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>
Show replies by date