Eight Facts About Theodosia Burr Alston-- Part 6: The Theda Bara Connection

8.  SHE CONTINUES TO INSPIRE TODAY.

And, considering that a month ago, I had no idea who this woman was.  Never even heard of her name.  And, it is all because of a French privateer captured in early 1800s by the British ship HMS Nimrod, taken into the Royal Navy with the name HMS Venturer, later changed to the HMS Theodosia which is how I came across the name.

**   The musical "Hamilton" isn't the  only  reminder of the disappeared Theodosia's legacy.

Her name has lived on through others.

**  Silent film star Theda Bara's (1885-1955) real name was Theodosia Burr Goodman, named after the daughter of former Vice President Aaron Burr.  She was a famous silent film star known for her vamp roles, but never appeared in a "talkie."

--Brock-Perry

Roadtrippin' Through History: How I Got Here

Whenever I am researching for any of my eight blogs, I also look up any names and places I find to see where it goes.

Right now, in my Saw the Elephant:  Civil War blog, I am writing about the Defenders of Charleston statue in that city and most recently about William Robert Greer, who was at Fort Sumter in those horrific attacks in 1863 and later was captured at Fort Fisher in 1865 and sent to Elmira Prison in New York and was one of those fortunate enough to survive their six months' incarceration.

I started my Roadtrip Through History in that blog with the 80th anniversary of the movie "Gone With the Wind" and the role of Alicia Rhett  in it as the India Wilkes, the sister of Scarlet's love interest, Ashley Wilkes.  Did you know that this was the only time she ever was in a movie?  Or that her grandfather was a Confederate soldier?  Might her last name have something to do with a prominent character in the movie?  Plus, her father, although not a Confederate soldier, was a West Point graduate who died in 1918.

Well, I had to figure that meant he was killed in World War I, but I found out he died in Delaware during the Spanish flu pandemic.  How's that for coincidence in these days of coronavirus.

Anyway, there will be lots more "RoadTrippin' " in that thread.

In that blog, I did the "Roadtrippin' " for this thread in this blog.  You can view in the My Blog List section to the right of this.  Click on the blog Saw the Elephant: Civil War and and then scroll back to April 18, "An Added Little Nugget for Col. William Robert Greer."

No Wonder It takes So Long To Do These Blogs.  --Brock-Perry

The Battle of New Orleans

On January 8, 1815, nearly 10,000 battle-hardened British troops advanced on Andrew Jackson's defensive positions under the cover of a dark, heavy blog.  They were intending to launch a surprise attack on Jackson's Kentucky and Tennessee soldiers aided by pirate Jean Lafitte and his men.

The Battle of New Orleans is portrayed  in the 1958 movie "The Buccaneer," starring Charlton Heston and Yul Brenner.

As the British neared Jackson's line, however, the fog lifted. and the British were exposed on the open field.  The Americans opened fire.  British commanding officers fell and their troops fell into confusion.

In the next 30 minutes, the British sustained 2,042 killed and wounded.

American losses were 13 killed.

This is generally considered the greatest American land victory of the war.

--Brock-Perry

Movie Watching on the 4th of July-- Part 2: "Lincoln" and "Red Dawn"

2.  "LINCOLN"  (2012)One of best-known presidents who led the nation through one of its roughest stretched.  Features his humanity as he strives to end the Civil War and slavery.  And, of course, Fort Fisher played a big role in the movie.  My Civil War fort.

3.  "RED DAWN"  (1984)  Midwest high school kids fight back a Soviet Union invasion of the United States.  If you can ignore some really sad acting and hokey lines.  Patrick Swayze and the Wolverines.  Lots of action and feeling good USA!!!

Continued in my Tattooed On Your Soul:  World War II blog.

--Brock-Perry

Movie Watching on the 4th of July-- Part 1: "The Godfather"

From the July 4, 2019, Chicago Tribune "Celebrate Independence Day with 13 all-American movies" by Rex Crum.

Well, if it's too hot or, in our case here in northern Illinois, too rainy you might just want to stay inside and watch some movies.  And not just any movies.

And, if you're going to watch a movie this day, watch one that says "America."

In honor of those 13 colonies that this day took a big step to nationhood, here are 13 movies worth mention.

'THE GODFATHER"  (1972)

Loaded with classic lines like "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse."  States its first words of dialogue when undertaker Bonasera tells Don Vito Corleone, "I believe in America."

This movie, despite the gangland aspect, tells the American immigrant story

--Brock-Perry

Battle of New Orleans Interesting Facts-- Part 2: Big Annual Celebration and Movies

**  For some 50 years after the battle, the United States celebrated the victory every January 8 with fireworks and parades, much like the 4th of July.

**  In 1938, Cecil B. DeMille directed "The Buccaneer" a heavily fictionalized accounting of the celebrated pirate Jean Lafitte's role in the battle.  In 1958, it was remade with Charlton Heston portraying Andrew Jackson and Yul Brynner as Lafitte.

--Brock-Perry

Jordan Noble's Life Would Make a Great Movie

Before the auction, I had never heard of this man before, but he was certainly something.

I think this would make a great big-screen movie, perhaps with Morgan Freeman playing the older Jordan Noble.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Dauntless in Pirates of the Caribbean

The movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" featured the HMS Dauntless as the Pride of the Royal Navy, but in search of pirates instead of Frenchmen or Americans.  It was certainly a scourge for Captain Jack Sparrow and Capt. Hector Barbosa.

The movie Dauntless was based on the HMS Victory, a 100-gun first rate ship-of-the-line.  It carried Governor Swann and his daughter Elizabeth from England to his post in the Caribbean.

--Brock-Perry

West Point's "Long Gray Line"

From "The War of 1812: A Complete Chronology."

SEPTEMBER 1816

The cadets at West Point receive gray uniforms to honor Army regulars who had worn gray at the Battle of Chippewa and Battle of Lundy's Lane in the War of 1812.

The West Point cadets still wear these uniforms and its cadets referred to as "The Long Gray Line."

"The Long Gray Line" refers today to the continuum of all graduates and cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point.  It is hard to find information about it as most searches lead to the 1955 movie of the same name starring Tyrone Power and Maureen O'Hara.

--Brock-Perry