Category: Note

On March 29, 845, a 5,000-strong army of Danish Vikings invaded Frankish lands and only retreated after besieging Paris and securing a ransom from the Frankish King Charles the Bald. This was part of a series of devastating raids begun by the Vikings that began in the 790s. The Vikings were led by a man named “Reginherus” or Ragnar, sometimes linked to the legendary saga figure Ragnar Lodbrok. The Vikings easily overcame defences set in place by Charlemagne and are known to have attacked the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés just outside the city. The Vikings returned home with a ransom of …

On March 28, 1535, the Cistercian Bloemkamp Abbey (Oldeklooster) in Friesland was attacked and destroyed by a group of millenarian revolutionary Anabaptists. — March 28, 1774: Britain passed the Coercive Act against Massachusetts. — Today’s feature article is a guest piece written by our friend and fellow blogger, Patrice Lewis, the Editrix of the highly-recommended Rural Revolution blog. — We are now seeking entries for Round 124 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.  More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us …

On March 27, 196 BC, the Rosetta Stone and others like it were ordered to be inscribed with the Decree of Memphis proclaiming the rule of the King of Ptolemaic Egypt, Ptolemy V. — March 27, 1513: Spaniard Juan Ponce de León and his expedition first sighted the coast of Florida. — And on March 27, 1855 Canadian geologist Abraham Gesner patented kerosene. — Today’s feature post is a re-post from the SurvivalBlog archives. — Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest ends in just a few days. Get your entries in soon! More than $981,000 worth of prizes …

On March 26, 1636, the University of Utrecht had its opening ceremony. Pictured is the university’s Academiegebouw Rectory. — March 26, 1790: The US Congress passed the Naturalization Act, requiring two-year residency. — March 26th, 1812: An earthquake now estimated at 7.7 on the Richter scale destroyed 90% of Caracas, Venezuela, and killed an estimated 15,000–20,000 people. — Today’s feature article is an essay by SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, James Wesley, Rawles (JWR). — There are just a few days left to get your Writing Contest article in for the current round of judging.  

On March 25, 1306, Robert the Bruce was crowned Robert I, King of Scots, soon after he had killed his rival John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch. — March 25, 1863: The first US Army Medals of Honor were awarded to six Union Army soldiers by US Secretary of War Edwin Stanton in Washington. National Medal of Honor Day is now officially observed on March 25th of each year. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Gunsite Academy Three-Day Course Certificate. …

March 24th is the birthday of Dr. Art Robinson, who was born in 1942. He has done yeoman service to both the preparedness and the homeschooling communities.  He was the creator of the very inexpensive Robinson Self-Teaching Curriculum. — On March 24, 1964 the Kennedy half-dollar was first issued. Aside for a few that were specially made for Proof Sets it was only the 1964-dated Kennedy halves that were 90% silver. Starting in 1965, the composition of circulating Kennedy halves was reduced to 40% silver. And in 1970, they were fully debased to mere clad copper tokens. — Today’s feature …

On March 23, 1856, 18-year-old English chemist William Perkin accidentally produced the first synthetic aniline dye ‘mauveine’ (aka Perkin’s mauve and Aniline purple) during his Easter holiday. — March 23, 1903: The Wright brothers first filed a patent for a flying machine, which was granted three years later. — March 23rd is also the birthday of Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. He directed 30 films. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Gunsite Academy Three-Day Course Certificate. This can be used …

  On March 22, 1941 the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington went into operation. — Benjamin Tyler Henry (March 22, 1821–December 29, 1898) was an American gunsmith and manufacturer. On October 16, 1860, he received a patent on the Henry .44 caliber repeating rifle. The first rimfire Henry rifles were not produced for Union Army use until mid-1862. — This is the birthday of Louis L’Amour. (Born 1908, died 1988.) Some of his novels have survival themes. One of particular interest to survivalists is Last of the Breed. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 123 …

March 21, 717: The Battle of Vincy. This was a pivotal engagement in the Frankish civil wars of 715–718. The battle was fought near Cambrai (modern Les Rues-des-Vignes) between Austrasian forces led by Charles Martel, mayor of the palace, and the Neustrian army under King Chilperic II and Mayor Ragenfrid. Martel’s forces routed the Neustrians, pursuing the defeated king and his ally to Paris, which crippled Neustrian opposition and enabled Austrasia to reassert dominance over the divided Frankish realms. This victory underscored the declining authority of Merovingian kings amid rising mayoral power, paving the way for Martel’s consolidation of northern Francia …

On March 20, 1800, Italian chemist and physicist Alessandro Volta reported his invention of the electric battery in a letter to Joseph Banks, president of the Royal Society of London. — March 20th is also the birthday of Mel Tappan. (Born 1933, died 1980.) His perennially popular survivalist books Survival Guns and Tappan on Survival have a well-deserved following. I designated March 20th National Survivalism Day, in his honor. It is also apropos that National Survivalism Day falls in March–one of the months that both Northern Europeans and Native Americans refer to as The Starving Season–when stored food runs low, …

On March 19, 1882, the first stone was laid for the Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona, Spain, designed by Antoni Gaudí.  A 55-foot cap piece cross was finally set in place on February, 20, 2026.  The light through the cathedral’s stained glass windows can be dramatic on sunny afternoons. — And on March 19, 1918, the US adopted the Standard Time Act of 1918, also known as the Calder Act, a federal law that implemented standard time (and daylight saving time). It defined five time zones for the United States. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for …

On March 18, 1850, Henry Wells & William Fargo formed American Express, in Buffalo, New York. — March 18, 1911: North Dakota enacted a hail insurance law. — And on March 18,1925: The Great Tri-State Tornado, a monstrous F5 (over 300 MPH) tornado roared 219 miles across southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, and southwest Indiana. It killed 695, injured over 2000, and destroyed 15,000 homes. — Today’s feature article is a timely piece from the SurvivalBlog archives. — We need of entries for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since …

On March 17, 1959, the US nuclear submarine USS Skate became the first submarine to surface at the North Pole. — After a multi-month restocking hiatus, we are again taking orders at Elk Creek Company. Here are our updated inventory counts: Pre-1899 Antique Rifles:  22 (We have deeply restocked 7×57 and 6.5×55 Mauser rifles.) Pre-1899 Antique Shotguns: 9 (Most are 12 gauge and most of them have fluid steel barrels!) Pre-1899 Antique Pistols and Revolvers: 21  (Mostly S&W top break revolvers.) Blackpowder Revolvers: 23 (Most are .44 caliber, with modern cartridge conversion cylinders available. We have deeply restocked the much-in-demand …

March 16, 1802: The first US Military Academy at West Point was established through a Congressional act. It opened July 4, 1802. — Today’s feature article is the third and last installment of a guest post by our friend Mrs. Alaska. We highly recommend her blog and books. — We need entries for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles …

After a multi-month restocking hiatus, we are again taking orders at Elk Creek Company. Here are our updated inventory counts: Pre-1899 Antique Rifles:  24 (We have deeply restocked 7×57 and 6.5×55 Mauser rifles.) Pre-1899 Antique Shotguns: 9 (Most are 12 gauge and most of them have fluid steel barrels!) Pre-1899 Antique Pistols and Revolvers: 21  (Mostly S&W top break revolvers.) Blackpowder Revolvers: 23 (Most are .44 caliber, with modern cartridge conversion cylinders available. We have deeply restocked the much-in-demand Ruger Old Army revolvers.) Blackpowder Rifles: 7 (Most of them are .50 Caliber deer/elk hunting rifles.) Knives and Bayonets:  24 (Edged …