'Gender-related care'

Was he innocent?

'The child could be heard crying before his mother yanked him out again‚ threw more objects out the car‚ and cursed at him'

*Face palm*

'There is no evidence for this claim. BBC News and Bellingcat both denied they made any such report'

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Author of How to Prep When You’re Broke and Bloom Where You’re Planted online course If you’ve got a sense of deja vu about the horrible new strain of pneumonia striking down children in China that seems to be creeping across the world‚ you’re not alone. It’s called White Lung Syndrome. But while the US government is proudly talking about pandemic preparedness‚ running drills for a fictitious (we think) viral illness‚ and throwing billions of dollars at promoting a largely useless vaccine‚ they seem to be ignoring this massive spike in pneumonia. So what’s going on in China? The World Health Organization has asked China for more data about an illness spreading across the country like wildfire. Here’s what they’ve posted on their website about it so far. Since mid-October 2023‚ the World Health Organization (WHO) has been monitoring data from Chinese surveillance systems that have been showing an increase in respiratory illness in children in northern China. At a press conference on 13 November 2023‚ China’s National Health Commission reported on a nationwide increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases‚ predominantly affecting children. Chinese authorities attributed this increase to lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and the arrival of the cold season‚ and due to circulating known pathogens such as influenza‚ Mycoplasma pneumoniae‚ respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)‚ and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Mycoplasma pneumonia and RSV are known to affect children more than adults. On 22 November 2023‚ WHO identified media and ProMED reports about clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children’s hospitals in Beijing‚ Liaoning and other places in China. Through the International Health Regulations mechanism‚ WHO made an official request to China to provide additional epidemiologic and clinical information‚ as well as laboratory results from these reported cases and data about recent trends in circulating respiratory pathogens. A key purpose was to identify whether there have been “clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia” in Beijing and Liaoning as referred to in media reports‚ and if so whether these were separate events‚ or part of the known general increase in respiratory illnesses in the community. WHO further reached out through clinical networks for additional information. Of course‚ China says everything is A-OK. (Where have we heard that before?) Chinese authorities advised that there has been no detection of any unusual or novel pathogens or unusual clinical presentations‚ including in Beijing and Liaoning‚ but only the aforementioned general increase in respiratory illnesses due to multiple known pathogens. They further stated that the rise in respiratory illness has not resulted in patient loads exceeding hospital capacities. The WHO website doesn’t mention it being called White Lung Syndrome. This was mentioned by a news source in the UK‚ which described a familiar scenario that’ll give you flashbacks to 2020. CHINA has brought back masks and social distancing in a chilling echo of lockdown as they battle a mystery pneumonia outbreak four years on from Covid. Alarming footage has emerged of mask-wearing crowds inside Chinese hospitals as fears of a new pandemic sweep across the globe… …A common bacterial infection called mycoplasma pneumoniae has circulated since May but is now showing ground glass opacity in lung scans – an indicator of severe respiratory illness. Also known as “white lung syndrome”‚ many parents are deeply worried and are having to wait at least a day just for emergency care. There’s not a whole lot we know about this yet. But I think it bears close watching. Is White Lung Syndrome spreading outside of China? It appears that this nasty bug has escaped China. There’s a massive uptick in cases of in the Netherlands with an increase in cases of 25%. Denmark has also reported an “epidemic of Mycoplasma pneumoniae” over the past five weeks. In the United States‚ two states have reported a rise in cases. Ohio was the first state to report an increase in cases of pediatric pneumonia with an “extremely