The Drydock - Episode 187

On "assassinations" of enemy commanders. This was unusual but not unprecedented. There had been plans to raid Rommel's desert HQ, but they never came off. While there are several battles where the commander of one side or the other was killed and there is evidence they were deliberately targeted (Rall at Trenton is likely, Ferguson at King's Mountain is almost certain and Pakenham at New Orleans is possible). None of these cases involved an ORDER to target said commander. The only likely case I know of is also from the Revolution, Bemis Heights/Second Freedman's Farm (Saratoga campaign). As the battle developed, it was clear that the only thing preventing the Collapse of the British right wing was the presence of General Frasier (the wing commander in charge of the armed reconnaissance that had kicked off the battle). We have an attested remark from General Arnold (the de-facto local commander, even if he technically had been relieved a few days before) to Colonel Daniel Morgan (whose composite unit of riflemen and light infantry was applying most of the pressure at the time) to the effect of "That man is worth a host and unfortunately he must fall." (words vary, but the that's the upshot). At which point, Morgan sent a group of his best shots to get up trees and hit "the man on the big black horse" at a range of 3-400 yards. We know that Frasier was hit shortly after (credit is generally given to a known crack shot named Tim Murphy) and mortally wounded (dying that night in Baroness Reidesel's cabin). At which point, the wing broke and Arnold led a charge that chased them back to their camp and only ended when Arnold was wounded leading the assault on one of the fortifications. That is the only case I know of where the removal of the enemy commander was officially and explicitly ordered by opposing command.

Andrew Dederer

Re: Riveted vs Submarine hulls. Drach caught some of it but a big crux of changing your alloy steel also means you have to change your filler material (wire or rod), shielding material, voltage, amperage and technique. If you are looking to welding an alloy that had no commercial use before, you are going to have to find someone to produce and test your new material and filler and then retrain your welding staff. Competent welders are also rare, more so when the technology was still being introduced.

Is that Mantiss gunboat a gunboat without guns? What are the 5 masts ashore about?

Tuizentfloot

i frequently hear it called a bar i live in the intermountain west so maybe it's a regional thing

Avoid Shisnos

I’m sorry Drach, I had to mention this, but the abbreviation for the Browning Automatic Rifle is typically pronounced “B-A-R.” I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone calling it a “bar” (even though it is technically long enough I guess some GIs in the field COULD have used it to serve a line of drinks on). Sorry, but my ears were hurting hearing you say it that way and I just had to say something, haha

The Rogue Chief

Able to get on now. Get an early start.

Robert Hilton

I’m still trying to figure out when I can time it right to participate

Me too.

Bill Brockman

... apparently I'm so early that YouTube is "still processing this video"

Robert Pavelchek