This Day in History

[Hastur]

300 years ago the Battle of Stäket was fought. It was the last battle in history fought in the Stockholm area.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_St%C3%A4ket

It was not a big battle but it was fought right next to where I live and I often walk my dog in those woods. It was right at the end of the Great Northern War and the Swedish victory prevented the Russians from taking Stockholm so it was a pretty big deal.

It happened during the Russian Pillage of the Stockholm archipelago. Lots of galleys burning and pillaging trying to force Sweden to accept defeat.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_P ... E2%80%9321

The event is celebrated right now and this weekend I watched a bunch of Swedish and Russian reenactors (some Norwegians attended as well for the fun) put on a mock battle at the site.

Here they are showing some moves before at their shared army camp.

[C-Mag]

80 Years ago today

[Montegriffo]

1297 Battle at Stirling Bridge, Scottish rebel William Wallace defeats the English

Ironic

[Montegriffo]

Had to look this one up

Mountain Meadows Massacre, Mormons dressed as Indians murder 120 colonists in Utah

The Mountain Meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the Baker–Fancher emigrant wagon train at Mountain Meadows in southern Utah. The attacks began on September 7 and culminated on September 11, 1857, resulting in the mass slaughter of most in the emigrant party by members of the Utah Territorial Militia from the Iron County district, together with some Southern Paiute Native Americans.

The wagon train, mostly families from Arkansas, was bound for California on a route that passed through the Utah Territory, during a time of conflict later known as the Utah War. After arriving in Salt Lake City, the Baker–Fancher party made their way south, eventually stopping to rest at Mountain Meadows. While the emigrants were camped at the meadow, nearby militia leaders, including Isaac C. Haight and John D. Lee, made plans to attack the wagon train.

The militia, officially called the Nauvoo Legion, was composed of Utah's Mormon settlers. Wanting to give the impression of tribal hostilities, their plan was to arm some Southern Paiutes and persuade the Native Americans to join with a larger party of militiamen disguised as Native Americans in an attack. During the militia's first assault on the wagon train, the emigrants fought back, and a five-day siege ensued. Eventually fear spread among the militia's leaders that some emigrants had caught sight of white men and had likely discovered the identity of their attackers. As a result, militia commander William H. Dame ordered his forces to kill the emigrants. By this time, the emigrants were running low on water and provisions, and allowed some members of the militia—who approached under a white flag—to enter their camp. The militia members assured the emigrants they were protected and escorted them from their hasty fortification. After walking a distance from the camp, the militiamen, with the help of auxiliary forces hiding nearby, attacked the emigrants. The perpetrators killed all the adults and older children (totaling about 120 men, women, and children). Seventeen children, all younger than seven, were spared.

Following the massacre, the perpetrators hastily buried the victims, ultimately leaving the bodies vulnerable to wild animals and the climate. Local families took in the surviving children, and many of the victims' possessions were auctioned off. Investigations, after interruption by the American Civil War, resulted in nine indictments during 1874. Of the men indicted, only John D. Lee was tried in a court of law. After two trials in the Utah Territory, Lee was convicted by a jury, sentenced to death, and executed by Utah firing squad on March 23, 1877.

Today, historians attribute the massacre to a combination of factors, including war hysteria about a possible invasion of Mormon territory and Mormon teachings against outsiders, which were part of the Mormon Reformation period. Scholars debate whether senior Mormon leadership, including Brigham Young, directly instigated the massacre or if responsibility lay with the local leaders in southern Utah.

[Montegriffo]

Ooops

1939 British submarine Triton torpedoes British submarine Oxley

[Montegriffo]

18 years after the 9/11 attacks, a series of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits brought against the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has led to the release of almost all of the footage that was consulted when writing the 9/11 Commission report. Much of the footage was never aired on television until years later, or seen by the public at all until the age of YouTube.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video ... ifications

The footage at around 3.40 in the second video is one I've definitely not seen before.

[Montegriffo]

75 years ago today victory over the evil Nazi regime is celebrated.

[BjornP]

https://www.historytoday.com/miscellani ... sh-mystery

On this day began the eleven months long Soviet occupation of the Danish island of Bornholm, following the German commander's refusal to surrender to anyone but an Allied officer.

[Hastur]

This day in 1632 Gustav II Adolf was killed while winning the battle of Lützen.



Today we celebrate his memory by eating Gustavus Adolphus pastries.

[Montegriffo]

This day in 1975 UK punk rock group, the Sex Pistols, gave their first public performance at London's St Martin's College of Art. College authorities cut the concert short after a mere 10 minutes.