high” number of children being hospitalized. It’s enough to be called an outbreak‚ but public health officials there don’t seem to think it’s a novel illness. However‚ officials do not think it is a new respiratory disease but “rather a large uptick in the number of pneumonia cases normally seen at one time‚” according to a WCHD spokesperson. The average age of the affected children is 8‚ with the youngest being 3 years old. According to NewsNation affiliate WJW‚ health officials say they don’t have a common threat linking all the illnesses‚ as that is part of an ongoing investigation. The cases span multiple school districts‚ but the WCHD said no conclusive patterns exist among the children diagnosed. Children are also testing positive for mycoplasma pneumonia‚ strep and adenovirus‚ which includes the common cold‚ according to the health district. Massachusetts has also recorded a large number of cases. According to BNN: These cases in Massachusetts could potentially signify a new or re-emerging health threat. Consequently‚ health authorities are poised to conduct investigations to identify the cause‚ assess the severity‚ and determine the appropriate public health response. This process would likely include analyzing patient histories‚ environmental factors‚ and potential infectious agents. As investigations continue‚ the public would be advised to watch for symptoms and seek immediate medical attention if respiratory issues arise. Healthcare providers‚ on the other hand‚ are on high alert for similar cases to track the spread and characteristics of the syndrome. Information is difficult to get. In another similarity that is bound to give you a blast from the past‚ real information is difficult to acquire. A lot of “experts” are downplaying the connection to China‚ while others seem to think that it’s just due to people getting out and about more after Covid. (I’m no expert‚ but we’ve been out and about for quite a while now without a mysterious pneumonia outbreak.) I’m looking to those who gave us the best advice and information during the utter clusterfudge that was the American COVID-19 response. The ones who went against the grain even though it outright destroyed their careers. First‚ here are Dr. John Campbell’s thoughts in this video. He describes the identifying symptoms as inflammation in the lungs a high fever but no cough. You’ve got to get prepared. If we learned one thing before‚ it’s that we cannot trust “the system” if there’s a major outbreak or pandemic. Who can forget the lockdowns that destroyed our economy‚ the shortages of basic supplies‚ and the outright malicious crackdown on any information that didn’t make money for Big Pharma? Dr. Peter McCullough of The Wellness Company is urging preparedness. In a statement‚ TWC said: We will be monitoring the situation in China closely‚ try to ascertain as quickly as possible what is causing the pneumonia. In his position of Chief Scientific Officer for the Wellness Company‚ Dr. Peter McCullough is conducting investigative scholarship to ascertain what medications are the most safe and effective for conditions such as the pneumonia now circulating in northern China. Our ultimate objective is to ascertain if already available‚ FDA-approved medications could be useful in treating this pneumonia in the event it spreads to the United States. Given the appalling performance of so many doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic‚ many of our readers may find themselves in search of a new doctor who has demonstrated greater discernment. I personally recommend the following. Get ahead on the kinds of supplies that sold out fast before such as food and toilet paper. (Here’s a list.) Order supplements that support your immune system such as this one and Vitamins C‚ B12‚ and D3‚ as well as Zinc and Quercetin. Take care of any medical procedures that could be put off if hospitals are again overwhelmed. Subscribe to people such as Dr. John Campbell on YouTube‚ and Dr. Mercola’s newsletter. Also‚ consider a $10 a month membership at The Wellness Company so you have a doctor who will prescribe you the medications that actually work (along with a pharmacy that will fill those prescriptions)‚ regardless of Big Pharma’s influence. I have this emergency medicine kit with a wide variety of prescription antibiotics and other medications. While this illness has shown to be resistant to certain antibiotics‚ it isn’t resistant to all antibiotics so it pays to have a variety on hand. TWC sells another kit