PME Complete

02/13/2024

1781, General Nathanael Greene led his army across the Dan River into Halifax, Virginia. This event is known historically as the “Race to the Dan.” American troops were pursued by British General Cornwallis and his army across North Carolina. After crossing the Dan, American soldiers spent the next several weeks recovering and preparing to re-cross the Dan River back into North Carolina. This led to the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, which took place on March 15, 1781.

11/11/2023

Happy Veterans Day!!

Today is an opportunity for all Americans to show their deep appreciation for the servicemembers who swore an oath to "support and defend the Constitution." We are grateful for the bravery and sacrifices of our nation’s veterans.

I am sharing a picture that I took of Virginia's Medal of Honor Recipients. In the bottom right is Alexandria's own Francis C. Hammond. Today is a day to recognize all veterans, but I wanted to mention Hammond specifically. Hammond served in the US Navy as a corpsman. He was attached to a Marine rifle company in 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, which is part of the 1st Marine Division (Oorah Blue Diamond!!). He was killed in action during the Korean War. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions, which included risking his life to save others. He died at age 21 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Hammond's actions are emblematic of valor, courage, and bravery. Hammond's story and many other stories should be heard and promoted.

With that said, show your gratitude and appreciation today, but also listen to the stories of veterans who you meet. Get to know them and talk to them. Learn about their decision to serve and where they served. This is one of the best ways to say "thank you."

Happy Veterans Day!

11/10/2023

Happy 248th Birthday to the United States Marine Corps!!
The Marines have a proud and distinguished legacy. The tradition continues strong to this day. To all Marines who are currently serving and those who have served, thank you for your service!

To mark this day, I am sharing a picture from the US Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington as well as some pictures that I took at 8th and I while watching the Silent Drill Platoon and The Commandant’s Own. Semper Fi!!

11/10/2023

Happy 248th Birthday to the United States Marine Corps!
Semper Fi Marines!!

The Marine Corps Birthday is November 10. 1775. In 2023, we celebrate 248 years of tradition and excellence. Happy Birthday Marines!

11/07/2023

Who was The Swamp Fox? He had a real name: Francis Marion. He was originally a Continental officer. After escaping from a party in Charleston, SC, he avoided being captured after that city fell into British hands on May 12, 1780. He then began a guerilla campaign as a militia commander. John Oller's biography of Marion is an insightful look at the remarkable service and legacy of the Swamp Fox. The book dispels a lot of myths about Marion while also highlighting many of the leadership traits that made him so successful. Overall, Marion is an American hero worth studying. Check out the latest book review to learn more!

Francis Marion was known as "The Swamp Fox". He was one of the most talented and determined commanders during the Revolutionary War.

10/27/2023

Check out the latest book review on the book Long, Obstinate, and Bloody: The Battle of Guilford Courthouse. This was a well-researched and detailed work on the battle. The British might have won the battle but subsequent decisions by General Cornwallis now show that this was a strategic victory for the Americans under the command of Nathanael Greene. Highly recommend this book. Lawrence Babits is a great military historian. His book on Cowpens is fantastic as well. Go to the website from the bio link to see the review.

10/27/2023

The latest book review. Lawrence E. Babits and Joshua B. Howard wrote a terrific book about the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Highly recommend!

"Long, Bloody, Obstinate" is the description of the battle of Guilford Courthouse, which took place on March 15, 1781.

10/23/2023

October 21 was the anniversary of the Battle of Ball’s Bluff, which took place during the American Civil War in 1861. Union soldiers acted on faulty intelligence and crossed the Potomac River into Virginia. Col. Devens’ Massachusetts soldiers clashed with Mississippi soldiers and regrouped along the edge of the bluff. In the meantime, more Confederate forces arrived from Leesburg, Virginia. The battle turned into a rout especially after Col. Baker, who was a U.S. senator from Oregon, was killed in the late afternoon. Eventually Union soldiers retreated down the bluff and many drowned or were shot as they tried to re-cross the Potomac.

The battlefield is now a regional park with a small national cemetery. It is a great place to visit and is about 45 minutes outside of D.C. Check out the full battlefield review on the website!

10/19/2023

1781, the British surrendered at Yorktown, VA after a three week siege. Pictured is the Moore House where the surrender terms were negotiated as well as the field where the British marched and laid down their arms. Cornwallis claimed he was too sick to attend. The British second in command tries to surrender his sword to Rochambeau, who pointed him to General Washington. Washington then directed him to surrender to his second in command, General Benjamin Lincoln. Ironically, General Lincoln surrendered at Charleston in the spring of 1780. The Americans gave the British the same terms that they had received after the fall of Charleston.

10/16/2023

Check out the latest book review on the Marquis de Lafayette. He is one of eight honorary citizens of America. This biography is relatively recent (2021). It is a fine overview of Lafayette, but merely scratches the surface of Lafayette's remarkable life and legacy. Perhaps the biography will inspire other people to dig deeper. Next year will be the bicentennial of Lafayette's grand return to the United States that took place in 1824. Hopefully, there will be a lot more interesting research and study of him over the next year.

The Marquis de Lafayette is known as the "Hero of Two Worlds." He was a hero of the American Revolution as well as the French Revolution.

08/11/2023

I am excited to release "American Guerillas Part Three: The Old Wagoner's Revenge". In this episode, we will cover one of the greatest battles in American military history: The Battle of Cowpens. In doing so, we will look at the extraordinary leadership of Daniel Morgan, Nathanael Greene, William Washington, and others. We will look at the tactics to include Morgan's defense in depth. There is a lot of ground covered in this episode and I am confident listeners will enjoy it!

In this Revolutionary War podcast series, American Guerillas Part Three is about Nathanael Greene, Daniel Morgan and the Battle of Cowpens.

08/07/2023

I am currently working on the final edits for American Guerillas Part Three. It will hopefully be published in the next day or two. If you are looking to see it when it comes out, subscribe to the "Professional Military Education" podcast in Apple podcasts, Spotify, or Audible. This one will mostly be about the Battle of Cowpens but we will discuss many of the most important leaders in the Southern Campaign. I look forward to releasing it soon!