Oddity of the Week: 4th July, a Date That Will Live in Infamy
Created | Updated Jun 29, 2014
A Fourth of July historical note for all you re-enactors out there. Yee, ha!
The Sour Grapes of Vicksburg Wrath
This week brings in the glorious Fourth of July, a time in the US when people go on holiday, head for the beach, or have backyard picnics. All in honour of that little fracas we had with our UK cousins back in the 18th Century. All water under the bridge, of course, and you're welcome to share the hot dogs and watch the fireworks.
This Fourth of July also marks the 151st anniversary of the Fall of Vicksburg. It was a pretty big historical event, as the surrender of the Confederate garrison to General Ulysses S Grant meant that the War of Northern Aggression and Southern Pigheadedness could finally go into its endphase. The conquest of Vicksburg had cost Grant two months of dogged work, and involved the futile digging of canals, as well as some colourful steamboat fighting. We're still waiting for the movie to come out.
The thing is, the durn fort fell on the 4th of July. Which annoyed the good people of Vicksburg so much that they refused to celebrate Independence Day with the rest of us…for the next eighty years. We've heard of holding a grudge, but that's extreme.
We’re happy to note that last year's bash was a doozy.