that could also be useful – their Covid Emergency Kit. I like that it comes with the medications you absolutely could not get prescribed before such as Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine and it also has a nebulizer and prescription Budesonide to help with breathing – particularly important with respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia. I hope this is nothing. Hopefully‚ this will turn out to be nothing more than folks around the world being jumpy about any kind of bug coming out of China after our last experience. But with a new target demographic (oh look‚ more humans to vaccinate regardless of the long-term effects!) and what we’ve learned about how the government – and other people – respond‚ it’s difficult not to be concerned. But we’re preppers. We called everything that happened the last time around‚ and we weathered the storm far more easily than many Americans who lost jobs‚ had no supplies‚ and are still reeling from 2020. We did it then‚ and we can do it now. We know what to expect even more than we did before. What are your thoughts on White Lung Syndrome? Do you think it’s another engineered pandemic or an unfortunate natural confluence of bacteria? Are you concerned that it’s going to turn into Covid 2.0? Do you foresee lockdowns or school closures in our future? What will you do to prep for this? Let’s discuss it in the comments. About Daisy Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging‚ adventure-seeking‚ globe-trotting blogger. She is the founder and publisher of three websites.  1) The Organic Prepper‚ which is about current events‚ preparedness‚ self-reliance‚ and the pursuit of liberty; 2)  The Frugalite‚ a website with thrifty tips and solutions to help people get a handle on their personal finances without feeling deprived; and 3) PreppersDailyNews.com‚ an aggregate site where you can find links to all the most important news for those who wish to be prepared. Her work is widely republished across alternative media and she has appeared in many interviews. Daisy is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books‚ 12 self-published books‚ and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides‚ printables‚ and courses at SelfRelianceand Survival.com You can find her on Facebook‚ Pinterest‚ Gab‚ MeWe‚ Parler‚ Instagram‚ and Twitter. The post White Lung Syndrome: Another Biological Export from China? appeared first on The Organic Prepper.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated legal action against Pfizer‚ claiming the pharmaceutical giant made deceptive statements about the effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine and pushed for online censorship of criticism. Paxton’s suit‚ filed on Thursday‚ accuses Pfizer of engaging in misleading marketing practices under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The suit contends that Pfizer exaggerated the ability of its vaccine to put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic and asserts that the company’s claims of 95 percent effectiveness were not entirely straightforward. We obtained a copy of the petition for you here. Paxton’s lawsuit takes issue with the way Pfizer presented the results of its vaccine’s efficacy. More than 366 million doses of this vaccine were used in the US and efficacy analysis showed a 95 percent “effectiveness” rate 28 days following the initial dose. However‚ Paxton argues these results were attained through methods that were more technical and less genuine. Asserting the rights of Texans‚ Paxton’s statement emphasized seeking justice for those who felt compelled to use what he described as a “defective product‚” which was marketed through falsehoods. Paxton sharply criticized the Biden Administration for exploiting the pandemic to impose what he considers illegal health mandates‚ enriching pharmaceutical companies in the process. He pledged to utilize every available tool to defend citizens who were misled and adversely affected by Pfizer’s conduct. The lawsuit enumerates five alleged infractions of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. It also accuses Pfizer of attempting to suppress dissenting voices on social media‚ specifically targeting former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb‚ a Pfizer board member. The suit alleges Gottlieb was involved in flagging social media posts and accounts that challenged the Pfizer vaccine’s effectiveness‚ knowing these actions would have negative repercussions on those accounts. Paxton is demanding that Pfizer be prohibited from making any further claims about its vaccine’s efficacy and from collaborating with social media platforms to stifle open discussion about the vaccine. He is also seeking $10‚000 in civil penalties for each violation and additional restitution. The post Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Files Lawsuit Against Pfizer‚ Alleging It Conspired To Censor Vaccine Criticism appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

