Another Big Battle You've (Probably) Never Heard Of ...

The Battle of Towton
Richard Caton Woodville

The Field of Battle,
Towton
Source

A good friend of the blog, Hogday, commented on this post the other day. While I was presenting the Battle of Solferino for your consideration, to wit "Big Battles That You've Never Heard Of," his offering was of a battle from further back in time, 1461 to be precise, which was the bloodiest battle ever fought on English soil.

It was a battle, for the most part, with Englishman pitted against Englishman, and they didst slaughter each other in great numbers from what I've read.

Whereas Hogday offered up this link (Wikipedia), I found another, this one, which I found to be much better written (it's from The Daily Mail). (To be honest, I find many of the offerings in Wikipedia to be written by academics, which tends to make them pretty dry reading. The chap who wrote the article in The Daily Mail writes of battle, bloody battle. No dry reading in that article.)

I speak of course of the Battle of Towton which was fought between the Yorkists and the Lancastrians on the 29th of March in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Four Hundred Sixty One, as in 31 years prior to Columbus sailing the ocean blue. Yup, a long time ago.

Of course by now you're asking just who were the Yorkists and their foes the Lancastrians. These folks were noble families who were striving for the throne of England.

During the reign of the relatively weak Henry VI, civil war broke out between rival claimants to the throne, dating back to the sons of Edward III. The Lancastrian dynasty descended from John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, third son of Edward III, whose son Henry deposed the unpopular Richard II.

Yorkist claimants such as the Duke of York asserted their legitimate claim to the throne through Edward III's second surviving son, but through a female line. The Wars of the Roses therefore tested whether the succession should keep to the male line or could pass through females. (Source)

This conflict has come down to us by the name "The War of the Roses" as apparently the emblems of the two houses were a red rose (Lancaster) and a white rose (York). They didn't call it that back then, it was simply referred to as the Civil Wars (of which England has apparently suffered seven, over the course of six centuries (1135 to 1746). You can read a synopsis of those here.

Anyhoo, the account of the battle appealed to me because it was fought in very cold weather, driving snow at times, and the chap who considered himself King of England (the Duke of York, or King Edward IV, if you will) was actually on scene, fighting with sword and shield. Whereas the reigning King of England, Henry IV, was sitting in comfort some distance away from the field in the town of York, with his wife. 

To say that many considered Henry a weak king is something of an understatement.

The Daily Mail article tells the story of the battle very well and also bemoans the fact that not all that many people in England (yes, England, not the UK, just England) aren't all that familiar with the battle. Which may have cost upwards of 20,000 lives, many (if not most) of whom were buried on the spot. A number of bodies have been unearthed in succeeding years, many of which show horrendous wounds. Medieval battles were brutal affairs.

Now you might be thinking that late March couldn't be that cold, I mean it's the first week of spring, right? Well, it was much colder back then due to Europe being in the grip of a mini Ice Age which lasted roughly from 1300 to 1850. Did you know that the Thames used to freeze over in winter? So yeah, it was brutally cold that day.

Another View of the Field
That lone tree to the right is also in the first photo, on the horizon
Source

I highly recommend you go read that Daily Mail account of the battle, it's excellent. Much like here, the author also bemoans the fact that the youth aren't really being taught their history. The very thing which makes them English! (It is, sadly, much the same in our own nation. Hopefully that gets rectified.)

A slaughter in the snow, fleeing combatants being cut to red ruin and drowning in a creek as they fled. The Cock Beck doesn't look like much in the photo below, but there had been a lot of rain and snow before the battle and the creek was more of a fast flowing river spreading out over the fields when the defeated tried to cross it!

The Cock Beck¹
Source

As always, I like to present a video, after all, a picture really can be worth a thousand words!

Part 1 -

Part 2 -

Two other references on the battle:

• British Battles
• Weapons and Warfare

So there you have it, another battle which you've probably never heard of, but was of great importance, especially to England!

Thanks for the inspiration, Hogday!

¹ A beck is a common name for a brook in northern England.

Didn't Expect That

PxHere

It's pleasantly surprised I am.

After the doldrums of Tuesday, I wasn't really optimistic. I expected something more along these lines ...

