Today in U.S. military history

Unto the Breach ^ | Oct. 4, 2017 | Chris Carter

[fugazi]

1777: A week after losing Philadelphia to the British, Gen. George Washington decides to surprise Gen. Sir William Howe's force encamped at Germantown (Pa.). 11,000 Continental troops and militia have marched 16 miles through the night, and begin their assault at 5:30 a.m.. Although initially successful, heavy fog, insufficiently trained troops, and stiff British resistance unravel Washington's coordinated assault and the attack falls apart. Washington's army suffers over 1,000 casualties and will have to spend the winter at Valley Forge.

1822: Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States, is born in Delaware, Oh.. Despite having no military background, Hayes will be appointed Major in the 23rd Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The talented officer will be wounded five times during the Civil War, ultimately reaching the rank of Brevet Major General. Also serving in the 23rd Regiment is Pvt. - and future Pres. - William McKinley.

1918: An explosion at the T. A. Gillespie Co. Shell Loading Plant in Sayreville, N.J. ignites a fire, leading to several more explosions that will last for three days. 300 buildings are destroyed, 100 people are killed, and hundreds are wounded. The plant is said to have on hand enough ammunition to supply the Western Front for six months. 12 Coast Guardsmen will be awarded the Navy Cross for their actions during the incident, and two will perish.

[...]

1985: The terrorist group Hezbollah announces that they have executed former CIA Beirut station chief William F. Buckley. Buckley, a former Special Forces Lt. Col. and veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, had been held captive for over 14 months.

[fugazi]

Before becoming a CIA station chief, Buckley served in the Special Forces during Vietnam and was a company commander in the 1st Cavalry Division during the Korean War

[mairdie]

The orderly book of one of my 5th great grandfathers for part of the Valley Forge winter.

The Orderly Book of the Second Pennsylvania Continental Line at Valley Forge, March 29 - May 27, 1788

Cut Back Baggage:
As the operations of the ensuing Campaign, whether offensive or defensive, renders it indispensibly necessary that the spare baggage of the Army should be at a distance from their Camp, and may be inconvenient & impracticable for want of teams to remove it at the instant it may become absolutely Requisite, the Genl desires that the Officers will lose no time in disengaging themselves from Everything they can possibly part with. On the means for removing it, they will consult the Quartermaster Genl, who may have empty Wagons returning from Camp.

[mairdie]

Sigh. 1778, of course. And the correct url is

http://www.iment.com/maida/familytree/gibson/orderbook2ndpa-1.htm