Debate about which guns actually “won the West” will probably go on indefinitely. The Colt‚ Winchester‚ Sharps‚ Springfield and other arms all have their advocates. But one firearm played a critical role in the West more than two centuries before Samuel Colt or Oliver Winchester saw the light of day. In the hands of Spanish frontiersmen—frontiersmen no less than Jim Bridger or Kit Carson—the comparatively primitive harquebus counterbalanced often overwhelming odds. The vaunted Spanish expedition under Francisco Vásquez de Coronado that marched from New Spain (present-day Mexico) through parts of what today are Arizona‚ New Mexico‚ Texas‚ Oklahoma and Kansas between 1540 and ’42 left scant evidence of its passage‚ and for the next four decades Spanish colonial authorities showed little interest in the region. In 1580‚ however‚ Friar Agustín Rodríguez‚ a Franciscan lay brother eager to convert heathen souls to Christianity‚ convinced the powers that be that many such souls were waiting to be saved north of the existing mining settlements in New Spain. So‚ in the largest of the northernmost settlements‚ Santa Bárbara‚ Chihuahua‚ an expedition took shape. As a friar (or three‚ as it turned out) could hardly travel through hostile country alone‚ eight soldiers and a captain joined the party. The 1540–42 Spanish expedition under Francisco Vásquez de Coronado ventured north from New Spain (present-day Mexico) through what today are Arizona‚ New Mexico‚ Texas‚ Oklahoma and Kansas. The 1580s entradas were far smaller. For such a venture a detachment of nine soldiers was remarkably small. But its captain‚ Francisco Sánchez—nicknamed Chamuscado (“scorched”) for his flaming red beard—was a veteran of frontier service and knew his business. He made certain his men were well armed and well mounted‚ with a remuda of 90 horses at their disposal. For arms and armor the soldiers had harquebuses‚ swords‚ chain mail coats and breeches‚ and steel helmets. Armor also shielded their horses. Paramount were the harquebuses. Hernán Gallegos‚ who kept a journal of the expedition‚ wrote of a telling encounter with Indians soon after the party set out. “We fired quite a few harquebus shots‚” he recalled‚ “at which the natives were very much frightened and said that they did not wish to quarrel with the Spaniards‚ but instead wanted to be our friends.” Harquebuses of the late 16th century were of two basic types: the simple matchlock and the more advanced—albeit more complex and more expensive—wheellock. Writing in the early 1580s‚ Baltasar Obregón‚ another veteran of the frontier‚ offered this advice to explorers: “Good harquebuses with supplies and duplicate parts should be carried. Most of them should be operated by fuse [match] because it often happens that the damp powder makes the firing of the flintlocks [wheellocks] difficult. Moreover‚ the harquebuses with fuses are easier to handle. The ones with flintlocks [wheellocks] often need a mechanic to make repairs and to replace the pieces that get out of order.” In practiced hands a matchlock harquebus could fire two shots a minute. That wasn’t nearly as fast as a man could discharge arrows from a bow‚ but with six or eight armor-clad soldiers alternately loading and firing‚ harquebuses could be formidable weapons—or so the Spaniards hoped. Chamuscado Heads North On June 5‚ 1581‚ equipped with the requisite arms and armor‚ Chamuscado’s party—nine soldiers‚ three Franciscans (Friars Agustín‚ Francisco López and Juan de Santa María) and 19 Indian servants—rode north from Santa Bárbara‚ driving 600 head of stock before them. Descending the Río Conchos through rough country to its junction with the Río Grande (the site of present-day Presidio‚ Texas)‚ they followed the latter northwest past the site of present-day El Paso. By August they had entered what today is central New Mexico and encountered the first of the multistory Indian pueblos. Such pueblos had no exterior doors at ground level. “The natives have ladders by means of which they climb to their quarters‚” Gallegos observed. “These are movable wooden ladders‚ for when the Indians retire at night‚ they pull them up to protect themselves against enemies.” Meetings with the inhabitants proved peaceful‚ and the Spaniards were careful to keep things so. In early September the party arrived at a cluster of pueblos along the Río Grande north of the site of present-day Albuquerque. Eager to return to New Spain with news of the expedition‚ Friar Juan set out alone from there on September 10‚ only to be killed by suspicious Indians. The party wouldn’t learn of his fate for weeks.  