“Come and Take It!”

                                              1 DECEMBER 1778                                            “COME AND TAKE IT!” The colony of Georgia was a late arrival to our Revolutionary War, her citizens needing British protection from hostile Creeks and Cherokees to their west.  Nevertheless, the Continental Congress authorized the construction of forts Read More

Second Fijian Expedition

                                             6-16 OCTOBER 1859                                      SECOND FIJIAN EXPEDITION American traders plying the Pacific in the 19th century occasionally ran afoul of angry natives.  Such was the case in the summer of 1859 with two sailors from a US merchant freighter.  They were captured Read More

Matanzas

                                 29 SEPTEMBER-12 OCTOBER 1565                                                     MATANZAS Spain gained a foothold in the Caribbean in the 1490s after her sponsorship of Christopher Columbus’ expeditions.  By the 16th century she had effectively cornered the profitable Caribbean spice and sugar trade.  Spain’s Caribbean bases also Read More

Dodson/Eckes Escape

                                             6 MAY-22 JUNE 1966                                          DODSON/ECKES ESCAPE On the 6th of May 1966, USMC SGT James Dodson was surveying for a road construction team in friendly territory just south of Da Nang, South Vietnam.  While investigating a peasant hut about 200 yards Read More

LTJG Weedon Osborne

                                                    6 JUNE 1918                                         LTJG WEEDON OSBORNE The US entry into World War I prompted Chicago dentist Weedon Osborne to seek a commission in the Navy Dental Corps, which he received 8 May 1917.  He reported for duty 26 March 1918 with Read More

“India” 3/2’s Stand at Husaybah

                                                  11 APRIL 2005                                “INDIA” 3/2’S STAND AT HUSAYBAH The Marines of Company India, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, had been posted to Camp Gannon, near secluded Husaybah, on Iraq’s border with Syria.  There they became accustomed to Read More

Leslie’s Retreat

                                              26 FEBRUARY 1775                                               LESLIE’S RETREAT The garrisoning of Royal troops in the private homes of Boston residents risked the discovery of weapons and munitions stores hidden by Patriot colonials.  Such stores were secretly moved out of the city, prompting periodic expeditions Read More

Naval Diplomacy (cont.)

                                      14 FEBRUARY – 8 JUNE 1839                                        NAVAL DIPLOMACY (cont.) When Master Commandant Uriah P. Levy approached the coast of Yucatan in USS VANDALIA, 20, in March 1839 it was uncertain the degree of intimidation he would discover to which American interests Read More

Naval Diplomacy

                                     11 FEBRUARY-12 APRIL 1842                                  LAST EVERGLADES EXPEDITION After our acquisition of Florida from Spain in 1819, settlers came into increasing conflict with the Native Americans of Florida, collectively called Seminole Indians.  Conflicts over territory and over the sheltering of runaway slaves Read More