On this day in history.

[giradman]

Ft. Fisher in North Carolina Falls in 1865 & Closes the Confederate Port of Wilmington

On this day in 1865, Fort Fisher in North Carolina falls to Union forces, and Wilmington, North Carolina, the Confederacy’s most important blockade-running port, is closed. In two posts at the link below (my Carolina coastal travelogue) - the first post is quoted below (follow the link for the second post w/ some great photos); also, a LOT more in that thread on activities in the Wilmington area. Dave

Carolina Shore - Ocean, Seafood, History & More!

Fort Fisher - Gibraltar of the South

Fort Fisher was just one fortification that protected the two inlets to the Cape Fear River and to the port of Wilmington about 30 miles upstream (see maps for others, especially at the 'Old Inlet'). The aerial views below show the remnants of the northern earthen works of Ft. Fisher, which was much larger and 7-shaped during the Civil War, and protected both a land and sea assault to the 'New Inlet' of the river; much of the sea-side portion of the structure has disappeared because of sea erosion over the last century and a half.

The importance of Wilmington is discussed in the first quote below - blockade running was crucial to the Confederate economy and its military, especially to Robert E. Lee's army. Ft. Fisher was an earthen fort w/ mounds of dirt/sand which effectively absorbed attempts at bombardment. The Union made two attempts to capture the fort, one aborted in December 1864; and a second in January 1865 which was effective - a combined naval bombardment and land assault led to the surrender of Ft. Fisher; the fighting was fierce, particularly around Shepherd's Battery and the Wilmington Road - there were a combined 2000 casualties. Wilmington fell in February 1865 and Lee surrendered at Appomattox in mid-April (see second quote).

Pics below - the fourth through sixth images are my own; Shepherd's Battery is open to the public (but was closed during our visit - likely storm damage from hurricane Matthew); a couple of maps of the Confederate fortifications of the times and also the Union attack from the land. Finally, guided tours are available - the final pic is of a book I bought in the gift shop; the author was about to give a tour (wish we had signed up) - he is a PhD professor of history at the University of NC at Wilmington - kind of a neat fortuitous meeting - NOW, I need to read the book (but not that long and a LOT of pictures). Dave

During the war, Wilmington was one of the most important points of entry for supplies for the Confederacy, and traded cotton and tobacco for foreign goods, like munitions, clothing and foodstuffs. This nourished the southern states and General Robert E. Lee's forces in Virginia. Trade was based on the steamer ships of British smugglers, called "blockade runners" because they had to avoid the Union's imposed maritime barricade. Mostly, the blockade runners came indirectly from British colonies, such as Bermuda, Bahamas or Nova Scotia. After the fall of Norfolk, Virginia in May 1862, the importance of Wilmington was further increased. It became the main Confederate port on the Atlantic Ocean. Considering the Atlantic seashore, Wilmington's defenses were so sturdy that they were only surpassed by Charleston's, in South Carolina. Wilmington resisted for a long time, mainly because of Fort Fisher's presence (Source).

The Union army and navy planned several attacks on Fort Fisher and the port of Wilmington, but made no attempt until December 24, 1864. After two days of fighting with little headway, Union commanders concluded that the fort was too strong to assault and withdrew their forces. However, they returned for a second attempt on January 12, 1865. For two and one-half days, Federal ships bombarded the fort on both land and sea face. On the fifteenth, more than 3,300 Union infantry, including the 27th U.S. Colored Troops, assaulted the land face. After several hours of fierce hand-to-hand combat, Federal troops captured the fort that night. The Confederate army evacuated their remaining forts in the Cape Fear area, and within weeks Union forces overran Wilmington. Once Wilmington fell, the supply line of the Confederacy was severed, and the Civil War was soon over (Source).

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[J. A.]

January 15, 1559:
Elizabeth I. was crowned queen of England. The coronation took place in Westminster Abbey, London.
Coronation of Elizabeth I of England - Wikipedia

 

[giradman]

Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall This Night in 1938!

Benny Goodman was 28 years old when he, his band/quartet, and other guest jazz artists performed at Carnegie Hall today in 1938 - the concert made jazz history and Goodman was labeled the King of Swing - for more information check the link and quotes. First pic below of Goodman in his mid-30s; second image of the Goodman Quartet, all members going on to lead their own bands and become jazz legends - Goodman made Trio, Quartet, and Sextet recordings, i.e. chamber jazz - which have been remastered well and are worth hearing.