A Friar and His Escort: Franciscan Agustín Rodríguez and two other friars led the first entrada out of Santa Bárbara‚ Chihuahua. Escorting them were Captain Francisco Sánchez and eight well-armed Spanish soldiers. Moving on to San Marcos Pueblo (in the Galisteo Basin‚ south of the site of present-day Santa Fe)‚ Chamuscado questioned its inhabitants about rumored mines and about wild cattle (buffalo)‚ of which the party had heard mention since leaving the Río Conchos. Taking up handfuls of earth‚ the Indians pointed eastward and said such beasts were as numerous as the grains they held. Days later‚ after crossing the higher‚ pinyon-dotted country to the east‚ the Spaniards came to a river—the upper reaches of the Pecos. In the distance downriver rose a column of smoke. Perhaps recalling Obregón’s caution that Indians used smoke signals to warn one another‚ the party approached guardedly and‚ in Gallegos’ recollection‚  came upon “50 huts and tents made of hides with strong white flaps after the fashion of field tents. Here we were met by more than 400 warlike men armed with bows and arrows who asked us by means of signs what we wanted.” Chamuscado and his men had come face to face with Plains Indians. Far outnumbered‚ they handled the situation with a proven tactic‚ as Gallegos recalled: “We called the attention of all the Indians and then discharged a harquebus among them. They were terrified by the loud report and fell to the ground as if stunned.…We [then] asked them where the buffalo were‚ and they told us that there were large numbers two days farther on‚ as thick as grass on the plains.” So‚ with an Indian guiding the way‚ they pressed on and soon encountered their quarry: “At the water holes on the plains we found many buffalo‚ which roamed in great herds or droves of more than 500 head‚ both cows and bulls.…We killed 40 head with our harquebuses‚ to be used as food.…Indeed‚ it seemed as if the will of God had planned that no one should fire his harquebus at the cattle without felling one. This greatly astonished the guide who had led us to the said cattle. After leaving us‚ he told [others] of what he had seen us do.” Around the campfire that evening the Spaniards agreed that efforts to find the buffalo had been well worth it. “Their meat is delicious‚” Gallegos wrote‚ “and to our taste as palatable as that of our [beef] cattle.” They dried the remainder into jerky for the journey ahead. For another week or two they explored the surrounding country‚ possibly reaching the headwaters of the Cimarron River. Finally‚ in mid-October they made their way back to San Marcos Pueblo. There they faced a challenge that called for a decisive response. “While we were at [San Marcos] some Indians from another settlement‚ which we named Malagón‚ killed three of our horses‚” Gallegos recalled. Chamuscado promptly ordered five soldiers to saddle up and bring back the culprits‚ by force if necessary. When the soldiers reached Malagón‚ a pueblo of three to four stories with plazas and streets‚ they called out to its inhabitants‚ who had sought refuge on the rooftops‚ and asked who had killed the horses. When the Indians replied they had committed no such deed‚ the Spaniards again made a show of force‚ as recorded by Gallegos: “We discharged the harquebuses to make the Indians think we were going to kill them‚ although we incurred great risk in doing so‚ for we were only five men facing the task of attacking 80 houses with more than a thousand inhabitants. When we had fired our harquebuses‚ the natives became frightened‚ went into their houses and stayed there.