The Rockets’ Red Glare – Congreve’s Invention, Fort McHenry, and a National Anthem
On September 12, 1814, HMS Erebus sailed up the Patapsco river toward Baltimore. The British Royal Navy had been roaming free throughout Chesapeake Bay for…
Hadrian’s Wall of Denmark – Dannevirke Defensive Complex
Beginning in the later part of what historians know as the “Nordic Iron Age,” the pagan Danes built massive lines of fortifications along their border…
Mammoth Revolution You Never Heard Of – The German Peasants’ War of 1524-5
In 1524, a revolt broke out in Germany. Peasants rose up in a war that showed the religious and social tensions that would tear Europe…
Skill, Luck, and Help From a Friend: Victory at Yorktown
The siege of Yorktown was considered to be the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War. It was fought from 28 Sept – 19…
A Hard Dose of Reality for North and South – 1st Battle of Bull Run
Merriment rang out in the streets of Washington on July 16, 1861 as Gen. Irvin McDowell’s army, 35,000 strong, marched out to begin the campaign…
Which is Your Favorite? – Famous Charges in History
With the enemies’ formation looking impenetrable and the odds continuously climbing higher in their favor, the battle would take on the shapes and colors of…
Mongol Tactics Learned from the Great Sun Tzu – Speed, Deception and Intel
The strategic genius of Genghis Khan is immortalized in history. The writings of Sun Tzu have established sound military principles that have transcended time and…
Legendary One-Eyed Jan Zizka: Undefeated Leader in the Hussite Revolution
Jan Zizka was a talented and successful military tactician as well as a statesman without equal. He led the Hussites in the turbulent 14th century…
The Amazing and Forgotten Victory at Molodi
The Molodinskaya Battle (or the Battle of Molodi) is a major battle that took place from July 29 to August 2, 1572, near the village…
King Edward I and The English Conquest Of Wales
The Normans had aimed and conquered Welsh lands since the Conquest in 1066, and the Anglo-Welsh border, known as the Marches, became violent and lawless…
Russian Hussars Live Fast And Finish Young
Historically there are very few military forces that can feasibly live up to the standards set by the cliche of ‘live fast, die young and…
2 Bonapartes and a Wellington: Two Forces Converge at the Battle of Salamanca
The Battle of Salamanca happened on July 22nd, 1812. Having achieved decisive victories at Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz and henceforth breaking through Portugal, he thrust…