I am going to take a break this week from the regular weekly quote for something that is monumentally more important:
On this day in 1861, just as the Civil War was heating up, the US Navy, in its infinite wisdom, abolished the daily rum ration for enlisted men. Yes, today is truly a sad day, and I think I may have to drink a Dark & Stormy for all those sailors for whom the rum ration was never part of the daily routine.
UPDATE: Check out Mike Williams' blog for a far better explanation of this than I just gave. Tip of the hat to my shipmate!
3 comments:
Shipmate!
Truly a sad and unfortunate date.
You are VERY wise to try to wipe away the sting somewhat by taking a medicinal Dark & Stormy (or two or three)
However, you need to check your date. I think the year was 1862, not '61. If this horror would have taken place in '61 the Navy would not have fought the Rebs but would have turned their guns on the navy department. -grin-
Well now, we seem to have a bit of quandary. The Mariner's Book of Days puts the date at 1861. A bit of online research turns up a website that says 1862, and yet another that puts the date at 1914 (where the hell are they getting their info?). What the hell, August 31 is August 31, no matter what the year, right?
BTW, the official US Navy website (www.history.navy.mil) doesn't even mention the abolition of the rum ration. They must have officers overseeing that website! -GRIN-
Hey Shipmate!
Check out my blog on the date.
M.
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