I own nearly a dozen Goodman CDs, BUT not one of the Carnegie Hall Concert (have some excerpts) which is available (below) - a YouTube video of concert footage is worth a watch (just 8+ minutes) - my most recent audio acquisition is the 2-disc 'The Essential Benny Goodman' for those wanting a sampling. Over the years, I've read a number of books about the Swing Era and Benny Goodman - Swing, Swing, Swing shown below from 1993 is excellent and one that has remained in my collection. Finally, there is a 1955 bioptic film on Goodman w/ Steve Allen playing Benny (not very well) - however, the 'real' Goodman played the clarinet passages and many of his former band members were in the cast - the music is indeed excellent, so the latter are the main reasons to watch this movie - I own the DVD and would love to see a remastered BD which would emphasize the musical tracks. Dave

Jazz has been called “America’s classical music,” a label that does more than just recognize its American origins. The label also makes the case that jazz is worthy of aesthetic consideration alongside music usually thought of as “classical.” In the current era, when programs of Duke Ellington and J.S. Bach often draw the same highbrow crowds, that argument hardly seems controversial. In the 1930s, however, the notion was almost laughable, which is what made Benny Goodman’s January 16, 1938, concert at New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall so revolutionary. Goodman and his supporting cast claimed a new place for jazz on the American cultural scene that night, in what has come to be seen as the most important jazz concert in history. (Source)

Benny Goodman was at the absolute height of his legendary career when his publicist first suggested they book Carnegie Hall. He was a star on radio, on stage and on film, and the label “King of Swing” was already attached permanently to his name. So outlandish was the suggestion that a jazz band might play inside the citadel of American high culture, however, that Goodman is said to have laughed the idea off at first. Once he warmed to the notion, however, Goodman threw himself into the task with characteristic passion. In addition to numbers from the regular repertoire of his own band—which included the legendary Harry James on trumpet, Lionel Hampton on vibraphone and Gene Krupa on drums—Goodman planned a program featuring a brand-new “Twenty Years of Jazz” piece and an extended jam session featuring stars of the Duke Ellington and Count Basie orchestras. The concert sold out weeks in advance, with the best seats fetching $2.75. (Source)

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[giradman]

Robert E. Lee Born This Day in 1807!

Robert E. Lee (1807-1870) considered part of 'Virginia Aristocracy' w/ a remarkable American family pedigree, especially the relationships of his father, George Washington, and wife, Mary Anna Custis (who grew up in the Arlington House where nearly all of her children w/ Lee were born) - see quote below and check link for more information on Lee's career (first combo pic of Lee as a young and older officer).

About eight years ago on one of our many trips to Richmond, Virginia, we took a day trip to the Potomac River and the birthplaces of George Washington and Robert E. Lee (only a 15-minute drive between the two locations - see map). The George Washington Birthplace National Monument is located at the confluence of Popes Creek and the Potomac River - the original house was lost but the foundation remains (see pic); a 'Memorial House' was built in the style of a tobacco plantation house of the times - below a pic of Susan in front of the Memorial House.

Robert E. Lee was born at Stratford Hall, a large plantation house and home to many Lees over a number of generations - below are my pic of the back of the house and also a panoramic view from the link. For those interested, check my Virginia and Civil War travelogues for posts about Richmond, Lee, and other related stories. Dave

Born to Revolutionary War hero Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee in Stratford Hall, Virginia, Robert Edward Lee seemed destined for military greatness. Despite financial hardship that caused his father to depart to the West Indies, young Robert secured an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated second in the class of 1829. Two years later, he married Mary Anna Randolph Custis, a descendant of George Washington's adopted son, John Parke Custis. (Source)

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[scifan57]

January 15, 1559:
Elizabeth I. was crowned queen of England. The coronation took place in Westminster Abbey, London.
Coronation of Elizabeth I of England - Wikipedia

I visited her tomb in the Henry VII chapel at Westminster Abbey when I was in London in 2014.

 

[J. A.]

