HQ Dispatch Bag

[Joe Riley]

I will try to file interesting odds and ends that show up in this old, weathered HQ Dispatch Bag.

 

[Joe Riley]

Headquarters and Hindquarters​

I have come to you from the West, where we have​

always seen the backs of our enemies…​

–John Pope, to the Army of the Potomac​

"Major General John Pope was a big man with a large impulse for showy self-promotion. He was fond of boasting that his headquarters were in the saddle; his many detractors were fond of saying that his headquarters were where his hindquarters belonged. Still, in the summer of 1862 Pope had an opportunity to achieve the best possible self-promotion: military success in the eastern theater. On the strength of the general’s victories at Island Number Ten and New Madrid in the West, Lincoln called upon him to command Federal troops north and west of Richmond, about 50,000 in all. In fact, most of these were troops who had been prevented from joining McClellan by Stonewall Jackson’s dramatic campaign in the Shenandoah Valley." READ MORE

 

[Faye 2.0]

"Hey Joe, where you goin with that gun in your hand?" @Joe Riley That bag was called a Possible Bag. They carried their round balls, spit patches, etc., in it that made loading their muzzleloader possible.

Mine about 1976. I carried my
patch knife, short tamp rod, and
powder measure outside for
fast load and "All the world to see,"
to quote Willie Nelson (Pancho and Lefty)

 

[Joe Riley]

"Hey Joe, where you goin with that gun in your hand?" @Joe Riley That bag was called a Possible Bag. They carried their round balls, spit patches, etc., in it that made loading their muzzleloader possible.

Mine about 1976. I carried my
patch knife, short tamp rod, and
powder measure outside for
fast load and "All the world to see,"
to quote Willie Nelson (Pancho and Lefty)

View attachment 55

....it's possible, i reckon!
Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson - Pancho and Lefty

 

[Joe Riley]

Abraham Lincoln’s Coffee Cup​

Abraham Lincoln’s Coffee Cup, 1887, Gift of Lincoln Isham, great-grandson of Abraham Lincoln, 1958, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

"Richmond had fallen. Lee had surrendered. The war was finally coming to an end. It was time to celebrate the victory, unify the American people and rebuild the nation."

"On the evening of Good Friday, April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln decided to spend a relaxing evening at Ford’s Theatre. He would never return to the White House."

"Years later, in 1887, Capt. D.W. Taylor presented this cup to Robert Todd Lincoln, the oldest of Abraham and Mary Lincoln's four sons. He explained that a White House servant had seen the President leave the cup behind on a windowsill just before departing for the theater and had preserved it as a relic of that tragic night."

 

[Joe Riley]

Hunt For Timeless Treasures And Collectibles At This Underrated Antique Store In Nevada​

"Let me tell you something about antique stores – they’re like edible time machines without the calories or paradox problems."

"When we think of Las Vegas, our minds typically dart to the Strip, those fountains that dance better than most people I know, and the endless buffets where restraint goes to die."

"But venture away from the casino floor and you’ll discover this desert city harbors secret spaces where history and nostalgia are the main attractions."

"The Antique Mall of America stands as a testament to the fact that sometimes the best jackpots aren’t paid in coins but in memories, stories, and that perfect mid-century lamp your living room has been silently begging for." READ MORE

 

[Joe Riley]

20 Rare Historic Photos You Probably Haven’t Yet Seen​

"We’ve all seen the famous pictures of Neil Armstrong bouncing on the Moon or a peaceful protester blocking tanks in Tiananmen square. These and many more powerful photos captured not only the image but the whole story perfectly. And apparently, there are more of those incredible shots which, for some reason, weren’t that widespread."

"Thankfully, the guys at Bored Panda have compiled a list of these rare historic shots. From famous landmarks being built to tragic events during the wars, these photos have cemented key moments in time that you now get to witness." (MORE PICTURES)

#1 Nikola Tesla Sitting In His Laboratory With His “Magnifying Transmitter”​

 

[Joe Riley]

Four days before the great earthquake!​

San Francisco 1906 (New Version) in Color [VFX,60fps, Remastered] w/sound design added​

 

[RelaxedFit]

Thanks, that was a nice find.

We have the R. E. Olds Museum locally as well as a number of other automobile museums here, so it isn't hard to get a good look at old cars and trucks. But for some reason I often ponder what actual horse-drawn vehicles in the century preceding and overlapping autos were like. There are fewer examples still in one piece any more, making it hard to tell whether those shown in early Westerns and such were accurate. Most preserved examples seem to be fancy or exotic cases.

