Mad Generals, Fallen Trees, and the World's Longest War Wrap-Up

On August 20, 1794, General 'Mad Anthony' Wayne—a man whose temper was reportedly as fiery as his battle tactics—led U.S. forces to victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers (Britannica). Despite the name, this wasn't a competition for clumsy woodsmen; it was a battle fought in a forest leveled by a tornado. Wayne’s 'madness' apparently worked, as the victory effectively ended resistance in the Northwest Territory (HistoryNet).

If you think that was a long day, spare a thought for the residents of Texas. It wasn't until August 20, 1866, that President Andrew Johnson officially declared the U.S. Civil War over in the Lone Star State (On This Day). While the rest of the country had been trying to move on for over a year, Texas was technically still in 'insurrection' mode until the paperwork finally cleared. Talk about a slow news day!

Finally, for a more modern 'oops' moment, August 20, 2023, saw Russia's Luna 25 spacecraft unfortunately conclude its mission by crashing into the Moon (The New York Times). It seems that even in the space age, things can still go a bit 'Mad Anthony' when you least expect it!