Napoleon
understood the power of imagery better than almost any ruler in history. Many
of his most famous portraits weren't simply paintings, they were political
messages designed to portray him as a hero, lawgiver, conqueror, and emperor.
One of the most iconic paintings of Napoleon
entitled Napoleon Crossing the Alpspainted by Jacque-Louis David was painted in 1801.
Napoleon is
shown rearing on a magnificent horse while crossing the Great St. Bernard Pass
into Italy. In reality, he crossed on a mule, but the painting transformed a
difficult military march into a heroic legend.
It is
perhaps the most recognizable image of Napoleon ever created and helped build
his public image as a fearless leader.
Jacques-Louis
David’s The Coronation of Napoleon painted in 180 is one of history's
greatest propaganda paintings. It records the moment Napoleon elevated himself
from revolutionary general to emperor.
It depicts the coronation ceremony held at Notre-Dame
Cathedral in Paris on December 2, 1804. The artist portrays the emperor crowning
Empress Joséphine, emphasizing his authority and ambition. Through its
grandeur, dramatic composition, and meticulous realism, the painting celebrates
Napoleon’s power while serving as a masterful work of political propaganda.
Adolphe Northen’s The Retreat from Moscow
vividly portrays the devastating withdrawal of Napoleon’s Grand Army from
Russia in 1812.
The painting captures exhausted soldiers struggling
through deep snow amid bitter cold, conveying the human cost of war. The
artist’s dramatic use of light and detail highlights the collapse of one of
history’s greatest military campaigns.
History
remembers General George Armstrong Custer.
But the true
story of grit may belong to the woman who rode beside him into some of the
harshest places in America.
Her name was
Elizabeth "Libbie" Bacon
Custer.
In her book Boots and Saddles she recounts the dual
dangers she faced on the frontier. “My danger in connection with the Indians
was two-fold.I was in peril from death
or capture, and liable to bekilled by
my own friends to prevent my capture.”
“ The
universal understanding was that anyone having me in chargein an emergency where there was imminent
danger of my capture should shoot me instantly.”
In1837, George Washington's lead coffin was
placed inside the marble sarcophagus that visitors see today. The coffin was opened in 1837, witnesses
reported that Washington's remains were remarkably well preserved because of
the lead-lined coffin. A contemporary account states that a section of the lead
was carefully lifted back, exposing the head and upper chest. Observers
described:
The face as readily recognizable as that of George
Washington. The features as shrunken but distinct. The nose retaining its
shape. The hair still visible. The dark military cloak in which he had been
buried remaining identifiable. The body appearing naturally mummified rather
than skeletal.
One witness wrote that the body seemed so well
preserved that it looked as though it had been buried only a short time rather
than nearly four decades earlier. After the inspection, the coffin was resealed
and enclosed within the marble sarcophagus donated by Philadelphia stonecutter
John Struthers.
Here are ten of the best-known quotes associated
with Confederate general Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson (1824–1863):
“The time for
war has not yet come, but it will come, and that soon; and when it does
come, my advice is to draw the sword and throw away the scabbard.”
Spoken to VMI cadets in March 1861.
“Then, Sir, we will give them the
bayonet!”
Reply at First Manassas (Bull Run), July 21, 1861, when told his men were
being driven back—just before he earned the nickname “Stonewall.”
“My religious belief teaches me to feel
as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not
concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may
overtake me.”
To Capt. John D. Imboden after First Manassas. He added that this was how
all men should live so that all would be equally brave.
“Never take
counsel of your fears.”
Described by his widow, Mary Anna Jackson, as a favorite maxim.
“Always mystify,
mislead, and surprise the enemy, if possible; and when you strike and
overcome him, never let up in the pursuit so long as your men have
strength to follow.”
His oft-quoted rule of offensive warfare.
“You may be
whatever you resolve to be.”
Frequently cited as a personal motto associated with Jackson.
“War means
fighting. The business of the soldier is to fight.”
From his views on how armies should be used—find the enemy, strike him,
and do so quickly.
“I like
liquor—its taste and its effects—and that is just the reason why I never
drink it.”
A characteristic remark on self-discipline.
“I yield to no
man in sympathy for the gallant men under my command; but I am obliged to
sweat them tonight, so that I may save their blood tomorrow.”
Explaining a hard night march.
“Let us cross
over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees.”
His last words, spoken as he was dying of pneumonia after being wounded at
Chancellorsville (May 10, 1863).
John
Billington was not a Pilgrim. He was part of the “Strangers”—non‑Separatists
recruited by the London merchants who financed the voyage of the Mayflower in
1620. From the moment the Mayflower left England, Billington was a problem.
William
Bradford, later governor of Plymouth, described him as “a knave,” a man prone
to defiance and disorder. His family was equally notorious: his wife Ellen was
reprimanded for slander, and his sons were involved in repeated mischief.
