Today marks the anniversary of two notable events in the history of the United States. I make mention of them in reverse order.
On this date in 1942, the Doolittle Raiders bombed Tokyo and other Japanese cities. It was the U.S.’s first retaliatory attack following December 7.
Doolittle represents a World War II happening. Next, a Revolutionary War one.
It was April 18, 1775. The British attacked Lexington and Concord. Paul Revere made his famous ride making colonists aware the British were coming. To arms, to arms, the British are coming.
Revere’s ride covered 20 miles.
His ride and words were made famous in a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
There was another rider. Lost to history. Few aware he even existed. His name, Israel Bissell.
Bissell was a 23 year old dispatch rider.His ride began the next day. He rode south spreading word of the Revolution. He started in Connecticut. Then to New York. He kept going. Philadelphia next.
Bissell covered 350 miles in six days. He literally rode one of the horses to death.
Revere only rode 20 miles.
History remembers Revere and not Bissell because again Longfellow wrote of Revere.
No one wrote a poem about Bissell till moe than 200 years later. In 1995, a Massachusetts poet Clay Perry gave Bissell a poem of his own: Listen my children, to my epistle, of the long, long ride of Israel Bissell, who outrode Paul by miles and time, but didn’t rate a poet’s rhyme.
Spent most of my yesterday writing this week’s KONK Life column. Clarence Thomas / Anita Hill. The confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Justice which took place 25 years ago. From a personal and factual perspective. Insight into Thomas’ tainted victory.
Took a break. Went out on the deck for a few minutes. When I was going back into the house, I forgot about the screen door. I have a swollen nose and broken glasses.
I was beat in the evening. Took a shower. Intended to go to bed. Instead I stretched out in the recliner chair and watched Mutiny on the Bounty for the 200th time.
Key West has bicycle problems. Too many, failing to stop for lights and stop signs, etc. Marlin County in California has similar problems. Its concern is with speeding.
Speeders in Marlin County beware. Anything over 15 mph is considered speeding. Radar is being used. Tickets given.
Enjoy your day!