Still, it's a long way to the 20th of January ...

As an old Navy ROTC instructor of my acquaintance might say, "Stand by for heavy rolls ..."

Things could still go sideways.

Don't want this
Source

Overconfidence is not your friend.

Wait until January, then we'll see.

But I do feel much better now.

Regular posting will resume shortly. Whatever "regular" means ...

Editor's Note: For those of you just arriving on Earth, I'm talking about the U.S. elections held on Tuesday, the 5th of November, in the Year of Our Lord 2024. (None of that CE/BCE shite for me, thanks.)

Uniformity

One of the many Navy history photos that decorated the walls of my NROTC unit.

Source 

Uniformity, when it comes to military uniforms, may be like what Inigo Montoya said in The Princess Bride:  "I do not think it means what you think it means."  There are so many variations, what you can and can't wear in certain situations, and what parts can or can't go with other parts, everybody wearing different authorized uniforms, etc.  Both Juvat and Sarge have recently written about uniforms which included the goods, bads, and others.  So I figured I'd weigh in with my own thoughts and experiences.  While I expressed my belief that the Navy Choker White Dress uni is the absolute best, I admit I am heavily biased.  My father was the primary influence for me joining the navy, but that uniform didn't hurt. I had seen my uncle in his Marine dress blues, and was impressed, but not enough to sway my choice of service by any means.  Besides the chokers I do like the summer whites, especially with the black shoulder boards of an officer, which adds a small amount of contrast to the crisp whiteness.  

Me at my retirement with my dearest Aunt Jo (wife of the Marine mentioned above)

I think the blue crackerjacks for the enlisted men and women look sharp as well, especially when I think about those 70s era recruiting posters.  While my father was already a Chief when he married my mom, I remember photos of him wearing it and it looked good on his 6' 5'' frame.  Ever see Jack Nicholson in "The Last Detail?"  He made that uniform look great.

Source

Source

I like that Eisenhower-like jacket the army has moved to, but it looks a little awkward when not in the context of a World War II movie.  Actually, now that I think about it, it looks like they're playing dress-up to look like WWII officers.  Silly name for it too- Pinks and Greens?  More like mossy-brown and khaki.  I'm not a fan of some of the more recent variants of the USAF's uniforms- that dress uniform Juvat showed looks like bellhop outfits.  But maybe that's just a ceremonial band uniform.  For the other?  Star Trek wants their wardrobe back.

Source

Did you ever see the Navy's re-attempt at aviation greens? It didn't last long, and those that bought it spent way too much money for a uniform that lasted for far too short of a period.  It looked good, but when and where would one wear it?  

Source

Screen grab from "Battlestations" on YouTube

I do think those dress khakis in World War II movies looked amazing, but those did not translate well into a modern uniform either.  They looked great in black and white, but not so good live and in color.  The gold buttons look out of place to me, probably because the black and white photos didn't show the gold. I think the pairing with the garrison cover is also a mistake- better with the combination cover.  It doesn't really matter, if the Navy still authorizes it for wear, I never see anyone wearing it.  Not sure I ever have.

                                             

Sources:  US Navy photo, Nimitz photo

Speaking of unworn uniforms, the Working Blues is another uniform left in the back of a dusty moth-eaten closet.  I have no idea when the Navy dropped it, probably sometime in the early 90s I'd guess, but I don't remember ever seeing it worn, nor did I wear it after college, despite being issued to me.  It looked ok, but wasn't really utilized.  Maybe I remember some use in office spaces ashore early in my career, but no officers from what I recall.  Had I been stationed in Norfolk or DC, my experience might have been different, but for the warmer climes of Pensacola and SoCal, not a very practical uni.

