Ripley's Believe It or Not by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for August 15, 2012

“Little Phil” had such a weird-shaped head that he couldn’t wear a regular hat.

Sheridan advanced through the ranks because Union officers had a short lifespan with Confederate encounters.

Washington DC. Thought everyone knew that…

:-)

Used to be a city in California called “Dead Broke.”

My parakeet would say, “pretty bird.”

Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York.

Brevet ranks were awarded in the 19th Century to officers for conspicuous and/or meritorious conduct in lieu of medals, which the USA did not have, except for the Medal of Honor, implemented in 1862. The medal system we now have was adopted in the 20th Century. Awarding of brevets became overused and often threw the chain of command into tailspins, since, say, a major with a brevet rank of brigadier general could claim command of a force over a superior with the permanent rank of colonel.

@goweeder,Is your parakeet “the exception that proves the rule”?

Battlefield promotions. He was the highest ranking person there to be able to receive the promo.

I’ve heard that Lincoln’s first VP (Hannibal Hamlin) was a pvt in the Army. Had Lincoln died in his first term of office, Hannibal would had gone from pvt to Com. in Chief in one jump!(Can someone verify this?)

And “E equals MC squared!”

Washinton D.C. …OOPS, sorry it’s the same place!!!

Yeah, and proved that he shouldn’t have even been a Lieutenant Colonel with his Western Calvery campaign.

Smart parakeet =-)