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Historical Events: The First Great Awakening

The First Great Awakening was a spiritual revival which began as early as the 1720s in England and the Colonies, continuing on to as late as the 1760s. The movement is primarily recognized as having taken place in the 1730s and 1740s. Prominent figures in the First Great Awakening included George Whitefield, John Wesley, andContinue reading “Historical Events: The First Great Awakening”

Heroes From History: Johnny Clem

John Lincoln Clem – commonly known as “Johnny Clem” – was a veteran of the American Civil War and one of the youngest participants of the conflict to engage in combat. He was originally born John Joseph Klem on August 13, 1851, but would later change his name and take on several nicknames. The AmericanContinue reading “Heroes From History: Johnny Clem”

Battle at the End of the World

After learning about the Battle of Guningtou, I felt inspired by the story of the “Bear of Kinmen” and the harrowing tale of this triumph over great evil in such a dark hour. Given I was very busy this weekend, I felt it would be a good chance to write a poem in honor ofContinue reading “Battle at the End of the World”

Historical Events: The Battle of Guningtou

The Battle of Guningtou on October 25, 1949 was a pivotal moment in history which restored the crippled morale of the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) forces of the Republic of China (ROC) in their fight against the dark tide of communism during the Chinese Civil War. The ROC, commonly referred to today as Taiwan, managed toContinue reading “Historical Events: The Battle of Guningtou”

The Quiet Speech of Calm

I was busier than usual this weekend, and found myself pondering the value of rest in the moments I enjoyed it. This poem was born out of those ponderings. Next month, I will start to experiment with some different forms of poetry to see if I can find some new forms I enjoy. Calmness speaksContinue reading “The Quiet Speech of Calm”

Heroes From History: William Eaton

William Eaton was a U.S. Army officer who led an expedition of U.S. Marines and hired mercenaries to Derna, Tripoli during the First Barbary War in 1805. He was the first American to lead forces into battle on foreign soil and raise the American Flag in victory over the enemies of the United States. WilliamContinue reading “Heroes From History: William Eaton”

When Honor Fades to Pride: A Haiku Series

I feel it has been some time since I wrote a haiku series, and I was starting to miss the simplicity of it. I was also reading about the Battle of the Wilderness during the American Civil War in early May of 1864. The Union forces threw themselves at Confederate positions to no avail, andContinue reading “When Honor Fades to Pride: A Haiku Series”

Iconic Weapons: The Messer

The “messer,” meaning “long knife” in German, is a weapon which was prominent in Germanic territories during the Renaissance era. It was called this for its hilt, which was constructed with a full tang and lacked a pommel, making it akin to a very large knife. The weapon was used throughout the 15th and 16thContinue reading “Iconic Weapons: The Messer”

Iconic Weapons: Falchion

The falchion is a one-handed, single-edged sword of European design which saw widespread use in the 13th and 14th centuries. It was noted to have seen service as late as the 16th century, but then began to fall out of use. The blade of the falchion is similar in design to the Persian scimitar andContinue reading “Iconic Weapons: Falchion”

He Has Not Yet Begun to Fight

John Paul Jones is often considered one of the Fathers of the United States Navy. He was a privateer who joined the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. However, since he worked with mercenaries, pirates, and other soldiers of fortune under his command, he found himself betrayed by his own crew on more thanContinue reading “He Has Not Yet Begun to Fight”