On April 6, 1866 the GAR – the Grand Army of the Republic was founded. The organization was for Civil War veterans who had served in the US Army, Navy or Marine Corps and lasted for 90 years, until the death of Albert Woolson, the last surviving Union Soldier. Shown is veteran Benjamin Robinson about 50 years after serving.
Image from the Liljenquist Family Collection, LOC via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US.
Members of the U.S. Olympic Team in Athens in 1896.
On today’s date, April 6, 1896, the first modern Olympic Games opened in Athens, Greece.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US.
On April 6, 1808 businessman John Jacob Astor formed his fur trading organization that would propel him to become our nation’s earliest multi-millionaire
Painting of Astor by Gilbert Stuart via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
On April 6, 1973 NASA’s Pioneer 11 probe was launched into space.
Contact with the spacecraft last occurred in 1995.
It transports a plaque showing a man and a woman as well as the location of our solar system within our galaxy.
Image of Pioneer 11 before launch in 1973 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Photograph of the Robert Peary Sledge Party holding flags at the spot where they believe is the North Pole
On April 6, 1909 Americans Robert Peary and Matthew Henson believed they reached the North Pole.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
“This stubborn picket fight seems to have been something of a “surprise” to at least one of the Confederate generals. General Bragg, commanding the second line of attack, says in his official report that “the enemy did not give us time to discuss the question of attack, for soon after dawn he commenced a rapid musketry fire on our pickets.” Major Hardcastle, commanding this picket line, says : “The enemy opened a heavy fire on us at a distance of about two hundred yards.” That the Confederate line was not ready to move forward at once when the firing began appears from Major Hardcastle’s official report. He says : “At about 6:30 a.m. I saw the brigade formed in my rear and fell back.” So there was a full hour and a half elapsed between the beginning of the firing and the movement forward. The battle front, two and a half to three miles in extent with a curtain of skirmishers, advanced to the attack. Major Powell’s party and the Union pickets that joined him fell slowly back, carrying their dead and wounded until they met Colonel Moore with five companies of his regiment (21st Missouri). Colonel Moore taking command, sent back for the other five companies of his regiment, under Lieutenant Colonel Woodyard.
The force now consisted of the 21st Missouri, three companies of the 25th Missouri, four companies of the 16th Wisconsin, and two companies of the 12th Michigan — all infantry. This force formed in Seay Field and advanced to a point near the northwest corner of the field, where the Confederate skirmishers were encountered, the 8th and 9th Arkansas. There was a sharp fight at this point lasting about thirty minutes, in which Colonel Moore was severely wounded. Lieutenant Mann of the same regiment was wounded, and Captain Saxe (16th Wisconsin) was killed — the first Union officer killed in the Battle of Shiloh.”
The two-day Battle of Shiloh began on April 6, 1862.
From: The Battle of Shiloh by Joseph W. Rich
Published in 1911
https://archive.org/details/battleofshiloh00richiala/page/53/mode/1up?view=theater
Image: Lead Balls Embedded in Section of Tree Branch from Shiloh Battlefield
via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
American country music legend Merle Haggard was born on April 6, 1937, in Oildale, California.
Image of Merle Haggard in 1975 by Capitol Records via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Born April 6, 1927, American composer and Jazz musician Gerry Mulligan began his professional music career as a teen playing with bands at dance halls in Philadelphia.
Over his 50 year career he performed with Miles Davis, was a sideman to Dave Brubeck and appeared in and composed music for films.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Front Page of the Seattle Star, April 6, 1917 announcing the U.S. entry into WWI
via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
FDR at Hyde Park in 1888 wearing a plaid kilt
Happy National Tartan Day – April 6th
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
