Battle Sounds!

This is one of the most amazing---and tragic graphs you will ever see, all in French. It tracks the size and fate of Napoleon's Grande Armee of over 600,000 men as he invaded Russia in 1812, and the tiny fragment of 30,000 who crawled back home in 1813.

The Economist's take on the US Navy during the War of 1812:

"I have the whitest pantaloons in the regiment!"

The War of 1812---sort of. And the Canadian side: (Thanks to Abby my follower!)

Every wonder why West Point cadets wear 1812 gray uniforms?  In 1814, Gen. Winfield Scott organized and trained several battalions of US Regulars to fight along the Niagara front against the British.  Many state militia units wore gray jackets among other colors as they fought the British, who held such untrained troops in low regard.  Scott tried but failed to secure a supply of blue cloth for his men, so he used gray instead.  On July 5th, 1814, US and British forces fought the Battle of Chippewa, and when the British commander saw the long gray line of US troops marching steadily under fire, coming ever closer towards his men, he shouted in surprise: "Those are Regulars, by God!"  This became the new motto of the US Infantry, and the source of a new West Point tradition.

Watch 1812 Long Tease on PBS. See more from The War of 1812.

Mr. History LIVES!

I'm at an edtechteacher workshop at Harvard. My table neighbor Dessie (and fellow TC resident has a great blog--check it out!

Running to the Past