The Dictator

The dictator mortar is considered to be one of the largest mortars used in the American Civil War. It's weight was reportedly over 17,000 lbs, and it was estimated to hurl 13 inch projectiles weighing 220 lb around 4,325 to 4,752 yards, or over 2.5 miles! It was cast in 1862, at Fort Pitt, Pittsburgh, but wasn't used until 1864 at the siege of Petersburg. Once there, the dictator became part of "The Petersburg Express", as they built specially designed railroad carts to move the mortars along existing and new additions to the Petersburg railroad. These carts were heavily reinforced so that the mortars could actually be fired from the carts.

Interestingly, even though mortars were extremely effective, and had already been around for hundreds of years, although they hadn't always been common, many on both sides of the conflict felt they were dishonorable weapons, which showed no respect or careful discernment upon whom it was unleashed. In the book, "The Last Citadel: Petersburg, Virginia, June 1864-April 1865", Trudeau discusses how:

"Soldiers on both sides hated the mortars. 'These mortar shells were the most disgusting, low-lived things imaginable,' declared W. W. Blackford, a Confederate engineer. 'There was not a particle of the sense of honor about them; they would go rolling about and prying into the most private places in a sneaking sort of way.' 'Mortar shells fly into the works occasionally,' a Maine soldier confirmed, 'at which times we get out in double-quick time."

While the sentiment of these men is admirable, it is undeniable that mortars have been important implements in war and will most likely continue to be in coming years.

Gettysburg Address

Lincoln Watching Over the Capital at the

Lincoln Memorial

Today marks the 151st anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. One of the best known, and arguably greatest, speeches in U.S. history, it was delivered 4 1/2 months after the Battle of Gettysburg at the dedication of the Soldier's National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Within three minutes' time President Abraham Lincoln eloquently reaffirmed the principles of freedom and human equality as established by the founders of America. Lincoln stated that the words spoken that day would not long be remembered, but the actions of the American men who died in defense of our liberty would be. I sincerely hope and believe that both of these historic events will be remembered for generations to come, as a symbol of how whatever may come, the American ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness will live on. President Lincoln summed up his historic oration, with instructions to those living, "that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Today, Lincoln's address is engraved in his memorial in the U.S. capital in Washington D.C., a fitting seat for one of America's greatest leaders.

The Pancho Villa Expedition

Francisco "Pancho" Villa

While the threat of war was looming in Europe, Mexico was already in a state of Turmoil. What started out as a revolt against the dictator Porfirio Diaz in 1910 descended into a civil war with multiple players. Francisco "Pancho" Villa was one of these main combatants. After expelling Diaz's successor, the general-turned-dictator Huerta in 1914, Villa felt that Venustiano Carranza, his one time ally, was turning himself into the next dictator of Mexico. So, Villa turned against Carranza, but his forces were defeated shortly thereafter at the Battle of Celaya in 1915. Now the United States, under Woodrow Wilson, which had been backing the revolutionary forces, including Villa, decided to support the new President Carranza, and so ceased all support previously given to Villa. Villa was extremely upset by this, and saw it as a terrible betrayal. There are a few different reasons for what Villa did next, one is for revenge on the U.S., another is for revenge on an arms dealer who sold him dud weapons and ammunition for the Battle of Celaya, but the other is his need for more weapons to continue his war on Carranza. Anyway, Villa took 100 of his men and ordered a raid on Columbus, New Mexico in March 1916. 80 of Pancho's men and 18 Americans were killed and part of the town was burned down. The U.S. reacted quickly to this raid and organized a force of 5,000 men placed under the command of General John J. Pershing to defeat Pancho Villa. The Mexican government did not like the idea of having U.S. troops stomping around their country side, and so did not allow them the use of their railways. This caused the U.S. to make use of trucks, the first time the army ever had. General Pershing brought with him a Curtiss JN-3 airplane which he sent out on reconnaissance missions. The expedition also gave junior officers such as 1st Lieutenant George S. Patton Jr. practice in the field.  While the expedition had failed to get Villa by the time it ended in February 1917, many of Villa's senior commanders were either captured or killed, along with 190 of his men. After the expedition Pancho returned to guerrilla warfare, since he no longer had a major fighting force. After the assassination of Carranza in 1920, he asked the new president for amnesty and was allowed to retire from his fighting later that year. However, unfortunately for Villa, he himself was assassinated while driving home in 1923. The two major theories for the assassination are for political purposes, or revenge against Villa for his vendetta against the Herrera family. Either way, this era of U.S.-Mexican relations is a very interesting and not highly discussed time in both of our histories.