Van is turning editorial control of Twisted History over to me, Gregory Kohs - just for this one day, so don't panic! Besides, Van is authoring MY newsletter, the American Cynic, today. So it's only fair. Today's events, appropriately enough, all have some connection with cynicism or irony. Enjoy!
The state of New York has played a pivotal role in American (and world) history. From Henry Hudson's discovery of the island that would later be purchased for that proverbial "$24 in beads and trinkets," to Wall Street's global domination of financial markets, New York City has been the object of conquest, in one way or another, for centuries.
During the War of 1812, British General Sir George Provost's mission was to proceed down the same unsuccessful New York route that "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne took against the American patriots 37 years earlier. At Plattsburgh, Provost halted his 11,000 soldiers. He was hesitant to attack an American militia force perhaps one-fifth his strength until Lake Champlain had been cleared of a small American naval threat - four ships and 10 small galleys. That job belonged to British Captain George Downie. But he sailed straight into a tactical trap, laid by Thomas Macdonough, Jr across the entrance of Plattsburgh Bay. Macdonough had humble beginnings working as a store clerk in Middletown, Delaware. But he found his way into the Navy, fought the Barbary pirates, and learned from books the tactics of Horatio Nelson.
It would be Nelson's use of anchors on "spring lines" at the Nile that would inspire Macdonough to do the same at Plattsburgh. By hauling cables by brute force, his ragtag men could rotate their ships to keep the British under a steady, raking fire, alleviating the demanding teamwork and experience that otherwise would have been required to maneuver under sail. Within the first 15 minutes, Downie was dead, and in three hours more, his remaining survivors surrendered.
Irony and cynicism are evident in today's events section. Whether it's Americans fighting Russians, Charles Lindbergh being not-so-heroic, a Miss America pageant "joined in progress," or the stock market "catastrophe" that is just a day in the life these days, we can all be a bit of an "American Cynic" today.
Note from Van: I personally subscribe to the weekly the American Cynic that Greg publishes, I enjoy it, and I recommend it. It really helps get through Monday! The American Cynic
1609 - Henry Hudson discovered Manhattan Island for the Dutch. After its purchase from Canarsee Delaware natives, the island would of course become home to New York City, arguably the most important spot on the globe - and repeated object of contested battles.
1814 - Captain Thomas Macdonough orchestrated a tactical coup against an attacking fleet under British Captain George Downie, on Lake Champlain, NY. The victory is achieved in under 3 hours, persuading a British army force of 11,000 to head back to Canada; and as much as Saratoga saved New York in 1777, the naval battle of Plattsburgh Bay saved the state again.
1918 - Although allied with Russia's imperial government through the spring and summer of the previous year, over 4,000 American troops landed in northwestern Russia on this date in 1918, seeking to overthrow the new Bolshevik (Communist) government. The Americans joined British, French, Italian, Serbian, and Russian "White" forces in the civil war against the "Red" Bolsheviks. When the Allied effort ceased in 1920, some 200 Americans had been killed fighting against Soviet socialism.
1941 - Charles Lindbergh decried that "the British, the Jewish, and the Roosevelt administration" are trying to get the U.S. into World War II. A side of Lindbergh not often revealed in grade-school texts was his deep-seated anti-Semitism.
1954 - The first nationally televised broadcast of the Miss America Pageant took place, delivered in-progress at 10:30 pm, to an audience of 27 million viewers. Lee Ann Meriweather was crowned the new Miss America. For comparison's sake, over 58 million viewers were glued to the final tribal council vote on "Survivor" last month.
1986 - Wall Street suffered, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced its biggest single-day decline to date, plummeting almost 87 points to 1,792.89. Over 237 million shares traded. Need we even make the present-day comparisons for you to get a little chuckle over this "catastrophic" drop?
Coptic New Year, Egypt - The Coptic Orthodox religion set the beginning of their calendar when Roman Emperor Diocletian began his persecution of this Christian community in Egypt in the year AD 248 by the Julian Calendar. Today is the first day of AM 1717 - AM is the Year of the Martyrs.
Timket - Ethiopian New Year, Ethiopia - Today is 1 Meskerem 1993 under the Ethiopian calendar, which is unique. There are 12 months of 30 days each, followed by a month of five or six days to match the actual length of the year.
1862
- O. Henry, O. Henry, the pen name of William Sydney Porter, was
born in Greensboro, NC. Not a fortunate upbringing awaited him. His mother
died of tuberculosis when he was three, and his doctor father suffered
from alcoholism, which surely stunted his efforts to build a perpetual
motion machine. The young teen Porter went to work in a drugstore, then
later journeyed to Texas to work on a ranch. In Austin, Texas he married,
got a job as a bank teller, then purchased a news weekly called, strangely
enough, "The Rolling Stone." The paper did not do as well as its later-day
namesake. In 1894, the bank accused Porter of embezzlement. He fled to
Honduras, but returned three years later to be with his dying wife. That's
when the law caught up with him, and he spent time in a federal prison
in Ohio. There, he wrote stories under the name of O. Henry. After his
release from the pen, he penned manyworks in New York City - often writing
a short story per week. His fame accelerated, and he kept his true identity
a secret. His works are popular and acclaimed tales, perhaps the most
famous being "The Gift of the Magi." Yet, O. Henry, a failure in business,
unable to stick to a budget, and finally an alcoholic like his father,
died impoverished on 5 June 1910.
A most notable feat, one which, on the whole, surpassed that of any other
captain of either navy in this war.
- W. L. Clowes, British naval
historian, on Macdonough
O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere
they are wisest. They are the magi.
- O. Henry, "The Gift of the
Magi"
I saw a fleet of fishing boats.…I flew down almost touching the craft
and yelled at them, asking if I was on the right road to Ireland.
- Charles A. Lindbergh
The tribe has spoken.
- Jeff Probst
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