Source

For a bit of a recap, here's all the uniforms that were part of a Sailor's or Officer's Sea Bag:

Service Dress Blues

Service Dress Whites (Summer Whites)

Winter Working Uniform (Johnny Cash)

Working Khaki / Service Uniform (now black and tans)

Washed Khaki (long or short sleeve) / Shipboard Working Uniform (dungarees, now NWU, or 2POC, or coveralls)

Washed Whites (cotton vice polyester) (enlisted only)

Flight Suit (if authorized)

Flight Suit (desert brown)

Garrison Cap (aka piss-cutter)

Combination Cover (white, khaki)

Flight Jacket (leather G-1 / green Nomex)

Service Khaki Windbreaker

Officers / Chiefs only:

Service Dinner Dress Whites (Chokers)

Mess Dress Blues / Whites (Tux)

Sword (optional until O-4)

Optional pieces include(d) a service sweater, Eisenhower Jacket, or pea coat.  Ladies also had dress uniform options (capes and tiaras), flats or heels, skirts or pants.  

Several of these have been discontinued or are rarely worn, and the washed whites/Johnny Cashes are replaced for enlisted by the NWU and Black and Tans.  I think the bag can be limited to SDBs, Whites, Khakis, and Chokers for the Officers, SDBs/Whites, Black & Tans, NWUs for Enlisted.  There are various restrictions for some uniforms as well- some not allowed out in town (to/from home only)

VS-21 Redtails on Iwo Jima.  Red or black t-shirts were authorized.*

Enough of a history lesson, or what I can remember of history.  All those uniforms aside, for most of my career I was able to wear a flight suit.  Never mind the chokers, the flight suit was the most comfortable, the easiest to wash and wear, and pretty cool considering what we did with them, i.e. flying.  Fortunately I never had to buy or wear those god-awful blueberry camouflage unis. They came out towards the end of my career, but I was able to keep that flight suit on.  When I was at TAO** on USS Carl Vinson, I actually enjoyed the comfort and style of the washed khaki long sleeved shirts.  They were better than the flight suit in the combat spaces which had extra air conditioning due to all the electronics.  When combined with either the leather jacket or the green flight jacket, they made for a comfortable and warm combo.  During my first tour, washed khakis, the short sleeve version, were the uniform of the day when standing the duty in the ship's ready room, or when we had awards quarters at sea.  Regular khakis on duty when back ashore.  I almost forgot the flight deck Jersey that many ships company folks got to wear inside the ship and out at sea. White for officers and Chiefs involved in non flight deck duties, I was able to wear a yellow one a couple times while standing Flight Deck Safety Officer once I was back in the airwing. Or maybe it was white, or even green- too long ago to adequately clear those brain cobwebs.

Source

My service dress blues were worn only a couple dozen times during my career.  Pulling into port after deployment during the winter months was a couple of those times, if I wasn't flying off or desiring to man the rails.  Each squadron had a requirement to send some number of men and women up to the flight deck but I don't remember my number ever being called.  For the first hour the brow was down, SDBs or Summer Whites was required (better look for family and media.  Returning from war after 9/11 on Vinson was a memorable moment and the picture of me carrying my daughter and walking hand in hand with my son and wife, me in SDBs, made the front page of the Bremerton Sun.  My wife, who wrote for the Sun, might have had something to do with that. 

New Navy 2POC Uniform (Source)

As for the Navy's seemingly constant uniform shifts, I'm not a fan.  Not because I am some curmudgeonly old Navy guy, which I am, but because the new uniforms never seem to hit the mark for a wide swath of those serving.  The current green camouflage uniform, the NWU, was only chosen because the CNO at the time hated the blueberries that were foist upon us. Now the shift to the 2POC, two-piece organizational clothing, is supposed to provide them with a easy-to-take-care-of working uniform, but it looks quite sloppy.  Part of that is because it's made for the sailors we are recruiting now, ones that don't necessarily hit their peak fitness now or ever.  The photo above isn't what I've seen- a wrinkled loose ill-fitting set of PJs.  The well-pressed starched ones above aren't truly representative of what's out there in the Fleet.

I'm also not a fan of how the Navy has gone to a single style for both men and women for some unis. The ladies didn't have choker whites, which they now have, it was more of a single breasted suit. And also with that the bucket hat is gone in place of (what was) the standard male combination cover.  I know it was done due to the large difference in the cost of the sea bag for women, but I miss the style they lost, and there's nothing wrong with the differences between male and female bodies.  The Marine Corps hasn't forgotten.  It seems like a larger uniform allowance up front might be able to offset the higher costs, but what is done is done. 

