This Week in History: The Pope gets and army, an eternal flame, and every Saint has his day.
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| The Goths abandoned their siege of Rome on March 12, 538, leaving the Enteral City in the hands of Eastern Roman (Byantine) Emperor’s General Belisarius. In short order, Jusitian would become jealous his general’s success and recall him to Constantinople. By decree of Justinian, Pope Vigilius was given command of the armies in Rome, making him both a religious and temporal power. This would lay the ground work for the Holy Roman Empire. |
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| Large demonstrations in Vienna on March 13, 1848, marked the beginning of the large-scale efforts to unify the thirty-nine independent German-speaking states in Central Europe into a single German territory. Two years or political turmoil followed, resulting in little. Not until Otto von Bismark’s application of RealPolitik beginning around 1866 would a German state be established in 1871. |
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| The body of President John F. Kennedy was moved to its permanent resting place in Arlington Cemetery on March 14, 1967. The centerpiece of the site is the “Eteranl Flame” Mechanical troubles caused it to be replaced by a temporary flame briefly during 2013, bu it was restore to permanent status on May 17, 2013 |
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Patton’s Dodge Transport for Dead Cartel Members
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| The 7th and 10th US cavalry regiments, under the command of John J. Pershing, crossed the US-Mexico border to hunt down the Pancho Villa cartel on March 15, 1916. Pershing was ordered to capture Villa by President Wilson after the cartel leader raided Columbus, New Mexico, stole 100 horses and mules, and looted military stockpiles. 18 Americans and 80 cartel members were killed.
The riad employed aircraft and trucks for the first in US history. George Patton served as one of Pershing’s supporters. He was noted for racing impetuously after suspected raiders and bringing those he caught draped across the front of his vehicles.
The operation continued for almost a year. And provided valuable experience in combined air and ground coordination while failing to capture Villa. 190 of Villa’s men were killed. Along with four senior commanders were eliminate by US Forces. |
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Robert Goodard and his Liquid-Fuel Rocket
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| Robert Goddard launched the first liquid-fueled rocket from Auburn, Massachusetts, on March 16, 1926. It rose to a height of 14 feet before turning to cover a distance of 184. The flight lasted 2.4 seconds. The importance of Goddard’s liquid fuel technology would not be fully appreciated until after his death. Today SpaceX uses liquid fuel to make their booster, like their Falcon 9, inexpensive and reusable. |
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| On March 17, in the mid to late fifth century, a missionary died in Ireland. He was not just any wash-a-day run-of-the-mill sort of missionary but a fella who went by the Christian name o’ Padrirg amongst the folk of the land. As so, this is his day.
Patrick came to the Emerald Ilse as a 16-year-old slave. He was sold to the Irish as a farmhand by rival British tribes. He spent most of his days as a shepherd, which gave him time to reflect upon his misspent and the grace God provided through Christ for the forgiveness of those sins. He escaped six years later and made his-way-back home.
His experience in Ireland prompted the pursuit of the Clergy as a profession. Then, about two years into his studies, he was visited by a vision:
I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: “The Voice of the Irish.” As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: “We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.
After completing his studies at Auxerre, Patrick received the tonsure at Lérins Abbey. Saint Germanus of Auxerre, a bishop of the Western Church, ordained him to the priesthood. Patrick soon set off for Ireland, allegorically coming ashore at the mouth of the river Inver-dea, from whence he had fled for his freedom. The welcoming party was hostile, forcing him to make his way north to friendlier lands. Several times he rested on coastal islands during his search. One is now called Inis-Patrick in his honor. Finally, he landed in the town of Saul, where he was well-received and dedicated a sanctuary. Soon after, Benin, the son of a local chieftain, joined him.
He traveled the land, baptizing thousands and ordaining priests to serve the local churches. He was often in conflict with elites because his status as a foreigner put him outside the bounds of kinship and affinity, and he refused to take money from elites so that no bond might be placed upon him. Many sons of nobles were nevertheless drawn to him. Many wealthy women also gave up their lives of excess to become nuns. Among many miraculous deeds attributed to him is driving all the serpents from Ireland. Although recognized as a saint by the Irish, Catholic, and Orthodox churches, he was never formally canonized.
One document attributed to Patrick’s hand is the Confessio.
It can be read in English translation here. |
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| Miklós Kállay, Regent of Hungary, was held up by a conference in Austria with his erstwhile ally, Adolf Hitler, on March 18, 1444, while German tanks were rolling across his border. Within days, a new government was installed in Budapest. Hitler’s rationale for invading his allies was that he feared Hungary would negotiate a separate peace with the Allies. It is likely that he wan’t control over the 850,000 Jews living there that the Regent had resisted deporting. Between May 15 and July 9, 484,000 of those unfortunate souls were shipped out by train. Many went to Auswitz and most were gassed upon arrival. |
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Meet the Lost Battalion Crew at Adepticon 2023
If you plan to be in the Chicago area March 22nd-26th, send an email to Cher Ami and find out where to meet us. |
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About the Lost Battalion Dispatch
This weekly newsletter is brought to you by Cher Ami, the homing pigeon whose heroic flight helped bring relief from a barrage of friendly fire to the First Battalion, 308th Infantry of 77th New York Infantry Division and alerted high command that over 500 American troops were holding out against all odds while surrounded in the Argonne Forest during World War One.
At Lost Battalion Publishing we take inspiration from the historical Lost Battalion that never gave up, never lost hope, and persevered despite a series of devastating setbacks. |
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