Military History Day-To-Day

04/23/2018

April 23rd, 1942 - England

The so-called "Baedeker Raids" carried out by German bombers in England began on this day and ended in late May. This campaign has a unique infamy among historians of Medieval and Roman legacy in the U.K., as it deliberately targeted "heirloom" sites of historical significance. Priceless archaeological material perished along with roughly 1000 British civilians.

On the 23rd Exeter was struck, followed later by Bath, Norwick, York, and other centers of England's historical footprint. These raids were a direct retaliation for the devastation of Lubeck, a city of only moderate military significance, which was apparently ordered simply as a "morale booster" for the RAF (according to Head of British Bomber Command Sir Arthur Harris).

A German publishing company called Baedeker was known for popular travel guides of European countries. The German retaliation bombings were so-called because "the Luftwaffe vowed to destroy every building in Britain that the Baedeker Guide had awarded three stars." (History.com)

04/19/2018

April 19th, 1861 - Baltimore, MD

The "Copperhead" Democrats of Baltimore assembled near a rail station on President St. to harass the mostly MA and some PA state militia troops heading to Washington. The antiwar protesters began hurling rocks, shoes, rail spikes, and worse at the soon-to-be Union soldiers.

Alan Pinkerton had recently shuffled Abraham Lincoln secretly through this hostile city and towards inauguration. The situation was turning grim on a national scale, as well as local.

4 soldiers and 12 civilians were killed when the powder smoke lifted from the resulting action. Fort Sumter had been fired-on a week prior, but the first blood of the American Civil War had been drawn, and the flow would not stop for 4 years and 750,000 deaths later.

04/19/2018

The American Revolution is Birthed

April 19th, 1775 - Lexington, MA

"The shot heard around the world" resulted from a tense standoff on the town green between 77 minutemen under Captain John Parker and 700 British troops under Major John Pitcairn. About 10 Patriots lost their lives, while a single British soldier was injured. The British pressed on to reach their targets in Concord.

Upon reaching Concord, the British were able to destroy an important cache of military supplies, but found themselves overwhelmed by Patriots. Reversing over the 16 miles from Lexington, the British were subjected to constant attack from furtive minutemen "behaving like Indians". Upon returning to Lexington, Capt. Parker and his men were able to kill a number of British troops as they rushed down the road.

The military hostilities that would come to be known as the American Revolution were inaugurated, on April 19th, 1775, and with it the destinies of all Americans set into motion.

04/03/2018

09/07/2017

Are you one of the 4%?

07/21/2017

TODAY - JULY 21, 1861 - FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN - AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

Union and Confederate forces collide in the first major battle of the Civil War fought near Manassas Junction Virginia, roughly 25 miles west-southwest of Washington D.C. Each side had roughly 18,000 men, although they were made up mostly of militia and untrained volunteers. Although initially the Confederate soldiers found themselves at a disadvantage, the reinforcements of Joseph E. Johnston brought in by rail turned the tide of the battle. A group of Virginian's under the command of Thomas J. Jackson held their ground during a pivotal part of the battle, thus giving General Jackson the nickname of "Stonewall". Union lines eventually crumbled and the Federal forces were routed back towards Washington, resulting in a Confederate victory.
The Battle of Bull Run showed many of the deficiencies of both armies which allowed either side to analyze and adjust the type of warfare they would wage and how they would wage it. Bull Run also showed the nation that this conflict would but much longer and bloodier than either side anticipated.

Union Casualties: 2,708 total
481 killed
1,011 wounded
1,216 missing

Confederate Casualties: 1,982
387 killed
1,582 wounded
13 missing

05/12/2017