Category: Note

September 21, 1776: The Great New York Fire. Five days after the British Army took New York City, one quarter of the city burned down. — September 21, 1931, Britain abandoned the gold standard. The Pound was devalued by 20%. — On this day in 1780, during the American Revolution, American General Benedict Arnold met with British Major John Andre to discuss handing over West Point to the British in return for the promise of a large sum of money and a high position in the British army. The plot was foiled and Arnold’s name became synonymous with the word …

On September 20, 1945, under OSS (and later CIA) Operation Paper Clip and Operation Overcast (1945 to 1959), German rocket scientists began to work in the United States. For the sake of expediency, more than 1,600 German scientists, engineers, and technicians were granted immunity from war crimes prosecution and transported along with their families from the former Nazi Germany to the United States for employment with various government agencies and later, with defense contractors. Under these secretive and later publicly acknowledged and very controversial programs, the German contingent was most conspicuously led by senior scientist Wernher von Braun. (Pictured above, …

On September 19, 1356, English forces under Edward the Black Prince defeated the French at the Battle of Poitiers and captured French King John II, during the Hundred Years’ War. Preceded by the Battle of Crécy in 1346, and followed by the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, it was the second of the three great English victories of the war. — September 19, 1778: The Continental Congress passed the first budget of the United States. — Also on this date in 1796, George Washington addressed the nation in his farewell address as President. — Today’s feature article is by JWR. …

In the midst of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), on September 18, 1635, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II declared war on France. Above: Carl Friedrich Lessing’s painting The Siege. — The 18th of September is Chilean Independence Day. On this day, in 1810, Chile declared independence from Spain. — And, on September 18, 1914, South African troops landed in German South West Africa. (Later renamed South West Africa and then again, to Namibia.) — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 120 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Gunsite …

On September 17, 158, Dutch sailors claimed the island of Mauritius for the Netherlands. They named it after Maurice, Prince of Orange and Count of Nassau — September 17, 1776: The Fortress Presidio of San Francisco was founded in New Spain to gain a foothold in Alta California and secure the San Francisco Bay. — Today, September 17th, we celebrate Constitution Day in these United States.  This is in remembrance that on September 17, 1787, the US Constitution was signed by delegates at the Philadelphia Convention. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 120 of the …

On September 16,  1782, the Great Seal of the United States of America was used for the first time. — September 16, 1919, the U.S. Congress granted a national charter to the American Legion. — And on September 16, 1940, US President FDR signed the Selective Training & Service Act. This was the nation’s first peacetime draft. — Mark your calendar for February 16, 2026, to order your 20th Anniversary Edition of the waterproof SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick. The 2005-2025 edition will have at least 12 more bonus books.  These will include the 4-volume Audel’s Carpenters and Builders Guide, as …

On September 15, 1916: The first use of tanks in warfare. Britain’s Mark I “Little Willie” tanks were used at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, as part of the Battle of the Somme. — On September 15, 1950, United Nations troops landed at Inchon, South Korea, crippling a North Korean invasion during the Korean War. — The last day!  The week-long sale on all of our Swedish Mauser rifles at Elk Creek Company ends tonight at midnight, Eastern Time. The prices of all of our  6.5 x55mm “Swedes” have been reduced by 10 to 25 percent. These are all pre-1899 (no …

On September 1814, Francis Scott Key penned the poem “Defence of Fort M’Henry,” later known as “The Star-Spangled Banner,” while witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry from a ship in Baltimore Harbor. — September 14, 1901: Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as the youngest man to serve as President. — This is also the birthday of James Wilson, a lawyer and signer of the Declaration of Independence (1742 – 1798). — Just two days left! We are running a week-long sale on all of our Swedish Mauser rifles at Elk Creek Company.  Just until Monday, September 15th, 2025, the prices …

On September 13th, 122: construction began on Hadrian‘s Wall in Northern England. — September 13th, 1951 was the birthday of President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan. — We are running a week-long sale on all of our Swedish Mauser rifles at Elk Creek Company.  Just until Monday, September 15th, 2025, the prices of all of our  6.5 x55mm “Swedes” have been reduced by 10 to 25 percent. These are all pre-1899 (no paperwork) rifles that can be mailed right to your door. They include original military configuration rifles and carbines, as well as a few sporters. Note that if …

On September 12, 1683, during the Austro-Ottoman War: The Battle of Vienna. Several European armies joined forces to defeat the Ottoman Empire. From the biased Wkipedia: “The Siege and Battle of Vienna took place at Kahlenberg Mountain near Vienna on 12 September 1683 after the city had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months. The battle was fought by the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarchy) and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, both under the command of King John III Sobieski, against the Ottomans and their vassal and tributary states. The battle marked the first time the Commonwealth …

September 11, 1297: The Battle of Stirling Bridge. Scottish rebel William Wallace defeated the English. — September 11th is of course the anniversary of the 2001 Al Qaeda attacks on the U.S., but it is also the anniversary of the Benghazi Embassy attacks, in 2012. (Those events were recounted in the Hollywood film 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.) Please remember the sacrifice of J. Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, and CIA (former Navy SEAL) agents Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty. Between them, Woods and Doherty reportedly dropped at least 60 of the attackers, before their position was overwhelmed. Please …

On September 10, 1608, John Smith was elected president of the Jamestown Colony Council, Virginia. — September 10,1813: American naval commander Oliver Hazard Perry defeated the British in the Battle of Lake Erie. — A sad farewell: Edward Faulkner, Actor in John Wayne and Elvis Presley Films, Dies at 93. — We are running a week-long sale on all of our Swedish Mauser rifles at Elk Creek Company. Until Monday, September 15th, 2025, the prices of all of our 6.5 x55mm “Swedes” have been reduced by 10 to 25 percent. These are all pre-1899 (no paperwork) guns that can be mailed right …

On September 9, 1543, Mary Stuart, then just nine months old, was crowned Queen of Scots in the central Scottish town of Stirling. — September 9, 1830: Charles Durant, the first US aeronaut, flew a balloon from Castle Garden, New York City to Perth Amboy, New Jersey. This was a distance of about 25 miles, covered in three hours. — And on September 9, 1908, Orville Wright made the first hour-long airplane flight at Fort Myer, Virginia. His flight lasted 62 minutes and 15 seconds. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 120 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing …

On September 8, 1628, Dutch privateer Piet Heyn captured the Spanish silver fleet in the Bay of Matanzas, Cuba. — September 8, 1860: The excursion steamer Lady Elgin sank after being rammed in a storm on Lake Michigan, drowning about 300 people. This was the largest loss of life ever recorded on the Great Lakes. — And on September 8, 1892: The first appearance of “Pledge of Allegiance” was published in the Youth’s Companion. — Just in time to be ready for deer hunting season, we’ve just started a week-long sale on all of our Swedish Mauser rifles at Elk …

On September 7, 70, the Roman army under General Titus occupied and plundered Jerusalem. — On September 7, 1876, the Younger Brothers outlaws, who were often allied with Jesse James, were captured following an unsuccessful bank robbery in Northfield, Minnesota. There, armed townsmen bested the robbers in a protracted gun battle. — Today is the birthday of novelist Taylor Caldwell. (Born 1900 – August 30, 1985). — And September 7th is also the birthday of Richard Cole, born in 1915. He passed away on April 8, 2019, at age 103. Cole was the last living Doolittle Raider. He was General …