…We challenged them to come out of their pueblo into the open so that we might see how brave they were; [then] some hurled themselves from the corridors into the open in an attempt to escape‚ whereupon [two soldiers] rushed after them [on horseback]‚ and each seized an Indian by the hair. The natives were very swift‚ but the horses overtook them.” With the captives under their gun muzzles‚ the soldiers took them to San Marcos for punishment. The proposed penalty was grim indeed—public execution by beheading. Then one of the soldiers came up with an ingenious plan. “It was agreed that at the time when the Indians were to be beheaded the friars should rush out to free them—tussle with us and snatch the victims away from us in order that the Indians should love their rescuers.…All was so done. At the moment when the soldiers were about to cut off the heads of the Indians‚ the friars came out in flowing robes and saved the captives from their perilous plight.” Amid the 1581–82 expedition the Spanish soldiers ventured east of Santa Fe and encountered both Plains Indians and vast herds of “wild cattle‚” or buffalo‚ which they hunted with their harquebuses. The plan worked. On Indian assurances of the friars’ well-being‚ Chamuscado and his men then set out to explore more of the pueblo country‚ first riding west to fortresslike Acoma Pueblo‚ atop a mesa some 50 miles beyond the Río Grande valley. Rumors told of riches somewhere in the region‚ but time was running out due to the approach of winter. Finding no gold near Acoma‚ the soldiers pushed farther west‚ riding another 70 miles to Zuni Pueblo (in present-day west-central New Mexico). There they heard of yet more fabled mines and pueblos. But provisions were running low‚ and their supply of horseshoes was nearly exhausted. So‚ amid falling snow‚ they turned back for the Río Grande. When they reached the pueblos and announced their intention to head home‚ Friars Agustín and Francisco demurred. After all‚ in their eyes the whole purpose of the expedition had been to convert lost souls. Thus‚ despite the since-discovered murder of Friar Juan‚ they insisted on remaining with the Indians. Reluctantly‚ Chamuscado agreed‚ and on the last day of January 1582‚ after setting aside tools and trade goods for the friars’ use‚ he and his men started south for New Spain. The return trip down the Río Grande was no easy journey. “We were beset by many difficulties‚” Gallegos recalled‚ “[and] we had to stand guard every night wearing armor.” Chamuscado fell ill to the point his men “decided to build a litter‚ which‚ slung between two horses‚ could take him quickly to Christian lands.” Having no tools‚ they had to cut the timber to construct a litter with their swords. Days later‚ despite their efforts‚ Chamuscado died. His men buried him—among the first of many graves Spaniards would dig along that trail in years to come. Finally‚ on April 15‚ 1582‚ the party straggled into Santa Bárbara‚ firing their harquebuses to alert townsfolk of their arrival. Espejo’s Expedition Among those who witnessed the homecoming of Chamuscado’s men was a prosperous cattle rancher from central New Spain named Antonio de Espejo—who‚ at the time‚ was hiding from the law. Months earlier‚ near Aguas Calientes‚ Antonio and brother Pedro had confronted two vaqueros for having shirked their labors during a roundup. Pedro had killed one of the men and wounded the other‚ whereupon local authorities had jailed him and imposed a heavy fine on Antonio. Unwilling to pay it‚ Antonio had slipped away and ridden north‚ reaching Santa Bárbara shortly before Chamuscado’s men. Espejo listened carefully as the soldiers described the region they had explored. He also noted grumbling from local Franciscans that two of their number had been left behind in pueblo country. Like other adventurers who had found success in the New World‚ Espejo was intelligent‚ observant and willing to take risks. After weighing the circumstances‚ he proposed to organize‚ finance and lead an expedition north to “rescue” the Franciscans. With a willing friar and 15 soldiers—the latter armed and armored as Chamuscado’s party had been—Espejo left Santa Bárbara in November 1582. Accompanying the party were Indian servants‚ interpreters and a remuda of 115 horses and mules. Down the Río Conchos they went‚ then up the Río Grande‚ retracing Chamuscado’s route. On reaching a point just south of the site of present-day El Paso‚ the horses were spent‚ so the men halted for a week to reshoe their mounts and craft stocks for their harquebuses. Diego Pérez de Luxán‚ who kept a journal of the entrada‚ described their gunsmithing work: “[The Indians’] mode of fighting is with Turkish bows and arrows and bludgeons half a yard in length made of tornillo wood [screwbean mesquite]‚ which is very strong and flexible. We all made stocks for our harquebuses