The women also no longer need to keep their hair up, and shoulder length hair falling below the cover, and even ponytails are authorized now.  It just doesn't look professional to me, too casual looking for my taste. Is it a double standard?  Probably, but we are not the same, and I relish our differences.  But there I go again, being all curmudgeonly.

Any ladies in current or former service wish to provide their opinion? I'm looking up to Hanford and Maryland for two possible comments if they are so willing.  Relaying through our host is a perfectly acceptable means of transmission.

Any thoughts on what you like or dislike about Navy or other uniforms?  

I'll leave you with one more look at what Juvat and Sarge just haven't realized is the best military uniform out there.  

My favorite family photo

* The Navy is now more uniform.  Black or brown tee shirts are required; no variability for squadron colors authorized.

**TAO – Tactical Actions Officer (fights the ship under the supervision of the captain)

In a Semi-Dark Kind of Mood ...

PxHere

I'll open with this - I am an optimist but I'm also a realist.

The election is today, it's a big one. I have been hearing the odd political ad here and there, normally while watching football. Not that I watch a lot of football but enough that I've been exposed to an ad or three in the past few weeks.

The amount of absurdity, nonsense, and outright lies I've heard are astounding. Most of the candidates out there are guilty of it. I get it, they're trying to get re-elected by selling themselves to voters who are pretty naive. I mean most Americans are content to live their lives and hope nobody annoying bothers them.

Well, every couple of years their elected representatives (not leaders, damn it) go out of their way to annoy them. The old "if I'm elected, I will ..." promises flow freely, most of the candidates know that the voters will go back to their regular routines and not really care if all of those promises are kept.

Leastways that's my take on it.

One side or the other will "win," that's in quotes because the American people should be the winners, not some group of politicians. We, the People, didn't "win" in the last election, if you think we did, you either don't buy gasoline, or groceries, or anything else for that matter. Prices have skyrocketed over the past four years.

Why?

If we don't produce energy, we have to buy it from somewhere. If the price of gasoline goes up, so does everything else. Planes, trains, and automobiles (trucks actually) move everything you want to buy or sell.

Fields are plowed and harvested with machines that use gasoline.

Gasoline, not hopes, wishes, solar, or wind - gasoline. It's that simple.

Vote today. It's important.

And pray...

hard.

Bones

 

Bones

Sorry Folks, Had to go with a rerun.  Mrs J and I went to College Station for our oldest and youngest birthday celebrations.  Didn't get back til late Sunday.  That having been said, this is one of my favorite stories about a really great member of the squadron I was in.

So, There I was......* Flight Commander at Kadena, flying F-15s, dodging Typhoons, F-5s and communists.  In general, having a good time.  Being a Flight Commander didn't involve any real "command" things.  I didn't have any UCMJ authority, and issuing an Order to one of my flight members would almost undoubtedly have reduced them to tears from laughing so hard.  Based on that, my leadership style was based on example,  I would work hard to be the best I could at my job and treat my people with the respect they deserved.  In general, it worked pretty well.  I did get the occasional call from the Squadron Commander inviting Lt Schmuckatelli and myself to his office for a "chat".  Usually followed by a second private "chat" between the Boss and myself.  Fortunately, both Squadron Commanders during my time at Kadena followed the same leadership style that I was trying to emulate.

I get the call one afternoon to stop by the Bosses office.  He invites me in and says he's got some good news, bad news.  I'm getting a new member to my flight, a Captain in his first tour in an F-15.  Now, this usually meant one of a few things.  He could be a fairly senior Captain who's had a couple of tours in an older fighter, then performed a "pay your dues" tour (say an AT-38 to Holloman) and finally got an Eagle.  He could be a First Assignment Instructor Pilot (FAIP) from ATC and got an Eagle out of there, or he could be a WSO who'd been selected for Pilot training.  Most WSOs I knew were fairly proficient at flying the jet and would have had no problem graduating near the top of the class, which was a requirement for getting an Eagle or Falcon.

