’s Blog is happy to report that America’s organized crime gangs called the Democrat and Republican Parties continue to enhance de facto Third Party President Donald Trump’s status as a folk hero! They doctored videotape “evidence,” they violated the Constitution by trying to impeach a president after they told us he was out of office AND they tried to pretend that the January 6th protests over vote fraud and other issues from the forever tainted 2020 election were “an insurrection.” LMAO.

Remember, I’m a former Democrat who spent years of my life around them and trust me, Democrats feel nothing but contempt for the Capitol Building and also feel contempt for people who DO revere the Capitol Building and its “symbolism” so it was especially nauseating to hear them act like they cared about anything except political theater with their absurd overreaction to the events of January 6th.

At any rate, instead of letting Trump peter out into a spent force the Democrats decided to make him even MORE of a martyr and a figure of hopeful defiance for the working class and the poor by trying this idiotic impeachment attempt. 

With his image as a maverick populist hero who fights America’s corrupt politicians cemented, here’s another revisiting of the blog post I wrote when Trump first won in 2016: Continue reading

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