Landis's Missouri Battery was an artillery battery that served in the
Confederate States Army during the early stages of the American Civil
War. The battery was formed in late 1861 and early 1862, and was crewed
by a maximum of 62 men. It fielded two 12-pounder Napoleon cannons
(example pictured) and two 24-pounder howitzers. The battery saw limited
action at the Battle of Iuka before providing artillery support at the
Second Battle of Corinth, both in 1862. It formed part of Confederate
defenses at the battles of Port Gibson and Champion Hill in May 1863.
The unit may have suffered the capture of two cannons during the Battle
of Big Black River Bridge. Landis's Battery next saw action during the
Siege of Vicksburg, but was captured when the Confederate garrison there
surrendered on July 4. Although the surviving men of the battery were
exchanged, the battery was not reorganized; instead, it was absorbed
into Guibor's Missouri Battery along with Wade's Missouri Battery.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landis%27s_Missouri_Battery>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1803:
An expedition led by Francisco Javier de Balmis departed A
Coruña, Spain, with the aim of vaccinating millions in South America
and Asia against smallpox.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balmis_Expedition>
1942:
World War II: Japanese warships defeated the U.S. Navy in a
nighttime naval battle off Tassafaronga, Guadalcanal.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tassafaronga>
1962:
Following the death of Dag Hammarskjöld, Burmese diplomat U
Thant was elected secretary-general of the United Nations.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U_Thant>
1999:
Protests by anti-globalization activists against the World
Trade Organization Ministerial Conference in Seattle forced the
cancellation of its opening ceremonies.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_Seattle_WTO_protests>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
laird:
1. (chiefly Scotland) The owner of a Scottish estate; a member of the
landed gentry, a landowner.
2. (chiefly Scotland, historical) Often in the form Laird of, followed
by a patronymic: a Scottish clan chief.
3. (transitive, Scotland) Chiefly as laird it over: to behave like a
laird, particularly to act haughtily or to domineer; to lord (it over).
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/laird>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Reasoning will never make a man correct an ill opinion, which by
reasoning he never acquired…
--Jonathan Swift
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jonathan_Swift>