The
Billingtons were loud, unruly, and unwilling to submit to the colony’s leadership
Billington’s
clashes with authority escalated quickly. In 1621, he refused to obey military
orders issued by Captain Myles Standish. Billington’s refusal to comply was seen
as a direct challenge to the colony’s survival in a savage environment.
He
was arrested and nearly executed, but the colony—still fragile and desperate
for manpower—chose leniency.This would
prove a mistake.
By
1630, Plymouth had grown more stable. But
stability did not tame Billington.
That
year, he became embroiled in a feud with a young man named John Newcomen.
One day, encountering Newcomen alone, Billington raised his musket and shot
him. Newcomen died from his wounds.
Billington
was arrested and brought before the colony’s governing council, which acted as
both judge and jury.
Witnesses
testified to the shooting. Billington offered no compelling defense. The
council found him guilty of “willful murder.”
The
governor described Billington as a man who had “been a bad man” from the
beginning, whose death was the inevitable result of years of disorderly
conduct.
Billington
was sentenced to death by hanging. His execution took place in September 1630,
making him the first European settler executed in what would become the United
States.
Hieronymus Bosch was a Dutch Renaissance painter renowned for symbolic works depicting religious and
moral themes. He is known for grotesque creatures. His work critiques human
folly, sin, and societal corruption.
Here death comes for a
miser.The miser tries to buy death off,
but death is not impressed by the miser’s wealth.
Mount Vernon has always
been a place of pilgrimage because of the tomb of George Washington, America’s
secular saint. Prior to the outbreak of the American Civil War,
Mount Vernon was visited by HRH Prince Albert, Prince of Wales (later King Edward
VII). On October 5, 1860 President James Buchanan accompanied the Prince
on a tour of Mount Vernon and visited Washington’s tomb, which was not in very
good shape. A British correspondent wrote, “No pious care seems to have
ever tended this neglected grave. . .It is here alone in its glory, uncared
for, unvisited, unwatched, with the night-wind for its only mourner sighing
through the waste of trees, and strewing the dead brown leaves like ashes
before the tomb. Such is the grave of Washington!”
After the First World War another Prince of Wales visited. On
November 13, 1919, the future King Edward VIII visited Washington’s grave and
laid a wreath. The Prince also planted a small English yew tree near the
tomb.
On March 18, 2015, HRH Prince Charles,
the Prince of Wales, and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall laid a wreath at
Washington’s tomb. The Prince, a major force in raising awareness
about environmental issues, found Washington’s tomb in considerably better
shape than did his great-great grandfather.
This
dramatic painting is based on a true story, the rescue of fourteen year old
Brook Watson from the jaws of a hungry shark in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, in
1749.
Watson
survived. Years later, after he became a successful merchant and mayor of
London, he commissioned the American painter John Singleton Copley to portray
the incident.
H His dentures were not
wooden.Washington’s famous
“wooden teeth” were actually made from gold,
ivory, lead, and human and animal teeth, held together with a spring
that forced him to clench his jaw. By his inauguration, he had only one original tooth.He lost nearly all his teeth by age 57.
2 His real birthday wasn’t
February 22.He was born February 11, 1731 under the Julian
calendar. The switch to the Gregorian calendar moved his birthday to February
22 and changed his birth year to 1732.
3.The cherry tree story is
completely made up. The tale of young George confessing to chopping down
a cherry tree was invented by biographer Mason Locke Weems after Washington’s death.
4.He created his own dog breed.Washington selectively bred foxhounds
and is considered the father of the
American Foxhound, giving his dogs mushy names like Sweet Lips, Tipsy,
and Venus.
5.He ran one of America’s
largest whiskey distilleries.By
1799, his Mount Vernon distillery produced nearly 11,000 gallons of whiskey a year, making it the largest in
the nation.
Bat
Masterson stands out as one of the Old West’s most unusual figures—a man who
balanced frontier grit with refined elegance. In Dodge City, he earned his
reputation as a cool‑headed sheriff and gunfighter, facing down outlaws with
steady aim and steady nerves. Yet unlike the dust‑covered men around him,
Masterson favored tailored suits, silk vests, bowler hats, and the polished
cane he carried everywhere. His style became as legendary as his courage.
Later, he traded the chaos of the frontier for New York City, reinventing
himself as a respected sportswriter. Masterson proved that even in the Wild
West, a gentleman could thrive without losing his edge.
George Armstrong Custer’s buckskin coat at the Smithsonian
is one of the most evocative artifacts tied to the frontier cavalry legend. The
double‑breasted coat, made of light buckskin and trimmed with fringe, was worn
during his service as lieutenant colonel of the 7th U.S. Cavalry in the
Dakotas. Custer favored frontier dress, believing it suited the rugged
conditions of the West. In 1912, his widow Elizabeth “Libbie” Custer donated
the coat to the Smithsonian, preserving it as a tribute to her husband’s dramatic
life and legacy. Today, it remains a striking reminder of Custer’s persona and
the era he helped define.
