9 APR--This Day in US Military History

2015-04-09T09:47:49-04:00

1731 – Robert Jenkins lost an ear.

The event started a war between Britain and Spain. The War of Jenkins Ear took its name from Robert Jenkins, captain of the ship Rebecca, who claimed Spanish coast guards had cut off his ear in 1731. He exhibited the ear in the House of Commons and so aroused public opinion that the government of the British Prime Minister Robert Walpole reluctantly declared war on Oct. 23, 1739.
Basically, the war was one of commercial rivalry between England and Spain. By the Treaty of Utecht (1713), which ended Queen Anne’s war, Britain was allowed to participate in slave traffic with the Spanish colonies. A special Spanish fleet, however, interfered with this activity and the Spanish also objected to the English log wooders operating on the coast of Honduras. The other cause of the war was the continued dispute over the boundary of Spanish Florida in relation to Georgia.
As soon as war was declared, Gov. James Edward Oglethorpe called on the citizens of Georgia and South Carolina to join in an invasion of Florida. The Spanish retaliated by attempting to invade those colonies by sea.

https://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2014/04/09/april-9/

April 9

9 April 1585 – The expedition organised by Sir Walter Raleigh departs England for Roanoke Island (now in North Carolina) to establish the Roanoke Colony. 1682 - The French explorer Rene Robert Cave...

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Apr 9 at 2015 10:22 AM

2015-04-09T10:22:25-04:00

World Powers tend to fight. Sparks ignite powder.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Apr 28 at 2015 7:33 PM

2015-04-28T19:33:40-04:00

1SG Private RallyPoint Member, on this day in U.S. military history, 9APR70, I made my fifth and qualifying jump at Fryar Drop Zone, AL (part of Fort Benning) and became an airborne trooper!