On This Day

Who? Me? I'm not from Nice, i'm from Lisbon!

666 the number of the beast

June 6th 1944

Allied forces land on three Normandy beaches in German occupied France and begin the liberation of Europe.

My sister was due on June 6th, she was going to be called Norma... luckily for her she was born 2326pm 05/06, 1/2 hour before D-day as it were...

There must be a big age difference between you and your sister.

I didn't specify year smartarse

^80 year old veteran posing as 20-something MILF.

^Clearly senile, getting the threads mixed up.

^will "whip you into shape"

^Wouldnt get away with that smart mouth in my day

Norma Jean?

At least that would have had mild credibility, it would of been Norma Mary.

ha ha

July 2nd 1863
The battle of Gettysburg rages into its second day with the Union forces repelling the Rebs on Little Round top therefor holding the high ground for the final battle.

July 3rd, 1863

General Lee wishes to continue the attack, but the Union forces open a surprise dawn bombardment - forcing General Ewell's hand in a fight to regain Culp's Hill.

Having to change his plans, General Lee orders General Longtreet to attack the Union Centre-Right flank with the 1st Corps and 6 brigades of General Hill's corps. General George Pickett is to lead his Virginians in one massive frontal assault on the Union lines.

Following massive cannonade of the Union lines directed by general of the Artillery Alexander, Pickett and his generals (including an injured General Garnett) lead the 12,000 odd soldiers on the roughly 3/4th of a mile "march" towards the 'copse of trees' on 'cemetary ridge'. The world would know this as "Pickett's Charge".

Union artillery, which had been quiet for a while, opened up with shot, shrapnel and murderous canister fire. Successful artillery fire on the Confederate right flank meant that half of the 12,000 odd that had stepped off on the assualt would never make it back to their lines.

As the Confederate lines approached closer, Union musket fire began to take it's toll. In the final charge, general Armistead was fataly wounded and his friend on the other side, General Hancock was seriously wounded (all though he wound remark that the enemy must be out of ammunition for "I am shot with a 10 penny nail", it would later turn out that musket shot had caused one of his saddle nails to fly off and wound him in the leg).

The Confederates retreat, having suffered horrenderous losses - including General Garnett - who insisted on leading his men on horseback. He had to avenge his honor - for no less than a man as great as "Stonewall" Jackson had cast doubt upon it. Garnett's horse 'Red Eye' made it back, but he never did. General Pickett, when ordered by General Lee to reform his division to hold the line, responds "General Lee, I have no division".

general Lee reforms his lines, expecting a Union attack. but General Meade, commander of the Northern Army, is cautious and doesn't order an attack - a decision for which he would face considerable criticism later on.

Over 51,000 have been killed, wounded or have gone missing in the Battle of Gettysburg - one of the bloodiest in the US Civil War.

The War will go on...