The Battle of Van Buren was fought at Van Buren, Arkansas, on December 28, 1862, during the American Civil War. After winning the Battle of Prairie Grove on December 7, Union brigadier generals James G. Blunt (pictured) and Francis J. Herron prepared for a raid against the Confederate positions at Van Buren and Fort Smith. The Union troops struck an outlying Confederate cavalry unit north of Van Buren the morning of December 28. The Confederate cavalry fled to Van Buren, which was then overrun by Union troops. The Union pursued and captured three steamboats, Confederate troops, and many supplies; two more steamboats and more supplies were destroyed by the Confederates. An artillery duel occurred at Van Buren and there was minor skirmishing further downriver after nightfall. After the battle, Confederate major general Thomas C. Hindman withdrew his men to Little Rock and the Union force returned from the raid. The battles of Prairie Grove and Van Buren broke Confederate strength in the region.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Van_Buren

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1907:

The last confirmed sighting of the now-extinct huia occurred in the Tararua Range on New Zealand's North Island. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huia

1955:

Supreme Leader of North Korea Kim Il-sung delivered the Juche speech, outlining the state ideology of his regime. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Eliminating_Dogmatism_and_Formalism_and_Establishing_Juche_in_Ideological_Work

2009:

Tibetan dissident filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen was imprisoned for subversion by Chinese authorities after a secret trial. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhondup_Wangchen

2014:

The passenger ferry Norman Atlantic caught fire in the Adriatic Sea, resulting in nine deaths, with a further 19 missing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Norman_Atlantic

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

indolence: 1. Habitual laziness or sloth. 2. (pathology) Lack of pain in a tumour. 3. (obsolete) 4. A state in which one feels no pain or is indifferent to it; a lack of any feeling. 5. A state of repose in which neither pain nor pleasure is experienced. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/indolence

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Our faiths are similar — it's merely our religions that may differ. I have faith in the inherent goodness of man and I'm sure you feel the same. ... I have the greatest respect for any discipline that preaches kindness and charity and love for one's fellow man. Most important of all, to me — "Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you" is the greatest phrase ever written. If everyone followed that creed, this world would be a paradise.   --Stan Lee https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Stan_Lee