I visited her tomb in the Henry VII chapel at Westminster Abbey when I was in London in 2014.

I was there in 2015.

 

[giradman]

I visited her tomb in the Henry VII chapel at Westminster Abbey when I was in London in 2014.

Susan & I have made two trips to London and visited the Abbey both times - just amazing the number and variety of famous people buried there - a couple quotes below from this Wiki Article - you even have to watch where you're stepping - Dave

Since the Middle Ages, aristocrats were buried inside chapels, while monks and other people associated with the Abbey were buried in the Cloisters and other areas. One of these was Geoffrey Chaucer, who was buried here as he had apartments in the Abbey where he was employed as master of the King's Works. Other poets, writers and musicians were buried or memorialised around Chaucer in what became known as Poets' Corner. These include: W. H. Auden, William Blake, Robert Burns, Lord Byron, Charles Dickens, John Dryden, George Eliot, T. S. Eliot, Thomas Gray, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Samuel Johnson, John Keats, Rudyard Kipling, Jenny Lind, John Masefield, John Milton, Laurence Olivier, Alexander Pope, Nicholas Rowe, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Thomas Shadwell, William Shakespeare, Alfred Lord Tennyson and William Wordsworth. Abbey musicians such as Henry Purcell were also buried in their place of work.

Subsequently, it became one of Britain's most significant honours to be buried or commemorated here.[1] The practice of burying national figures in the Abbey began under Oliver Cromwell with the burial of Admiral Robert Blake in 1657.[2] The practice spread to include generals, admirals, politicians, doctors and scientists such as Isaac Newton, buried on 4 April 1727 and Charles Darwin buried 19 April 1882. Eight British Prime Ministers are buried in the Abbey; William Pitt the Elder, William Pitt the Younger, George Canning, Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, William Ewart Gladstone, Bonar Law, Neville Chamberlain and Clement Attlee.

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[giradman]

Being a classical music fan, the memorials to Henry Purcell & George Frederic Handel were several of my favorites to visit (but there are so many others, such as Charles Darwin & Issac Newton) - I had forgotten that Handel's birth year is inscribed as 1684 which is incorrect, i.e. 1685 (same as JS Bach) - the explanation is quoted below (first two sentences) - Dave

The date of his birth inscribed on the stone is not a mistake but is due to the fact that the new year in England at this period did not begin on 1 January but on 25 March (Lady Day). Therefore, to the contemporary Englishman, Handel was born in February 1684, as the year 1685 would not have begun until 25 March. Monument - On the wall above his grave is a fine monument by the sculptor Louis Francois Roubiliac. The life-size statue, unveiled in 1762, is said to be an exact likeness as the face was modeled from a death mask. Behind the figure, among clouds, is an organ with an angel playing a harp. On the left of the statue is a group of musical instruments and an open score of his most well-known oratorio Messiah, composed in 1741. (Source)

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[giradman]

Gold Discovered in California at Sutter's Mill This Day in 1848!

The United States acquired California (and much more territory) after the Mexican-American War victory and within a year a so, James Marshall working at John Sutter's mill near Sacramento, discovered gold which led to an amazing influx of people to California which was admitted as a state in 1850!

For more information, see quotes below - first video a short introduction to the gold rush; second video a song about 'Sutter's Mill' by Dan Fogelberg (I've owned that album on CD, 'High Country Snows' since its release); and finally, just a few pics - only a couple of ways to get to California back then across the land or by sea, both long treks! Dave

A millwright named James Marshall discovers gold along the banks of Sutter’s Creek in California, forever changing the course of history in the American West. A tributary to the South Fork of the American River in the Sacramento Valley east of San Francisco, Sutter’s Creek was named for a Swiss immigrant who came to Mexican California in 1839. John Augustus Sutter became a citizen of Mexico and won a grant of nearly 50,000 acres in the lush Sacramento Valley, where he hoped to create a thriving colony. He built a sturdy fort that became the center of his first town, New Helvetia. Sutter induced the local Indians to do all the work on his farms and ranches, often treating them like slaves. (Source)

In the 1840s, Sutter’s Fort became the first stopping-off point for overland Anglo-American emigrants coming to California to build farms and ranches. Sutter recognized that his future wealth and influence lay with these Anglo settlers. With the outbreak of the Mexican War in 1846, he threw his support to the Americans. With the war over and California securely in the hands of the United States, Sutter hired the millwright James Marshall to build a sawmill along the South Fork of the American River in January 1848. In order to redirect the flow of water to the mill’s waterwheel, Marshall supervised the excavation of a shallow millrace. On the morning of January 24, 1848, Marshall was looking over the freshly cut millrace when a sparkle of light in the dark earth caught his eye. Looking more closely, Marshall found that much of the millrace was speckled with what appeared to be small flakes of gold. (Source)

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[J. A.]

