Author: James Wesley Rawles

Today is the birthday of Paul Mauser, (June 27, 1838 – May 29, 1914). He was a German weapon designer and manufacturer. His strong and reliable bolt-action design was used by many nations. The U.S. Springfield Model 1903 is based on the Mauser Model 1898, and in fact, the U.S. government famously lost a patent infringement lawsuit to Mauser. Ironically, the U.S. government continued to pay the Mauser company royalties on each M1903 Springfield produced, even during and after World War I. Today is also the birthday Leroy James Sullivan (born June 27, 1933) is an American firearms inventor. Going …

On June 26, 1483, Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester, began his reign as Richard III after usurping power from his nephew, Edward V. — June 26th is also the birthday of Marine Corps Lt. General Chesty Puller (born 1898, died October 11, 1971). Perhaps America’s finest-ever maverick officer, Puller was part of what I call the Even Greater Generation. — My #1 Son mentioned this new listing for some retreat-worthy improved land, north of Coeur d’Alene: Private North Idaho Retreat. — Today’s feature article was written by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson. — We are in need of articles …

June 25, 1530, the Augsburg Confession, 28 articles that constitute the basic confession of the Lutheran churches, was presented at the Diet of Augsburg to the emperor Charles V. — And on June 25th, 1876, Native American forces led by Chiefs Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull defeated the U.S. Army troops of Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer in a bloody battle near southern Montana’s Little Bighorn River. The Battle of Little Bighorn – also called Custer’s Last Stand – marked the most decisive Native American victory and the worst U.S. Army defeat in the long Plains Indian War. While complicated, …

June 24th the birthday of rifle-toting abolitionist pastor Henry Ward Beecher. (Born 1813, died March 8, 1887.) He and his adherents from his church smuggled so many Sharps rifles to Bleeding Kansas that the Sharps rifles picked up the nickname Beecher’s Bibles. Wikipedia states: “Several of his brothers and sisters became well-known educators and activists, most notably Harriet Beecher Stowe, who achieved worldwide fame with her abolitionist novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power …

On this day in 1314 began the Battle of Bannockburn, a decisive engagement in Scottish history whereby the Scots defeated the English, regained their independence, and established Robert the Bruce as Robert I. — We have run out of articles to post for the Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. So if you have one that you’ve been writing, then please complete it and send it in. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.