Thursday, March 10, 2016
And the industry losses continue
Anadarko announced today that it is laying off 17% of is workforce. Anadarko once owned the large, and old, Salt Creek field in Wyoming, which is near Midwest and Edgerton Wyoming, but it sold the field last year. So the very local losses, for Anadarko, were probably already sustained here last year.
Encana, another large company, which in its case has roots in Canada, will apparently lay off 20% of its workforce starting next week.
Encana, another large company, which in its case has roots in Canada, will apparently lay off 20% of its workforce starting next week.
Froma Harrop on Dress Codes
Froma Harrop is by far one of my favorite columnists. Supposedly a liberal columnist, I don't know that her columns can really be easily categorized in a liberal or conservative fashion.
And she writes on a wide variety of topics, including this topic that was just run in our local paper, dress codes: COLUMN: Dress codes and female dignity:
Harrop is write on.
As I've noted before, this is an area that has really changed over time, that being standards of dress in general. As that's changed, it seem to be the case that there's come to be a belief that basic human biology has also changed. Well, not so much, and for that reason, what is dignified in dress remains, in some very basic ways, unchanged.
An article well worth reading.
And she writes on a wide variety of topics, including this topic that was just run in our local paper, dress codes: COLUMN: Dress codes and female dignity:
Harrop is write on.
As I've noted before, this is an area that has really changed over time, that being standards of dress in general. As that's changed, it seem to be the case that there's come to be a belief that basic human biology has also changed. Well, not so much, and for that reason, what is dignified in dress remains, in some very basic ways, unchanged.
An article well worth reading.
Lex Anteinternet: My thesis « Ramblings of a teacher, Redskins fan, and scrapbooker.
My thesis « Ramblings of a teacher, Redskins fan, and scrapbooker (Punitive Expedition Entry)
Leann, the author of the Ramblings of a teacher, Redskins fan, and scrapbooker blog has posted a series of entries on her Master's Thesis, which deals with a family member who was a soldier during the Punitive Expedition and World War One.. Given the focus of this blog, I"m glad to see her do that, and I've mentioned her prior blog entries before. Anyhow, she's serialized the entries, the first of which is here:
My thesis « Ramblings of a teacher, Redskins fan, and scrapbooker
Interesting stuff.
My thesis « Ramblings of a teacher, Redskins fan, and scrapbooker
Interesting stuff.
Lex Anteinternet: My thesis, part II « Ramblings of a teacher, Redskins fan, and scrapbooker (Punitive Expedition, Part II)
Secretary of War Baker issues the following order to Southern Department Commander Frederick Funston:
Secretary of War Baker issues the following order to Southern Department Commander Frederick Funston:
President has directed that an armed force be sent into Mexico with the sole object of capturing Villa and preventing any further raids by his band and with scrupulous regard for the sovereignty of Mexico. Secretary of War directs you telegraph exactly what you need to carry out foregoing general instructions but you will not take any overt steps until receipt orders from War Department
The Punitive Expedition. Making the decision.
President Wilson convenes his cabinet, including his new, and pacifist, Secretary of War, to discuss responding to the Villista Raid on Columbus New Mexico. The decision is made to send in a relatively small expeditionary force into Mexico to punish the Villistas. Immediately following the meeting Wilson states:
An adequate force will be sent at once in pursuit of Villa with the single object ofcapturing him and putting a stop to his forays. This can and will be done in entirely friendly aid of the constituted authorities in Mexico and with scrupulous respect for the sovereignty of that Republic
Lex Anteinternet: Mid-Week at Work: U.S. Troops in Mexico.
Lex Anteinternet: Mid-Week at Work: U.S. Troops in Mexico.
All around the water tank, waiting for a train
A thousand miles away from home, sleeping in the rain
I walked up to a brakeman just to give him a line of talk
He said "If you got money, boy, I'll see that you don't walk
I haven't got a nickel, not a penny can I show
"Get off, get off, you railroad bum" and slammed the boxcar door
He put me off in Texas, a state I dearly love
The wide open spaces all around me, the moon and the stars up above
Nobody seems to want me, or lend me a helping hand
I'm on my way from Frisco, going back to Dixieland
My pocket book is empty and my heart is full of pain
I'm a thousand miles away from home just waiting for a train.
Jimmy Rodgers, "Waiting for a Train".
All around the water tank, waiting for a train
A thousand miles away from home, sleeping in the rain
I walked up to a brakeman just to give him a line of talk
He said "If you got money, boy, I'll see that you don't walk
I haven't got a nickel, not a penny can I show
"Get off, get off, you railroad bum" and slammed the boxcar door
He put me off in Texas, a state I dearly love
The wide open spaces all around me, the moon and the stars up above
Nobody seems to want me, or lend me a helping hand
I'm on my way from Frisco, going back to Dixieland
My pocket book is empty and my heart is full of pain
I'm a thousand miles away from home just waiting for a train.
Jimmy Rodgers, "Waiting for a Train".
The Buffalo Soldiers at Ft. Huachuca
Excellent treatment of The Buffalo Solders at Ft. Huachuca from Huachuca Illustrated, including excellent history of the Punitive Expedition.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
The Raid on Columbus New Mexico: The news hit.
