Sean Langen

[Poppa Earle’s @PoppaEarles]

CHARGRILLED CRABS popping!! #rouxdoctor #pop #makeitop #crabs #chargrilled #bbq #seafood

[Southern Accents @AccentsSouthern]

“Sunday in the South” by Shenandoah.

A people, a place, and a faith- not an idea.

[VintageCountryMusic @realcountry1953]

Born on this day in 1924 was George Morgan, who had the 1949 US #1 hit “Candy Kisses.” In 1974, he was the last person to sing on the stage of the Ryman Auditorium before the Grand Ole Opry moved to the new Opry House. A week later he was the first to sing on stage at the venue.

[᛭ Ian ᛭ @KnightspurHouse]

Molly Pitcher is one of the most celebrated heroines of the American Revolutionary War. Although her actual name was Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley, she became known by the nickname "Molly Pitcher" for her remarkable bravery on the battlefield.
Born around 1754 to a German immigrant family in New Jersey, she grew up in modest circumstances and later lived in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Her story has endured for generations as a powerful example of how ordinary women contributed to the fight for American independence.
Molly's path to fame began when she married John Hays, a young barber who enlisted in the Continental Army's artillery unit in 1777. Instead of remaining at home, Molly chose to follow her husband as a camp follower. In this role, she performed essential support work such as cooking, washing clothes, and caring for the soldiers.
By staying close to the army, she experienced the hardships of war firsthand and was prepared to take on greater responsibilities when the moment demanded it.
The most famous episode of Molly Pitcher's life occurred during the Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778. Fighting took place under intense summer heat, and thirsty soldiers desperately needed water. Molly repeatedly carried pitchers of water from a nearby spring to the front lines, earning her well-known nickname in the process. When her husband was wounded or overcome by the heat while operating a cannon, Molly stepped forward without hesitation. She took his place at the gun, loading and firing it throughout the long battle. Her courage under fire impressed General George Washington, who reportedly commended her actions after the fighting ended.
After the war, Molly returned to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where she lived the rest of her life. Her first husband died in 1789, and she later married John McCauley. In recognition of her wartime service, the Pennsylvania legislature granted her a small annual pension in 1822. Molly Pitcher died in 1832 and is buried in Carlisle. Today, monuments, historical markers, and school lessons keep her memory alive. She stands as a lasting symbol of the strength, determination, and patriotism shown by women who supported the American Revolution.

[᛭ Ian ᛭ @KnightspurHouse]

The Battle of Monmouth, fought on June 28, 1778, near Monmouth Court House in New Jersey, was one of the largest and longest single-day engagements of the American Revolutionary War. It pitted the Continental Army, commanded overall by General George Washington, against British forces led by Sir Henry Clinton. Coming after the harsh winter at Valley Forge, where the American troops had undergone rigorous training under Baron von Steuben, the battle occurred as the British evacuated Philadelphia and marched toward the safety of New York City.

Washington sought to strike a meaningful blow against the retreating enemy. Although the fighting ended in a tactical draw, the Battle of Monmouth demonstrated the growing professionalism of the Continental Army and significantly boosted American morale at a critical time in the war.
In the months leading up to the battle, British strategy shifted following their defeat at Saratoga and the resulting French alliance with the Americans. General Sir Henry Clinton, the new British commander, received orders to consolidate forces in New York and abandoned Philadelphia. His army of roughly 10,000 soldiers, along with thousands of Loyalists, Hessians, and a massive baggage train, began a difficult overland march across New Jersey. Washington, commanding a revitalized force of about 12,000-15,000 men, decided to pursue aggressively. He detached an advance guard under Major General Charles Lee to harass the British rear and, if possible, bring on a general engagement without committing the entire army prematurely.

Lee's hesitation and lack of clear orders would soon create chaos on the battlefield.
The battle began in the sweltering heat of a late-June morning when Lee's vanguard attacked British rearguard elements near Monmouth Court House. Initial American successes quickly turned to confusion as British reinforcements under Lord Cornwallis arrived and counterattacked. Lacking confidence in his troops and fearing encirclement on difficult terrain, Lee ordered a disorganized retreat. Washington, riding forward to assess the situation, was outraged by the withdrawal. He personally rallied the retreating soldiers, assumed direct command, and established a strong defensive line. Intense combat raged throughout the afternoon, featuring heavy artillery duels and repeated British assaults that the Americans repulsed.

Temperatures exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit, causing widespread heat exhaustion on both sides. A legendary episode involved "Molly Pitcher" (most commonly associated with Mary Ludwig Hays), who reportedly carried water to thirsty soldiers and took over operating a cannon when her husband was wounded or overcome by the heat.
Washington's decisive leadership and the improved discipline of his troops proved decisive in stabilizing the American position. The Continental Army successfully held its ground against veteran British and Hessian forces, repelling multiple attacks until darkness fell. Clinton, recognizing the stalemate and the need to protect his baggage train, ordered a withdrawal during the night and resumed the march to New York.

