Saturday the Fife clan traveled to Frankfort for "Muster on the Kentucky: A Bicentennial Commemoration of Kentucky's Role in the War of 1812." I can safely exclaim that we made more of an effort than most Kentuckians (we got up at 5am to get there on time) as we were only some of piddlin' few who turned out for the event . . . which is counter to Kentucky's actual effort in the War of 1812. Let these stats wash over you . . .
- 67% of all white men of military age in Kentucky served
- Kentuckians made up less than 5% of of total American soldiers, however 64% of those who were killed were from Kentucky (there were 1,876 Americans killed in the War of 1812, and 1,200 of those were from Kentucky)
Above, Dudeboy is standing with Private William Greathouse (a character from Kentucky Chautauqua).
There was supposed to be a living history encampment of War of 1812 soldiers, but they apparently packed-up and left before we could visit with them. Dudeboy was a little bummed, so we went to the
Frankfort Cemetery to visit the gravesite of War of 1812 hero and Vice-President
Richard Mentor Johnson.
"Rumpsey Dumpsey, Rumpsey Dumpsey, Colonel Johnson killed
Tecumseh"
While there, we visited a few more gravesites including
Theodore O'Hara . . . famous for the poem "
The Bivouac of the Dead," which you will find posted at National Cemeteries.
Presley O'Bannon . . . famed for his exploits in the Barbary Coast War. He was the first person to raise the American flag over foreign soil.
William Goebel's famous last words . . . "Tell my friends to be brave, fearless, and loyal to the common people." Or, according to
Irvin S. Cobb, "Doc, that was a damned bad oyster."
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