Most towns and cities in 1916 were served by a morning and an evening newspaper, or a paper that published a morning and evening edition. Therefore, most Americans would have started learning of the Villista raid around 5:00 p.m. or so as the evening newspapers were delivered or started being offered for sale.
Here's the evening edition of the Casper Daily Press, a paper that was in circulation in Casper Wyoming in 1916 and which is the predecessor of one of the current papers.
The Raid on Columbus New Mexico, 1916
0730-balance of the day: Troopers of the U.S. 13th Cavalry pursue retreating Villistas into Mexico. Major Frank Tompkins, sought permission against the rules of engagement, to cross the border and was granted the same by Slocum. His troops advanced past Palomas and fifteen miles into Mexico, where their pursuit is arrested by the Villista defense. As he had only a portion of the Camp Furlong garrison he was badly outnumbered in the pursuit but nonetheless engaged the Villista rear guard four times, inflicting heavy casualties on them. When his advance was finally checked, he withdrew into the United States.
The raid leaves part of Columbus in ruins and will launch the United States into a punitive expedition into Mexico against Villa's forces, and which would nearly lead to war with Mexico. Woodrow Wilson filled the vacant position of Secretary of War that very day.
The Raid on Columbus New Mexico: The Telegram.
The following telegram arrived in Washington, DC:
Columbus attacked this morning, 4:30 o’clock. Citizens murdered. Repulsed about 6 o’clock. Town partly burned. They have retreated to the west. Unable to say how many were killed. Department of Justice informed that between 400 and 500 Villa troops attacked Columbus, New Mexico about 4:30. Villa probably in charge. Three American soldiers killed and several injured; also killed four civilians and wounded four. Several of the attacking party killed and wounded by our forces. Attacking party also burned depot and principal buildings in Columbus. United States soldiers now pursuing attacking parties across the line into Mexico. No prisoners reported taken alive
The Raid on Columbus New Mexico, 1916
0730 A Villista bugler sounds retreat. Villistas begin the process of withdrawing to Mexico with their wounded.
The raid on Columbus New Mexico, 1916
Maj General John P. Lucas during World War Two. Lucas, as a lieutenant, would react heroically to the Villista attack.
0415-0445 to 0730. A pitched battle between Villistas against cavalrymen of the 13th U.S. Cavalry ensues. While caught by surprise, the US forces had some inkling that Villistas may have been on the move prior to the raid and reacted very quickly. Local Columbus New Mexico residents also took part in the battle, defending their homes. While the battle started in darkness, the fact that a hotel caught fire soon aided US. forces in being able to pick out Villista targets.
The early minutes of the action featured a heroic reaction by Lt. John P. Lucas who fought his way alone from his tent to the guard shack in spite of lacking shoes and shirt. Lucas who commanded a machinegun troop, organized a single machinegun in defense until the remainder of his unit could come up. He then organized them and worked to repel the Villistas. Lucas made a career of the Army and died after World War Two at age 59 while still serving in the Army.
The Raid on Columbus New Mexico, 1916
Col Herbert J. Slocum, U.S. 13th Cavalry. Slocum was in command of the 13th Cavalry Regiment at Columbus New Mexico, or more accurately Camp Furlong which was next to Columbus.
They expected to encounter an American garrison of only 30 men, as noted above, based upon their scouting and intelligence. However, Columbus had a garrison of over 300 men, to Villa's force of approximately 500 men. The US forces were from the U.S. 13th Cavalry who occupied adjacent Camp Furlong. Moreover, U.S. troops were equipped in a modern fashion, complete with the Benet Mercie light machine gun which had been adopted for cavalry use.
The Raid On Columbus New Mexico. 1916
Villa leading his forces prior to his 1915 defeat at Celaya
0100: Forces under Francisco "Pancho" Villa cross the border near Palomas, Chihuahua to advance on the small town of Columbus New Mexico, which they intend to raid in retaliation for Woodrow Wilson's actions in allowing Carranza's forces to be transported by rail across Texas to be used against Villa's forces in northern Mexico.
Most are on foot. Columbus is 2.5 miles to the north of the Mexican border town, where Villistas had been located and recuperating after a recent defeat at the hands of Carranza's forces.
Villa, who may or may not have accompanied his troops that day, commanded approximately 500 men. His force of horsemen was in disarray after being defeated at the Battle of Celaya in April of the prior year, from which it had still not recovered. Villa had gone in that battle with 22,000 men, 8,000 of which were killed, and another 8,000 of which were captured in the battle. His forces at Palomas, while dangerous, were a shadow of his prior Division del Norte.
Villa believed that nearby Columbus was garrisoned with about 30 US soldiers. This intelligence was erroneous and US forces in the region were alerted to the possibility of trouble occurring.
Last edition:
Remembering Pancho Villa’s attack on Columbus, N.M.
Remembering Pancho Villa’s attack on Columbus, N.M.: The only time in the 20th century that outside forces invaded the continental United States, March, 9, 1916, nobody in Columbus knew what was going on.
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