HOME :: PUBLICATIONS :: From the Grand Union Flag to the Battle of Franklin, by MILITARY HISTORY, W. THOMAS SMITH, JR.

From the Grand Union Flag to the Battle of Franklin

by MILITARY HISTORY, W. THOMAS SMITH, JR. November 28, 2011
 
Chinese soldiers attacking U.S. Marine and Army forces, Chosin Reservoir.
 
Nov. 27, 1950: The Battle of Chosin Reservoir opens when the Chinese 9th Army Group – four armies under the command of Gen. Song Shilun – surge across the Yalu River into Korea and attack numerically inferior U.S. Marine and Army forces.
 
Song has special instructions to destroy the 1st Marine Division. “The American Marine First Division has the highest combat effectiveness in the American armed forces,” writes Premier Mao Tse-Tung in orders to Gen. Song. “It seems not enough for our four divisions [sic] to surround and annihilate its two regiments. You should have one or two more divisions as a reserve force.”
 
Moreover, orders specify that all other American and allied forces are to be eliminated to the last man.
 
But the Chinese will fail (see upcoming weeks).
 
 
Maj. Robert Rogers.
 
Nov. 29, 1760: Rogers’ Rangers under the command of Massachusetts-born Maj. (future Lt. Col.) Robert Rogers capture Fort Detroit from the French. U.S. Army Rangers in the 20th and 21st centuries will trace their lineage to Rogers and his British Colonial irregulars.
 
Nov. 29, 1890: Navy beats Army, 24-zip, in the first-ever Army (West Point) – Navy (Annapolis) football game.
 
 
Richard E. Byrd Jr.
 
Nov. 29, 1929: U.S. Navy Commander Richard E. Byrd Jr. makes the first-ever flight over the South Pole.
 
Byrd – a future rear admiral and recipient of the Medal of Honor for his 1926 flight over the North Pole – is the navigator of the South Pole flight. His companions include pilot Bernt Balchen, radio operator Harold June, and photographer Ashley McKinley.
 
The team crosses the Pole in a modified Ford tri-motor airplane.
 
 
Gen. John Bell Hood.
 
Nov. 30, 1864: Confederate Army forces under the command of Gen. John Bell Hood (yes, Fort Hood, Texas is named in his honor) clash with Union forces under Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield (yes, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii is named in his honor) near Franklin, Tennessee in what is about to become a Union victory and one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War.
 
By early evening, thousands on both sides will have been killed, and six Confederate generals will be dead or mortally wounded.
 
Confederate Private Sam Watkins of the 1st Tennessee Infantry Regiment will describe the battle as: “the blackest page in the history of the War of the Lost Cause. It was the bloodiest battle of modern times in any war. It was the finishing stroke to the Independence of the Southern Confederacy. I was there. I saw it.”
 
Schofield, who will receive the Medal of Honor for his actions during the 1861 Battle of Wilson’s Creek (Missouri), is destined for a third star, a posting as U.S. Secretary of War, and the title, commanding general of the U.S. Army.
 
 
The Grand Union Flag.
 
Dec. 3, 1775: The Grand Union Flag (not to be confused with S.C. militia Col. Christopher Gadsden’s rattlesnake flag or the Betsy Ross flag) is raised above the 20-gun Continental ship, Alfred. The ship, originally named Black Prince, has been renamed in honor of Alfred the Great. 
 
The hoisting of the “Grand Union” colors is the first time an American flag is raised above an American warship.
 
On an interesting aside, Alfred will be part of the small flotilla that participates in America's first amphibious operation – Continental Marines and sailors seizing gunpowder and a few cannon from British-held Fort Montague in the Bahamas – the following March.
 
 
Family Security Matters Contributing Editor Lt. Col. W. Thomas Smith Jr., is an author, New York Times bestselling editor, columnist, war correspondent, military analyst, field-grade officer in the S.C. Military Dept., former SWAT team officer in the nuclear industry, and former U.S. Marine rifle-squad leader. Visit his website at uswriter.com.
 

blog comments powered by Disqus

WTH?! House Republicans want to preserve 'popular' parts of Obamacare mandate

May 16, 2012  11:19 PM

Politico is in the tank for Dems, and yet some conservatives are just taking Politico's word about the GOP keeping parts of ObamaCare.— RB (@RBPundit) May 17, 2012 What part of “UNDO OBAMACARE” don’t the Beltway Republican leaders understand? Yes, this is a Politico story. But 1) Republican crapweasels leak to Politico all the time; [...]

Jon Huntsman's daughter: My dad should run for mayor of New York City

May 16, 2012  11:16 PM

NYC seems to like wealthy RINOs. Huntsman would fit in perfectly! Then again, not everyone seems so enthusiastic: Is your grandpa going to buy it for him? @HuntsmanAbby: Trying to convince dad @JonHuntsman to run for mayor of NYC. Thoughts? #whynot?”—   (@Toffleresque) May 17, 2012 What about Nebraska Senate seat? RT @HuntsmanAbby: Trying to [...]

Pig Maher: Romney bullying is way worse than child molestation

May 16, 2012  11:01 PM

Appearing as a guest on Conan O’Brien’s TV show last night, comedian Bill Maher thought it would be a good idea to say this: But as far as this bullying, you know, this made me think of of of the Michael Jackson situation. Because, you know, he was accused of being a child molester. We’ll never know [...]

Team Obama: It's awful that in 2012 use of birth control has become controversial

May 16, 2012  09:06 PM

Nice strawman, clearly designed to scare soccer moms by stoking fears about scary religious-right fanatics. In Saudi Arabia, use of birth control might be controversial. Here in the United States, by contrast, the Supreme Court ruled 47 years ago that use of birth control is a constitutional right. There is no serious effort afoot to overturn [...]

MTV bows to Obama on speech conflict

May 16, 2012  08:26 PM

MTV Juggles VMA Telecast to Appease Obama's Fading Youth Vote dlvr.it/1ZYrv4— Breitbart.com Feed (@BreitbartFeed) May 16, 2012 "That's one really tough decision out of the way," said no one. MT @VanityFair: MTV Awards Same Time as Obama Speech vnty.fr/JvN3cc— Gabbi Baker (@gabbibaker) May 16, 2012 Via Deadline Hollywood: MTV does not want to split the [...]

FSM Archives

  FSM Archive   Search Must Reads
More in PUBLICATIONS ( 1 OF 25 ARTICLES )