James Longstreet (1821–1904) was a Confederate general of the American
Civil War. After graduating from the U.S. Military Academy he served in
the Mexican–American War, where he was wounded. In June 1861, he
resigned his commission to join the Confederate Army. He significantly
contributed to most major Confederate victories in the Eastern Theater,
primarily as a corps commander under General Robert E. Lee. Longstreet's
most controversial service was at the Battle of Gettysburg in
July 1863, where he disagreed with Lee and reluctantly supervised
several unsuccessful attacks. Afterward, Longstreet was briefly sent to
the Western Theater, but returned to the east in 1864, where he was
seriously wounded by friendly fire, recovered and returned to the field.
After the war he worked as a diplomat, civil servant, and administrator.
In 1874 he led African-American militia troops against the White
League, an anti-Reconstruction group. Many modern historians consider
him among the war's most gifted commanders.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Longstreet>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1640:
A crowd of 1,500 people presented the Root and Branch petition
to the Long Parliament, calling for abolishing the episcopacy of the
Church of England.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_and_Branch_petition>
1907:
The original Parliament House (modern building pictured) in
Wellington, New Zealand, was destroyed by fire.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_House,_Wellington>
1925:
Pope Pius XI promulgated the encyclical Quas primas,
establishing the Feast of Christ the King.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quas_primas>
1981:
Salvadoran Civil War: About 900 civilians were killed by
Salvadoran armed forces in an anti-guerrilla campaign.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Mozote_massacre>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
for the taking:
Available; able to be taken without difficulty.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/for_the_taking>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Fools! Do you argue, that things ancient ought, on that account,
to be true and noble! Fallacies and Falsehoods there were from time
immemorial, and dare you argue that because these are ancient these
should prevail? In ancient times, do you think that there was not the
ignorant, and the shallow minded? And why after all should you embrace
so fondly a carcass of dead thoughts. Live in the present and shape the
future, do not be casting lingering looks to the distant past for the
past has passed away, never again to return.
--Subramanya Bharathi
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Subramanya_Bharathi>
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