Vince DiLoreto
On April 12th, 1861, Confederate forces under General P.G.T. Beauregard fired on Union forces at Fort Sumter, marking the beginning of the American Civil War. The fort was strategically placed to control access to Charleston Harbor, a vital seaport for America and the South. Despite being outnumbered and running out of supplies, Union forces held out for 34 hours before surrendering to the Confederates.
Born into slavery, Robert Smalls’ determination and bravery led him to become a hero of the Civil War. Working as a pilot on a Confederate military cargo ship, he saw an opportunity to escape slavery and bring his family to freedom. Robert and his crew seized control of the ship and navigated past Confederate gun range and into Union territory. It was then that he approached Union soldiers, and said, “Good morning Sir. I’ve brought you some of the United States old guns, Sir!”
If I told you two politicians were so infuriated with one another that one would challenge the other to a duel, you would be forgiven for thinking it is a recent news story. Or, if you realized that no one has publicly challenged anyone to a duel for over 200 years, you might be thinking of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. In either case, you’d be mistaken. I’m talking about President Abraham Lincoln and Senator James Shields. Of course, this was before either were elected to those offices.
Discover the Rich History and Natural Beauty of Loggerhead Key – Explore the Westernmost Point of the Florida Keys and the Majestic Loggerhead Lighthouse, Once a Sentinel for the World’s Busiest Shipping Lanes and Today a Paradise for Outdoor Enthusiasts.
A community of farmers around Charleston, with the help of Clemson University, saved this unique variety of corn from the brink of extinction. And together grew it into a Southern renaissance of food and drink. Creating a smooth bourbon with sweet-tasting notes of butterscotch and even banana.
A Christmas Miracle? Maybe. It was the unexpected temporary truce between England and Germany during World War I.
