The 26th December 1776

My Commanding General brought up the Battle of Trenton the other day while speaking to us. Trenton was a significant victory for the Continental Army. One point the CG made was that the Continental Army was about to have allot of Enlistments expire. And the atack improved morale greatly.

When asked most people will say, "Yeah! Washington crossed the Deleware and attacked the British." but there is more to the story than that statement. Yes, Washington crossed the Delaware on Christmas Night and the wee hours of the 26th as a storm came in. With the poweder wet, or even damp, firing muskets was doubtful. Washington ordered to fight with bayonets. The assemblige after crossing the river was slow and maybe even clumbsy, but apparently they settled out the chaos quick enough. Anyone who has ever been on an Assault Force can relate.

One point that most people don't know or forget about, it was not the British per say that Washington's force attacked. It was Hessians, German mecenaries, brought in by the Crown. Hessians were professional troops and if they were not feared, they were definitley respected. The victory over such a force added to the Continentals weight.

Something else, it was one battle than two future Presidents were in. Two Americans were wounded, one Washingtons cousin, and the other a future President, that nearly died, James Monroe.
For a little more reading on the Battle of Trenton, go here.

And boys and girls, that is your quic history teaser for the day.
The Appalachianist

The Sky

I find nothing pretty about this part of the world but the skys. They can be so clear and blue, the moonless nights and the plathora of stars...Though the richest starry nights I've saw were in Appalachia, and many in what is now my Ex's yard, others from mountain balds. In the land that I dearly call home the sky's are small, with trees and mountains lording around you. The sunsets are mixed with mountains while here, it's flat with little to no trees, it's just the sky...The sky alone in it's vastness. The sky owns the moment.

I seperate the land from the people in this view. I've known them in their gentle kindess and witnessed their brutality. They love the land, but don't respect it. They see nothing wrong in littering it for to them a man made garden is far prettier than the open land. And as I don't see it that way, it's the same as the Bride dressing to her finest, she's not pretty without the dress and make up. And in one manner you find them uncuthe, in the other you admire their customs. It's a brutal land and in order to survive you have to be brutal as it is, and to survive together, you have to have the thoughtful kindess of friendship pure. I've left them, but some I still see as my friends. I know that now some may no loger live, and I try to think otherwise.

I saw the skys that David Lowery looked at when he wrote this song and being a fan of his as I am, every time I hear this song, I think of the Iraqis and I wish them the best.

Tomorrow is Chistmas and I miss seeing the bare branches of the hardwoods and the sweet smell of wood smoke as well as the cool air that carrys it. Jesus loves you, Peace on Earth.

The Appalachianist

Sherman IB

I'm sitting on a Sherman Tank with a 105mm gun on it. The tank was made in the U.S, but, U.S tanks never had 105mm guns on them. British Shermans did however. This is not the first time I've seen this tank. The first time was at Taji in a warehouse in 4th ID's area.

As the story goes, it was found in a junk yard and two Army Mechanics were given it to fix up when they were not bolting armor kits on to HMMWVs. It was recognised as a British varient, a Sherman IB. There was a lend lease program. As well, the Israelis used them into the late 60's, and even early 70's.

Somewhere along the line this tank ended up along the Tigris River. It may have went through Briish chanells, and then...A farther possability, the Iraqis got it in one of the wars with the Israelis, the 6 day War or Yom Kippur. But one would think if an Israeli crew abandoned it or were captured they would have set the thermite to it. And it would have been hauled all of the way across Jordan. I will lean towards the Brits.

It officially belonged to Iraq, and the Iraqis must have signed it over to us. I was glad to see it again. One other thing that I saw in the heeps of Military scrap that littered the place was a German 88. That was a gun that every Allied Soldier feared and it's rusting away just yards from the Tigris.

The Appalachianist

Devotion to Depth.

I've had a busy week and the last couple of days not so much sleep. Another section was a little burdened, so, I was somone senoir to spare and was tasked out to help them. That put me on night shift in the middle of the week. getting in around 0100 every morning nad a room full of men getting up three or four hours later is not conducive to rest.
It's been an interesting week as far as things go here. Some I can't discuss, and some that I can.

Facebook...It's face value. Oh, I'm there. But I do prefer blogging. Blogging has depth. You don't find that with any social networking site. But, I've slacked off on blogging... Once because I was bored with it. And off and on now because it's bee hard to find minutes to devote to depth. Another thing about Facebook, it's a privacy fallacy. Someone figured out a way for the average joe to hack private pictures. Every little app is digging your information. It's as bad as the Untied States.

OK...my day is about to start.
The Appalachianist

Little to Say, Much to Show

I posted a few pictures on this post that I discussed on the prior post, This Ain't The Pisgah National Forest.

A few miles below the Iraqi Border.

Another wrecked vehicle along the road.

KOA Kuwait. Apparently they just pick a spot along the road.

It occurs to me that I know barely enough German to be polite, enough Spanish to get my face slapped, enough Arabic to lock someone up and more than enough English to put my foot in my mouth.

The Appalachianist