BlackHat's Journal: Children in the sideshow/As they wandered/Around so confused

Quote:
Argyll sailed for the western Highlands on 2 May and a month later Monmouth, in the 32-gun frigate Helderenburgh, with two other small ships and eighty-two companions (including some Dutch gunners), left the Texel for the south coast of England.

Finding the money for the hire of the frigate (£5,500) and the purchase of arms and equipment had not been easy. Monmouth had pawned his Great George[the Garter] and all his jewels, and Henrietta and her mother had added theirs; his friends in Holland had also contributed, but money expected from London had not been forthcoming. He bought four light cannon, about 1,500 back and breast plates (most of which were never used; the money would have been better spent on additional muskets) and a fair quantity of small arms, ammunition and powder. All this left him with very little cash with which to pay his volunteers and buy provisions.

On 11 June, after a voyage of twelve days, the tiny expedition dropped anchor off Lyme Regis. The landing was unopposed, although it seems that had powder been readily available the mayor and at least one loyal citizen would have been prepared to fire upon the small boats bringing Monmouth and his party to the shore. Soon the green standard, inscribed with the words 'Fear nothing but God', was unfurled and it was not long before the eighty-three invaders were joined by a band of eager recruits. Shouts of 'A Monmouth! A Monmouth!' and 'The Protestant religion' greeted the reading of the rebel declaration. This scurrilous document -- even for those days when it was customary to use powerful, and often libellous, words to conjure up real or imagined wrongs -- was mainly the work of Robert Ferguson.

Not long after the landing there was an unpleasant incident at Lyme that had serious consequences for Monmouth. Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun and old Heywood Dare quarreled over a horse, and Fletcher killed Dare. The latter's son demanded justice and Monmouth was forced to send Fletcher off to sea. Both these men were a grievous loss, Dare on account of his local standing, and Fletcher because he was a young man with recent battle experience. This unfortunate beginning was followed by a most unsatisfactory affair against the Dorset militia at Bridport. What could have been a successful joint infantry and cavalry operation against a very half-hearted enemy came undone when Lord Grey and his horse turned tail after one volley had been fired at them. Colonel Venner had already been wounded in some house fighting and a complete shambles was only saved by the steadiness of Nathaniel Wade, who was to prove himself Monmouth's most reliable officer.

Although the landing had been unopposed there were those in Lyme ready to speed the news: the local militia commanders had it within the day, and Whitehall knew by 13 June. The King at once despatched Lord Churchill with six troops of horse and dragoons and five infantry companies to keep a close watch on the rebels. Monmouth had no time to lose if he was to avoid being boxed in at Lyme. On Monday 15 June the rebel army, now about 3,000 strong, marched for Axminster. The original plan had been to rally at Taunton on the first stage of a march to Bristol, Gloucester (where it was hoped to link up with the men from Cheshire) and then London. But this plan was to undergo many changes. In addition to a small, shaggy cavalry force under Lord Grey, there were now four regiments: the Duke's (Red) commanded by Nathaniel Wade, the White (Colonel Foukes), Green (Colonel Holmes) and Yellow (formed by Major Fox and later commanded by Colonel Matthews). A fifth regiment, the Blue under Colonel Basset, was added later. There was no shortage of volunteers (a notable newcomer being Daniel Defoe), but many had to be turned away for lack of arms, and some went to war carrying a scythe blade at the end of an eight-foot pole -- a formidable weapon at close quarters.

Albemarle's militiamen were encountered at Axminster. Although they outnumbered the rebels by at least a thousand they had no stomach for fighting, and many of them joined Monmouth. The rebel army then went on its way undisturbed to Chard, Illminster and Tauton. Not taking Exeter at this point was perhaps Monmouth's first mistake: personally brave and popular with his troops, he was not, however, a good general, and although his strategic planning was often sound he was seldom capable of taking a daring decision. Above all he frequently failed to maintain the momentum of success -- so essential for an insurgent army. Exeter could have been taken without any difficulty, and with it much needed arms, money and ammunition. A similar opportunity to revitalize the cause was later to be lost before Bristol.

They reached the outskirts of Taunton on 18 June, and the next day Monmout entered the town to a tumultuous welcome. It was here at the market cross that he was first proclaimed king. Ferguson and Grey had been urging this step upon him ever since the landing, but Monmouth was almost certainly sincere when he said that he wished to leave the matter open for the time being, although he had hinted that he would accept the wishes of his followers. The great majority of these were eager to have him king, and for two principal reasons he agreed: he had become seriously alarmed by the failure of the gentry to enlist, and he was assured that many were holding back because they feared another Commonwealth. This was not the whole truth, but it was a slightly more plausible reason for assuming kingship than the belief that in the event of defeat his followers would be in a more favourable legal position because they were serving a king -- if only a de facto one -- rather than a rebel leader. Treason could not be thus deceitfully veiled. --William Seymour

More quotes to fill out this run but I will draw your attention to two things in the above quote. First is the horse. Much like Leto-II's "sand in the eye"-- the small things can effect the larger political direction of the day. The other factor is more direct to the sources of Invented Nationalism. Not a great term but it will do in drawing your attention to the issue. That being who gets to invent and who just gets to play along [usually-- or else].

Christopher Duffy will get on the podium next. Until then.

News attended by mad flurries of preprinted signs:
Fuck! GMontag has already posted it.

No, I'm still putting a tuck in the Airedale, and then I got the frogs to let out.

That's not a discus. Dozens of Patriot missiles have been put in place around Athens as the Greek capital began rolling out its security operation for next month's Olympics.

Hunting Tigers. Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga says she is willing and keen to restart the stalled peace talks with the Tamil Tiger rebels. She has, also, offered to fly them all to visit GWB at the Whitehouse.

Darfur area still Cheney'ed. It's been Powell'ed too. Sudanese soldiers will fight back if foreign troops are sent to end the conflict in the Darfur region, the country's foreign minister has warned. "If we are attacked, we will not sit silent," Mustafa Osman Ismail said during a visit to Turkey. Sudan is under heavy international pressure to rein in pro-government Arab militias blamed for killings and rape.

Hey Alice! Redo do it as Billion Dollar Bitches. Bolsters Surely!

A'nold gets his budget. Score so far... China-Dome 23 to Sheeple's -415gigabucks.

Clank howl. The ghost of David Kelly never sleeps.

``When our vice president had a disagreement with a Democratic senator, he used a really bad word,'' Ilana said. ``If I said that word, I would be put in a timeout. I think he should be put in a timeout.''
Grow the fuck up! ... Stay healthy, teach others and be blessed with as many offspring as you like. [/Heinlein_Mode]

Texttoon:
Fumetti : Video capture of Ron Reagan Jr. speaking at the 2004 DNC. Caption at the bottom; "The son shines brighter than its source."