The good news is I'm not getting a Lt.  I've already got 3 and while they are gaining proficiency and judgement at an astonishing rate, I've still got to keep close watch on them.  We had a D model come on the schedule when one of them was scheduled for Duty Officer.  He came and asked me if he could take it out for an advanced handling ride.  The hairs on my neck started standing up.  Then came the Kicker, he asked if one of his Lt buddies could ride along.  Now this Lt was not in my flight, but he was positive that he was the Sierra Hotel-ist of all the Sierra Hotel Fighter Pilots in the squadron, and he wanted to show my Lt a couple of tricks he knew about Advanced Handling.

The hair on my neck is standing straight up.  I told them, Yes, they could take the sortie and fly together.  That started a bit of wink wink, nudge nudge going on between them.  I then told them they were not to exit the Radar Pattern and that I expected them to have completed their semiannual instrument approach requirements by the time they landed. "Mannnnnn!"  Little bit later, I get a call from the Boss asking why I had done that.  I responded "Sir, I didn't want the last words on the tape to be "Let me show you how to do THIS!".  He responded "Good Call."

Anyhow, as Sarge is wont to say, I digress.  So, I'm not getting a Lt. Good.  "Wonder what the Bad News is?"  The Boss hands me his flight records.  He wasn't a WSO or FAIP but he was coming out of a "Pay your Dues" tour.  He'd done 3 years flying a T-33 as a target for the Air Defense guys.

"Oooh Boy!"  Target flying involves a lot of straight and level and not much else.  Not a good workup to flying Air to Air in an Eagle.  To compound that, he's come out of the short qualification course since technically he was an experienced pilot.  Getting him up to speed will be challenging.  

A couple of days later, I pick him and his wife up at Naha.  "Good Afternoon, I'm Juvat."  He says, "Hi Juvat, I'm Bones."  Now lots of guys come to a squadron with a tactical callsign that they had at a previous location, or that they would like to be called, but very few of those call signs survive first contact with a raucous squadron.  So, I'll humor him until his Eagle Baptism.

Very nice guy.  Personality wise, he's going to fit in.  No sweat.  But that's not what it takes to make it in a fighter squadron.

 I get him settled in and on the schedule with an IP to regain landing currency.  They go out do a little advanced handling to get down to landing weight, then come back in the pattern for some instruments and touch and goes.  Afterwards I asked the IP how it went.  No sweat, instruments were like glass, landings were fine.  All well and good, but that also is not what it takes to make it in a fighter squadron.

I decide that he is going to be "my" wingman and for better or worse, he's going to be the guy entrusted to keeping my butt out of trouble if the fecal matter starts flying.  I get him scheduled with me the next day for a BFM ride.  The ride goes pretty well.  He makes the usual new guy mistakes, but flies the jet pretty well.  We go up again the next day and I can see that he has learned some from the previous ride.  Improvement is always good.  The third ride, we've got a little added bonus, we're going to hit the tanker.  He'd gotten two tanker hits during RTU, one Day, one Night.  I asked him how those went and he hemmed and hawed a little.  OK.  We talk about refueling a bit more, but tanking in the Eagle is Easy!

Contact Position.  (I know for a fact that I have flown the closest jet on the left)
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

Ok, maybe not so much.  He gets stable in the pre-contact position and moves it forward into the contact position and is floundering all around.  The boomer sticks him and promptly pulls out as Bones slides out the front of the box. (Potentially very dangerous if the boomer doesn't disconnect in time, the boom is not able to retract further and can be driven into one or both aircraft.  That's bad).  Bones moves back into the Pre-contact and tries again.  Basically the same thing.  He doesn't have the picture for flying formation with the larger tanker.  Try a third time, no dice.  There are other flights on the tankers wing, so we clear off and head out to the area.  BFM is good, not great.  Debrief is long and lots of time spent drawing pictures of what a KC-135 looks like in the various refueling positions.

I go and talk to the Boss about it and what my plan to get him through this is.  Basically, I'm going to get him on a tanker every chance I can get.  On scheduled tanker sorties, and on drive by's.  The tanker track was right next to the airspace and you could usually talk your way to a dry hook up or maybe even a couple of hundred pounds if they weren't actively refueling others.  The Boss approves.