The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked Texas Ranger who first appeared on radio in 1933. His origin story
describes him as the sole survivor of an ambushed Ranger posse, rescued and
aided by his companion Tonto. A posse of six members of the Texas Rangers, led by Captain Dan Reid, pursue a band of outlaws. Tonto discovers one of the rangers, Captain Reid's younger brother John, barely alive, and nurses the man to health.
Thoughentirely fictional, historians have proposed real-life inspirations. Texas Ranger John R.Hughes is often cited due to his long career and legendary tracking skills. Another proposed inspiration is Bass Reeves, a U.S. Marshal whose exploits closely resemble the Ranger’s, though this connection remains debated.
Bass Reeves wasn’t just a lawman — he was a legend. Born
into slavery in Arkansas in 1838, he escaped during the Civil War and mastered
Native languages and tracking skills in Indian Territory.
From
1875 to 1907, Reeves served as a deputy U.S. marshal under Judge Isaac Parker,
making over 3,000 arrests and
killing 14 outlaws in self‑defense.
His
integrity was absolute — he even arrested his own son when duty demanded it.
Bass
Reeves wasn’t officially documented as the inspiration for the Lone Ranger —
but his life matches the legend so closely that the connection remains compelling and widely believed.
Explore the Old West:
Dive deeper into Bass Reeves, frontier justice, and the legends of the American West with these hand‑picked books and collectibles. Affiliate links help support the blog at no extra cost.
Mary and Robert E. Lee lived in
Arlington House until 1861 when Virginia seceded from the Union and Lee went
south to join the Confederate army. Union troops moved into an subsequently
took possession of the estate which became a national cemetery.
Neither
Robert E. Lee nor his wife ever set foot in Arlington House again. After the
death of his parents, George Washington Custis Lee claimed that the house and land had been illegally
confiscated and that, according to his grandfather's will, he was the legal
owner.
In December 1882, the U.S.
Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, returned the property to George Washington Custis
Lee, stating that it had been confiscated without due process.
Would the dead have to be
transferred to a new site? General Lee's
son diffused the crisis by selling the house and land to the government for
its’ fair market value.
A
definitive, deeply researched history of Arlington National Cemetery. This book
guides readers from the estate’s Civil War origins to its role as America’s
most sacred military burial ground. Perfect for anyone wanting the full story
behind the land, the legends, and the legacy.
A
powerful exploration of the cemetery’s lesser‑known African American history.
This book uncovers the stories of Freedman’s Village and Section 27, offering
essential context for readers interested in Arlington’s hidden past and the
lives of formerly enslaved people who lived there.
Arlington National
Cemetery: A Guided Tour Through History A
concise, visitor‑friendly guide that blends narrative history with practical
touring insights. Ideal for readers planning a visit or wanting a structured
overview of Arlington’s evolution from plantation to national shrine.
A
rich photographic history capturing Arlington’s transformation across decades.
This visual collection is perfect for readers who want to see the
cemetery’s past through archival images and rare historical photographs.
A
broad, accessible overview of Arlington’s founding, Civil War roots, and
national significance. Excellent for general readers seeking a clear, engaging
introduction to the cemetery’s place in American memory.
Bernardo de
Gálvez the Spanish governor of Louisiana and commander of Spanish forces in
North America is the best-known Hispanic of the American Revolution.When Spain joined the fight against England, Galvez
captured Baton Rouge, Natchez, Mobile, and Pensacola, opening a second front
against Britain and supplying the Continental Army with weapons, ammunition,
medicine, and funding. Congress later granted him honorary U.S. citizenship.
George Armstrong Custer’s life is
usually told in the language of cavalry charges, velvet jackets, cinnamon‑scented
curls, and the tragedy of the Little Bighorn. But tucked inside the historical
record is a surprisingly earthy thread: Custer’s relationship with onions.
Far from a mere dietary preference,
onions were a staple that Custer devoured with enthusiasm.
Onions were not always easy to come by
on the Western plains in the 1870s, but when they were available, Custer
treated them like a delicacy.
His wife, Elizabeth “Libbie” Custer,
documented this habit vividly in her memoir Boots and Saddles. She
recounted how, during expeditions, Custer would eagerly consume raw onions,
noting their scarcity and value on the frontier — “as rare out there, and more
appreciated than pomegranates are in New York.”
In an 1873 letter to Libbie while on
the Yellowstone River expedition, Custer wrote with glee: “I supped on RAW
ONIONS; I will probably breakfast, lunch and dine on them tomorrow, and the
next day, and the day after.”
He and his younger brother Tom Custer,
who also perished at Little Bighorn, were both enthusiastic onion lovers.
Libbie herself was less enamored with
the results. The strong odor of raw onions on her husband’s breath became a
running theme in their correspondence and her writings.
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