January 25, 1890: American journalist Elizabeth Cochrane, better known by her pen name Nellie Bly, completes a journey around the globe in 72 days.

Wikipedia
Around the World in Seventy-Two Days - Wikipedia

 

[giradman]

January 25, 1890: American journalist Elizabeth Cochrane, better known by her pen name Nellie Bly, completes a journey around the globe in 72 days.
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Wikipedia
Around the World in Seventy-Two Days - Wikipedia

My knowledge of Nellie Bly was rather scanty until I read the link given and her Wiki Bio - for those interested, take a look. There is a film from 2015 about the madhouse expose (which I've never seen but available on Amazon for free to Prime subscribers) - on Rotten Tomatoes, the audience seemed to have liked the film, but only one negative review from a critic HERE; the Amazonians gave an overall rating of 3.1*/5* w/ a reverse 'bell-shaped curve', i.e. 1/3 w/ 5* and 1/3 w/ 1* - there is also a 1981 TV movie, The Adventures of Nellie Bly rated well but not available for an Amazon watch, but is on YouTube - below two videos, the first a short bio of Nellie, and the second the movie mention (in rather poor resolution). Dave

ADDENDUM: Just finished watching the movie below - not bad at all - takes her through the 10 days in the madhouse - but not the trip around the world (could have been another film?).

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[scifan57]

January 29, 1820;

King George III dies at the age of 82. He was the King that lost the British colonies in America and spent the last 10 years of his life out of public life due to mental illness. His son ruled in his name for these last 10 years as the Prince Regent, leading to calling this period of British history the Regency Period.
George III of the United Kingdom - Wikipedia

 

[giradman]

January 29, 1820;

King George III dies at the age of 82. He was the King that lost the British colonies in America and spent the last 10 years of his life out of public life due to mental illness. His son ruled in his name for these last 10 years as the Prince Regent, leading to calling this period of British history the Regency Period.
George III of the United Kingdom - Wikipedia
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George III married Princess Charlotte from Germany in 1761 - the city of Charlotte, North Carolina was named in her honor and is known as the Queen City - their portraits hang in the original Mint Museum Building (a second museum is located in Uptown - pics of both below along w/ the paintings). An exhibit from 2011-12, which we attended (just a 90 min drive for us) is described below.

A portion of the older Mint Museum was established as a US Mint in 1836 (see second quote), related to the Carolina Gold Rush - "in 1835, Andrew Jackson signed into a law bill to open three branch mints: in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Dahlonega, Georgia, for minting gold coinage, and in New Orleans, Louisiana. The ones in Charlotte and Dahlonega were to mint the newly discovered gold." The Reed Gold Mine described in the third quote is just east of Charlotte and is open to visitors - amazingly, Susan and I have not made a visit there! Yikes - another item to put on our travel list - Dave

Two-hundred and fifty years ago (relative to 2011), seventeen-year old Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a small duchy in northern Germany, left her family and traveled for nine days across the rough North Sea to the eastern coast of England. She eventually arrived in London, where she met her future husband, King George III, on the eve of their wedding. They were married on 8 September 1761, and two weeks later, on 22 September 1761, Charlotte was crowned Queen of Great Britain and Ireland.