We do this for a couple of months.  I get him across a tanker 3-4 times a week. (This was the Reagan Build up years, we flew a lot!) and he's settling in ok, but never to the point that I can relax while he's on the boom.  and the first night tank was, shall we say, interesting.

We've got a wing wide exercise scheduled, "Defend the Island against all comers".
The Aggressors are in town.  They're playing Mig-21s.  

F-5s as Mig-21s (small, turn on a dime, hard to see)
Source:commons.wikimedia.org

The RF-4C squadron is playing Mig-23s

RF-4C as Mig 23 (fast as greased lightning, can't turn for squat)
Source:commons.wikimedia.org

 and the SR-71 is playing a Mig-25 (They called it a low slow flight for some reason).

SR-71 as Mig-25 (high fast flyer)
Source en.wikipedia.org

The three Eagle squadrons are rotating to protect Kadena from the bad guys.  I'm leading Bones in a two ship protecting the tanker track and we know the fight is going to start soon, since we can see with the radar the bad guys taking off.  The Tanks are about 100 miles behind me, and I'm getting to the point that I need to refuel now, or I'm going to be way to low on gas when the bad guys push.  I call the tank and ask him to turn towards us to shorten the time to rendezvous.  He does,  I stroke the burners and put Bones into a loose fighting wing position.

Obviously, NOT F-15s in Fighting Wing, but this is approximately the formation
Source: U. S. Air Force File Photo

  The formation allows him to use maneuver and cut off instead of throttle to stay in formation.  He's got a bit less gas than I so, my plan is for Bones to refuel first.  A gamble, since if Bones can't get his gas expeditiously, we've got two Eagles out of the fight, instead of one.  Well above the Mach, I'm starting my conversion turn and tell the Tanker to begin his retrograde.  I'm pulling slightly less than 9Gs in the turn and Bones is hanging in formation. 

Loaded for Bear with war shots
Source:ru.wikipedia.org

 I rollout with Bones in the contact position and the Boomer sticks him.  He's like glass.  Takes his gas, disconnects, I pull into position and the Tanker starts turning hot.  Smart guy.  He's not going to out run them, better to have two shooters between him and them.  I've got my gas as he completes the 180 and disconnect.  The Tank immediately starts the retrograde again as I light the burners and accelerate out from underneath.  The ensuing fight was epic.  Never did see the SR-71 (he was in a later stage of the battle after we'd recovered.)  Get back to the ramp and into the debrief.  I asked Bones how it went.  He said, during the conversion turn the G's were such that his vision was limited to a small circle with my navigation light in it.  He stayed with that, until he felt a thunk as the boomer stuck him.  He finished with "after staying in position during that turn, staying in position on the tanker was a piece of cake."

Suffice it to say, Bones developed into a fine Fighter Pilot, an excellent wingman and an even better Flight Lead. And, unlike most guys, actually kept his call sign.  (Which, may or may not really have been "Bones")

The Biggest Battle You've Never Heard Of¹ ...

Battle of Solferino
Carlo Bossoli (PD)
Solferino, June 24, 1859 - about 1400 hours. Conclusion of the Battle of Solferino.
The forces of division "Forey" and division "De Ladmirault" take possession of the Castle and the Fortress of Solferino.

Solferino, Italy.

On the 24th of July 1859 three armies converged on this area in northern Italy. These armies were led by the Emperor Napoléon III (France), King Victor Emmanuel II (Piedmont-Sardinia), and Emperor Franz Joseph I (Austria).

The French and the Piedmont-Sardinians were allied against the Austrians. The goal of Victor Emmanuel II was to drive the Austrians out of Italy and unite the country, under his rule of course. (Spoiler alert, Victor Emmanuel II became King of Italy in 1861, the first time Italy had been united under one monarch since the 6th Century.)

Napoléon III's goal was not in conflict with that of Victor Emmanuel II's, driving Austria out of Italy was his goal as well. Something his uncle the Napoléon would have understood. Napoléon III also wanted to destroy the system created at the Congress of Vienna in 1815 which he felt denied France her rightful place in European affairs.