Casualties were heavy, though many resulted from heat rather than combat;
American losses totaled roughly 300-400 killed, wounded, or missing, while British losses were comparable or slightly higher. Charles Lee was later court-martialed for his conduct. Although neither side achieved a clear tactical victory, Washington held the battlefield the next morning and presented the engagement to Congress and the public as an American success.

As the last major battle fought in the northern colonies, Monmouth shifted the focus of the conflict southward and inspired continued resistance. Though strategically inconclusive in immediate terms, the battle reinforced American determination and contributed to the eventual triumph of independence.

[Jim Wilson @SheriffJim4445]

Alan Jackson packed it in last night. He's got some health issues...

Thanks for the music, Alan

[᛭ Ian ᛭ @KnightspurHouse]

The return of the Liberty Bell (then known as the State House Bell) to Philadelphia on June 27, 1778, was a quiet but meaningful moment of reclamation during the Revolutionary War.

After the American defeat at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, Philadelphia-the revolutionary capital and home to the Continental Congress-faced imminent British occupation. Patriots worried that the British would seize church and public bells (valuable sources of metal) and melt them down for cannonballs or munitions. The State House Bell alone weighed roughly 2,080 pounds (equivalent in metal value to thousands of musket balls).

In mid-September 1777 (around September 14), officials ordered the removal of major bells from the city. The State House Bell, along with at least 10-18 others (totaling around 12,000 pounds of metal in some accounts), was loaded onto wagons and sent northwest under heavy guard. The convoy traveled first to Bethlehem, then to Allentown (then called Northampton Towne), about 50-60 miles away.

One wagon carrying the State House Bell reportedly broke down during the journey, requiring its cargo to be transferred. The bell was ultimately hidden under the floorboards of Zion German Reformed Church (now Zion United Church of Christ) at
622 Hamilton Street in Allentown, just as British forces entered and occupied Philadelphia on September 26, 1777.

The British occupation lasted about nine months. On June 18, 1778, British commander Sir Henry Clinton evacuated Philadelphia with his army, marching across New Jersey toward New York (an event that led directly to the Battle of Monmouth on June 28).
With Patriot forces regaining control of the city, the hidden bells were retrieved. On June 27, 1778, the State House Bell and the other bells made the return trip to Philadelphia in a wagon procession. Contemporary accounts describe it as a jubilant convoy celebrating the city's liberation.

The bell was not immediately rehung in the State House tower. The steeple was in poor condition (described as rotten), so it was later torn down and restored. Instead, the bell went into storage-possibly in one of the munitions sheds flanking the State House-for about seven years. It was finally rehung and put back into service around 1785.

At the time, the bell was simply called the State House Bell and served practical purposes: summoning lawmakers, marking public events, and announcing news. It had already cracked once earlier in its life (and would crack again in the 19th century). It did not ring on July 4, 1776 that is a later legend.

The return symbolized resilience and the restoration of American control over the seat of the Revolution. The bell would continue ringing for decades afterward, but it wouldn't acquire its famous "Liberty Bell" name and iconic status as a symbol of freedom until the 1830s, when abolitionists adopted it for their cause (drawing on the inscription: "Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants thereof").
Today, the date June 27, 1778, is remembered as the day the bell "came home" after its wartime exile.

[᛭ Ian ᛭ @KnightspurHouse]

#OTD 1927, Bob "Captain Kangaroo” Keeshan was born.
If he wasn’t a part of your childhood,you missed out.

[Big O @TheCajunOzone]

Authentic Tasso and andouille vacuum sealed.

[Aedanus Burke @aedanusburke]

The Battle of Fort Moultrie by John Blake White ca 1826. Tomorrow is the 250th anniversary of this battle which is a pivotal event in South Carolina history and still celebrated on Carolina Day.

[Sean Langen @sdlfla]

@alancornett 🥃👍👍

[richard condon @CondonBeingReal]

49 years ago today June 26th.1977 at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis the final song Elvis would ever performed in Concert. On August 16th. 51 days later he passed away…

[Rolling Stone @RollingStone]

David Clayton-Thomas, Blood, Sweat, and Tears Singer, Dead at 84

A memorial concert for the vocalist, who sang "You've Made Me So Very Happy," is in the works.

More: https://t.co/tkaJuEsjB8

[Harold’s Golden Age of Hollywood @gaugler_j]

R.I.P. Ann Blyth (August 16, 1928 - June 24, 2026).

[Sean Langen @sdlfla]

Chicken and Shrimp
Curry tonight. Served it on a bed of Coconut Rice. 😀👍👍

[Super 70s Sports @Super70sSports]

What's better: Jerry Tarkanian looking like a cast member from Barney Miller or his assistant looking like a drug dealer Kojak is about to bust at halftime?

[Sean Langen @sdlfla]

Whipped up some pork chorizo smashburgers and eggs for breakfast. 💥👍👍

[Julia Morales @JuliaMorales]

Jeremy Peña leaves the game. Was checked on after fouling a pitch off.

[James Spann @spann]

Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible over the northern half of Alabama this afternoon and early tonight... details are on today's morning briefing: https://t.co/r4rTtWk2Dy