 

[Joe Riley]

Four days before the great earthquake!​

San Francisco 1906 (New Version) in Color [VFX,60fps, Remastered] w/sound design added​

My Grandpap, who I never met, was a Teamster, when he drove horse and wagon, around this time, in Pittsburgh. The two horses on the Teamster logo were named Thurnder & Lightning. I had his dues book, with stamps inside, as he paid. I past it on, along with his wallet to my Grandson.

Just a sidenote: This reminded me of a story about Clint Eastwood. Someone had said that "Marriages are made in heaven". Clint replied: So are thunder & lightning!".

 

[Joe Riley]

Behind The Song: Daniel Butterfield & Horace Lorenzo Trim, “Taps”​

Maj. Gen. Daniel Butterfield was chief of staff of The Army of the Potomac

“Taps” is considered by experts to be loosely based on two earlier bugle calls of similar meaning. The Dutch “Taptoe” was used at the end of the day to signal Dutch soldiers to close the beer taps and head back to camp. The “Scott Tattoo” was used in a similar fashion by American soldiers to signal lights out. During the Civil War in 1862, Brigadier General Daniel Butterfield was camped at Harrison’s Landing, Virginia. Exhausted from battle, Butterfield began to experiment with new ideas for a lights-out bugle call. Eventually, Butterfield’s “Taps” became the norm not only for the Union Army, but the Confederate Army as well."

"It wasn’t long afterwards that “Taps” was first used in a military funeral for a young soldier killed in battle. Concerned that a rifle volley may trigger the enemy into thinking an attack was looming, a Union Captain ordered it played in place of the normal rifle volley. Soon thereafter, the tradition became the norm that we know today."
"Taps" performed in Arlington National Cemetery (summer and winter)

Lyrics

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

Fading light, dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.
From afar, drawing nigh, falls the night.

Thanks and praise, for our days,
‘Neath the sun, ‘neath the stars, neath the sky;
As we go, this we know, God is nigh.

Sun has set, shadows come,
Time has fled, Scouts must go to their beds
Always true to the promise that they made.

While the light fades from sight,
And the stars gleaming rays softly send,
To thy hands we our souls, Lord, commend.

 

[Joe Riley]

‘Clear the Way’: How the Irish Brigade Celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in the Civil War​

Five members of the Irish Brigade pose for a photograph in 1862 at Harrison’s Landing, Virginia, during the Peninsular campaign. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress. Composite by Coffee or Die Magazine.

"For the Irish regiments of the Union Army, St. Patrick’s Day was more than just the green beer, shamrocks, and leprechaun mascots seen around cities and small towns of America today. It served as a much-needed rallying cry midway through the Civil War."

"Many soldiers in the so-called Irish Brigade tested their mettle across several major Potomac battlefields between 1861 and 1863. In honor of their Irish heritage, regiments adopted the Gaelic battle cry “Faugh a Ballagh,” meaning “Clear the way!”

Union Army Lt. Col. James J. Smith and officers of the 69th New York Infantry, known as the Irish Brigade, pose for a photo during the Civil War. Photo courtesy of the DOD/Library of Congress.


"Despite the crushing blow to morale, the Irish Brigade still made sure to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, 1863, with a horse race and other festive traditions."

“To come off the 17th March, rain or shine, by horses, the property of, and to be ridden by, commissioned officers of that Brigade,” read the announcement of the Grand Irish Brigade Steeple-Chase. “The prizes are a purse of $500; second horse to save his stakes; two and a half mile heat, best two in three, over four hurdles four and a half feet high, and five ditch fences, including two artificial rivers fifteen feet wide and six deep; hurdles to be made of forest pine, and braced with hoops.”

"A post-race feast included at least 35 hams, a roasted ox, a pig stuffed with boiled turkeys, chickens, ducks, and small game. The soldiers ensured alcoholic beverages accompanied every plate, including stockpiles of eight baskets of champagne, 10 gallons of rum, and 10 gallons of whiskey."

"After the feast, more sports entertained the guests. Some of the exciting contests included a half-mile footrace open to all noncommissioned officers and privates; a soaped pig chase; a wheelbarrow race in which contestants were blindfolded; and a dance-off. All activities included cash prizes. The evening concluded with refreshments, more alcoholic beverages, songs, and poems."

"The Irish Brigade officially disbanded in June 1864, but Forbes’ pictorial evidence and attendees’ memories immortalized the occasion when St. Patrick’s Day offered one brigade a momentary reprieve from the horrors of the Civil War."