This was the last battle at which the armies in contention were led by their sovereigns, in person. (To date, I doubt any modern "leaders" will ever be bothered to lead their troops in battle ever again.) An interesting note is that after this battle, an Austrian defeat, Franz Joseph I decided that he would leave future wars to his generals. He was still Emperor when World War I broke out. (He died in 1916.)

A quick video of Solferino (sorry it's in French, but it does have English subtitles) -

Now there was a Swiss gentlemen, Henri Dunant who witnessed the aftermath of the battle, he was so shocked and appalled by the suffering of the wounded (and the lack of care they received) that he went on to become one of the co-founders of the Red Cross. He was also the first recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (back when that award actually meant something, yeah, looking at you Obama).

A video on this badass dude -

(And yesterday was the day "I found out" about Monsieur Dunant.)

Solferino was one of the battles in that oh-so-peaceful time in Europe between 1815 and 1914. It wasn't so much "peaceful" as it was a period of people slaughtering hundreds of their fellow man, as opposed to thousands. (Deaths in the millions would wait for the 20th Century.) Yes, I'm a bit down on that European hundred years of "peace" that some like to tout.

Anyhoo, that's it for today.

Hey, get out and vote on Tuesday, okay?

This might be your last chance. No, seriously.

¹ Okay, maybe some of you have, this is a wicked smart crowd here.

That Was the Week That Was ...

Après la Bataille
Paul Louis Narcisse Grolleron
Source

I seem to be fully recovered from my recent illness, no fun at all I tell you, no fun at all.

Actually, wasn't all that bad once I had the antibiotics going strong, it was the clear liquids for the first day, bland food for a few days after that which was no fun. I mean First World problem, right?

At least I have food, yeah?

Retirement gets closer and closer, I've spent some serious time lately getting all the paperwork in order. Some of it is gubmint paperwork, which usually means "user unfriendly" and not that clear. Once I pulled my head out, I got it done.

Managed to get some good rack time in over the past week. Early to bed, early to rise, etc., etc., etc. Sure made Jack a dull boy though, even if I did really, really need it.

That opening painting caught my eye as I cast my net around the web of worldwideness to perhaps catch a topic to write about. The painting is of a Second Empire French dragoon who seems to be unassing the battlefield in a somewhat furtive manner.

His mount is probably exhausted, having had to haul his rider all over the battlefield in what appears to have been a losing effort. In the 1870 Franco-Prussian War the French didn't win many battles. A few, but they did wind up losing the war, their emperor (Napoléon III, nephew of the more famous Napoléon I) was captured at the Battle of Sedan and the victorious Prussians declared the founding of the German Empire at Versailles. Yes, that's in France, at the old royal palace of the Bourbons.

Die Proklamierung des Deutschen Kaiserreiches¹
Anton von Werner (PD)

That's Bismarck himself in the fancy white uniform at the center of the composition, Kaiser Wilhelm I is the white-haired chap up on the raised platform (stage left) being acclaimed as emperor by all the other chaps. He was the grandfather of Kaiser Wilhelm II (the bogeyman of World War I fame) and had been present at the Battle of Waterloo. He'd assisted in the defeat of the first Napoléon and his generals had defeated the third Napoléon.

For those of you wondering who was the second Napoléon, well, that was Napoléon I's son, who died in his twenties in Vienna where he was a "guest" of the Austrian government under the rule of his grandfather, Kaiser Franz I. Mom was an Austrian princess don't ya know?

An interesting time period that war, nasty in a lot of aspects, perhaps I'll write about it someday. The last "old school" war with cavalry charging about and men marching around in lines and columns, standing in the open, and getting cut to shreds much like our own unpleasantness ten years before.

All that being said, I'm back in the saddle, so to speak, and ready to get back to writing. Once the Muse shows up of course. I don't control her, she comes and goes as she sees fit. If I try to force her to be creative, it often blows up in my face.

So, I'm back, be patient, the free ice cream will be forthcoming.

Any day now.