Celebrating Queen Charlotte’s Coronation combines works of art from the museum’s permanent collection, including paintings, works on paper, and decorative arts, with loans from private collections to highlight the Queen’s accomplishments as a devoted mother, a notable patron of the arts, and a loyal consort to the King. Royal portraits by Allan Ramsay, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and Sir William Beechey are featured in the exhibition, as are representative examples of works from the English manufactories—Wedgwood, Chelsea, Worcester, and others—patronized by the Queen. (Source)

The oldest section of the Randolph Road building originally served as the home of the first branch of the United States Mint. Designed by noted architect William Strickland, construction of the Federal-style Charlotte Mint building began in 1836 by Perry & Ligon of Raleigh, North Carolina at a cost of $29,800.00. It opened July 27, 1837 at its original location at 403 West Trade Street. The facility coined $5 million in gold from 1836 to the outbreak of the Civil War. (Source)

The Reed Gold Mine is located in Midland, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and is the site of the first documented commercial gold find in the United States. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark because of its importance and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1799, Conrad Reed, the son of farmer and former Hessian soldier John Reed (né Johannes Reidt), found a 16-pound yellow "rock" in Little Meadow Creek on the family farm in Cabarrus County, North Carolina.[3]:11 For three years, the rock served as a bulky doorstop. In 1802, a jeweler from Fayetteville identified the rock as a large gold nugget. About 1803, John Reed organized a small gold mining operation. Soon afterward a slave named Peter found a 28-pound nugget.[2] Reed continued with placer mining for a number of years. In 1831 he began underground mining. John Reed died rich at age 58 in 1845 from the gold found on his property.(LINK above)

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[giradman]

The Day The Music Died - Buddy Holly Killed Today in 1959 in an Airplane Crash!

The Day the Music Died is a line from Don McLean's song American Pie which was in memory to Holly, Valens & Richardson - the title of the song refers to the name of the plane (click on the video below to hear the song). Buddy Holly (1936-1959) was just 22 years old at the time of the accident and one can only wonder where his career might have progressed over the next decade or two?

Some more information in the quotes below; a pic of Buddy and the Iowa Memorial at the crash site - my one CD of Holly's music is also shown (contains about 20 songs and recommended) - also, Don McLean's album w/ American Pie (also includes the song about Vincent Van Gogh) - finally, a film was released in 1978 called 'The Buddy Holly Story' starring Gary Busey doing his own excellent imitative singing of Holly's songs - Buddy's friends were rather upset and released 'The Real Buddy Holly Story' which I've not seen (surprised!) (see last quote for more discussion) - the latter is available from Amazon on DVD. Dave

On this day in 1959, rising American rock stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson are killed when their chartered Beechcraft Bonanza plane crashes in Iowa a few minutes after takeoff from Mason City on a flight headed for Moorehead, Minnesota. Investigators blamed the crash on bad weather and pilot error. Holly and his band, the Crickets, had just scored a No. 1 hit with “That’ll Be the Day.” After mechanical difficulties with the tour bus, Holly had chartered a plane for his band to fly between stops on the Winter Dance Party Tour. However, Richardson, who had the flu, convinced Holly’s band member Waylon Jennings to give up his seat, and Ritchie Valens won a coin toss for another seat on the plane. (Source)

Holly, born Charles Holley in Lubbock, Texas, and just 22 when he died, began singing country music with high school friends before switching to rock and roll after opening for various performers, including Elvis Presley. By the mid-1950s, Holly and his band had a regular radio show and toured internationally, playing hits like “Peggy Sue,” “Oh, Boy!,” “Maybe Baby” and “Early in the Morning.” Holly wrote all his own songs, many of which were released after his death and influenced such artists as Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney. Singer Don McLean memorialized Holly, Valens and Richardson in the 1972 No. 1 hit “American Pie,” which refers to February 3, 1959 as “the day the music died.” (Source)

Holly's life story inspired a Hollywood biographical film, The Buddy Holly Story (1978); its lead actor Gary Busey received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Holly. The film was widely criticized by the rock press, and by Holly's friends and family, for its inaccuracies. This led Paul McCartney (whose MPL Communications by then controlled the publishing rights to Buddy Holly's song catalog) to produce and host his own documentary about Holly in 1985, titled The Real Buddy Holly Story. This video includes interviews with Keith Richards, Phil and Don Everly, Sonny Curtis, Jerry Allison, Holly's family, and McCartney, among others. (LINK above)

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[giradman]

Charles Darwin & Abraham Lincoln Born Today in 1809!

Well, an interesting coincidence of two famous men who led quite different lives - Dave
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