When Julius Caesar was an up and coming politician, he made a trip to Rhodes to study rhetoric. On the way, his ship was taken by pirates. Yes, they had pirates in the Mediterranean Sea in the time of Ancient Read more
Prior to the Civil War, long hair was the norm for several reasons. First, lots of hair gave a raw look and it was thought to be intimidating. Second, in cold weather it provided some protection. Lastly, lots of hair Read more
A picket is a soldier who is positioned in front of an army to provide early warning of an enemy attack. The word comes from the French word “piquet” which means pointed stake. It was first used by the French Read more
Cambyses was the Persian Emperor who conquered Egypt. He may have been a great conqueror, but he was a cruel despot. Once when a judge was found guilty of corruption, he had him flayed alive. He ordered that the skin Read more
This picture is of a typical slave cabin in the Antebellum South. Most of the field hands lived in structures like this. The cabins were made of wood. Even the chimneys were wooden. Most were 1 1/2 stories with the Read more
PEARL HARBOR WARNINGS For years, the final exam for Japanese naval cadets included the question: “How would you attack Pearl Harbor?” The night before the attack, the FBI intercepted a suspicious phone call from Tokyo to the Japanese embassy in Read more
AMERICA’S FIRST SHOT – On Dec. 7, 1941 just before daybreak, a minesweeper in Pearl Harbor signaled the destroyer USS Ward that it had sighted an unidentified submarine. Four hours later, lookouts on the Ward spotted the conning tower of Read more
PEARL HARBOR RADAR – *** Here’s an anecdote from my WWII page. On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Privates Joseph Lockard and George Elliott were operating an experimental radar station near Pearl Harbor. They were off duty at 7 Read more
Sutlers were civilian merchants who sold provisions to the soldiers. They were also known as victualers. The occupation went back to the French and Indian War and sutlers could be found in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Read more
The Earl of Oxford attended Queen Elizabeth’s court one day and as he bowed low before the monarch, he broke wind. He was so embarrassed that he stayed away from the court for several years. When he finally returned and Read more