¹ The proclamation of the German Empire

John Blackshoe Sends: Serendipity History – Halloween 1898- “Who Stole the Beer?” - Part IV

Regimental Flag of the 3rd Kentucky Volunteer Infantry
Courtesy: Kentucky Museum, Western Kentucky University
Source

Cartridge belt worn by PVT Cecil W. Trotter, 3rd Kentucky Volunteer Infantry

Author photo and collection

Here is a tangible artifact from the great beer theft, and the rest of the 3rd KY Volunteer story. PVT Cecil W. Trotter was issued this cartridge belt, and marked it on the inside “CECIL TROTTER, Co. K, 3rd KY VOLS.” These were issued at the same time as their single shot .45-70 trapdoor rifles, one of which was used in the provost marshal shooting of 12th New York Private Nygren. You can see a cartridge belt on one of the soldiers in the stereo view image (cropped) below, “In the Camp of the 3rd Kentucky Volunteers, Newport News, VA” where the unit was camped prior to moving to Lexington, KY.

3rd Kentucky in Newport News, VA
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While unit history books were usually done (if at all) shortly after being mustered out, the 3rd Kentucky did not get a unit history until 2016 When a retired USAF Colonel did an excellent one: Greg Eanes, Heroes of Peace: A History of the 3rd Kentucky Infantry in the Spanish American War. It is well researched and a bit more critical with access to many more records than the hastily done works.

Like most units, the 3rd Kentucky Volunteers were quickly shipped to Camp Thomas with all of its problems. However, invincible, or perhaps poorly informed young men were rather cavalier about their service adventures. Here is a letter from PVT William Taylor of Company A, written to his mother July 11, 1898, where he gets around to mentioning he had been in the hospital for five weeks with pneumonia!

A soldier's letter home from the 3rd Kentucky
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The incident where PVT Kitchen shot the 12th New York’s PVT Nygren is covered fairly in Eanes’ book. It concludes that the General Courts Martial acted fairly and properly in disposing of the case with no punishment. Kitchen acted in the line of duty and the orders he has been given. Originally charged in the civilian Lexington courts they dumped the hot potato into the Army’s laps before their town was endangered.

Interestingly, this history make no mention at all of the Halloween beer theft, and I suspect that the 160th Indiana mention of the 3rd Kentucky was done to deflect or at least share any blame for the incident.

Like the other two units, the 3rd Kentucky went to Cuba for occupation duty, and Eane’s book describes this in detail, mostly too boring to repeat here.

Camp of the 3rd Kentucky at Matanzas, Cuba during occupation duty in 1899.
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The 3rd Kentucky unit history notes several incidents where negligent discharges killed or injured the soldier themselves, or other soldiers or civilians. It also notes several cases where soldiers brought home Cuban civilians, usually orphans, and later adopted them. I am not aware of other units bringing home adoptees.

 

After the 3rd Kentucky was mustered out, our Private Trotter hung around Georgia for a while, but he must have missed Army life. In December 1899 he enlisted at Macon, Georgia for service in the 4th U.S. Infantry, then deployed to the Philippines. He was listed as 5’9” with brown eyes and hair, working as a collar maker. The 4th Infantry returned to the U.S. in 1902 and Trotter was discharged at Eagle Pass, TX April 20, 1902 on expiration of his enlistment, still a private. Never getting beyond 4th grade probably hampered his advancement, but his conduct was rated as excellent.

He ended up in Biloxi, MS, from 1912 onward, where he married the sister of the mayor and worked various menial jobs. He was active in the Spanish War Veterans group and played in a band. The 1940 Census reveals that Cecil Trotter only had a 4th grade education, and was working 12 hour shifts as a night watchman at a bulk oil plant in Biloxi, MS some time before his death that year.

PVT Cecil Trotter's grave, Biloxi, MS
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Source

So, was the 3rd Kentucky part of the Camp Hamilton beer heist on Halloween? Possibly, but the 160th Indiana, despite their Commander’s temperance tendencies seem to be the ones who stole the beer!

Losses By Unit
All started with about 50 officers and 1,000 enlisted, with some replacements arriving during their service period.
Source

Part 1 looked at “The Crime” of the beer theft

Part 2 looked at “The Victims”- the 12th New York.

Part 3 looked at “The Perps” from the 160th Indiana