from this tornillo because the wood was very suitable for the purpose.” Their guns restocked and horses rested‚ the men pressed on. By mid-January 1583 they had entered future New Mexico in weather cold enough to freeze the water holes. Moving steadily north along the Río Grande‚ they halted in early February at a pueblo near the site of present-day La Joya and there received grim news. “The Indians told us by means of signs that the friars had been killed‚” Luxán wrote‚ likely for the tools and trade goods Chamuscado had left with them. Girding for battle‚ Espejo and his men rode north to Puaray Pueblo (mistakenly referred to by expedition members as Puala‚ just north of the site of present-day Albuquerque)‚ where the friars had been slain. It lay abandoned. At that point Espejo could have‚ and perhaps should have‚ turned for home. En route‚ however‚ he’d heard the usual rumors about rich mines and resolved to seek them out. Breaking away from the Río Grande‚ the party headed northwest along the Jemez River and then turned west‚ passing Acoma Pueblo and riding through intermittent snowfalls. As the Spaniards rested their horses just beyond Zuni Pueblo‚ an Indian came into camp. The man‚ Obregón recalled‚ picked up a Spanish trumpet and “said that 60 days from his town toward the northwest was something shiny like that.” When pressed for specifics‚ the Indian said the people of that region wear the shiny metal on their arms and heads. That was enough for Espejo’s men. Saddling up‚ they rode hard west. Days prior Zuni elders had assured them they would have no trouble‚ Obregón noted‚ as their harquebuses “shot fire and made the stones crumble like the lightning from heaven.” There was no Indian trouble‚ at least initially‚ but their journey was long‚ and the country rugged. Just west of the Little Colorado River (near the site of present-day Winslow‚ Ariz.) the party negotiated a narrow‚ dangerous trail through a dense‚ rough woodland. “We descended a slope so steep and perilous‚” Luxán recalled‚ “that a mule belongingto Captain Antonio de Espejo fell and was dashed to pieces.” Regardless‚ the Spaniards pressed on and finally found the mines “in a very rough sierra‚ and so worthless that we did not find in any of them a trace of silver‚ as they were copper mines and poor.” By then it was early May‚ and they had traveled some 260 miles west of the Río Grande. So‚ they turned back‚ retracing their steps to Zuni by month’s end. At that point the party split‚ half the soldiers having agreed to escort the discouraged friar back to New Spain. Espejo and eight others continued east without incident until approaching a rancheria near Acoma. There real trouble started. “[The Indians] surprised us with a shower of arrows and much shouting‚” Luxán recalled. “We rushed at once to the horses‚ firing our harquebuses. For this reason they wounded only one horse.” The reason for the attack soon came to light. Days earlier one of Espejo’s men‚ Francisco Barreto‚ had “acquired” an unwilling Indian woman as a servant‚ and she had managed to slip away and forewarn her people. Determined to get her back‚ Barreto sought a parley with the attackers‚ offering to exchange other captive women. He asked Luxán to cover his back. As a gesture of good faith‚ Barreto left both his sword and harquebus on his saddle. He beseeched Luxán to do the same. Against his better judgment‚ Luxán laid down his arms and approached the Indians afoot with Barreto and the captive women. Luxán’s misgivings were justified‚ as the group walked into another shower of arrows‚ two of which hit Barreto in the cheek and arm. In the confusion the captive women escaped. Meanwhile‚ Luxán and Barreto promptly retreated to their horses to recover their weapons. Considering the odds against them‚ the Spaniards decided it best to leave the field and continue toward the Río Grande. On entering what today is central New Mexico the Spaniards encountered their first Pueblo Indians. Subsistence farmers‚ the Pueblos lived in namesake multistory adobe villages. Lacking exterior doors at ground level‚ these proved formidable fortresses when wary Pueblos climbed up‚ retracted their ladders and rained arrows on invaders. There more trouble awaited them‚ for Puaray Pueblo‚ the site of the friars’ murders‚ was no longer abandoned. As the Spaniards approached‚ some 30 Indians hurled insults at them from the rooftops. In no mood to negotiate‚ Espejo ordered an attack. “The corners of the pueblo were taken by four men‚” Luxán recalled‚ “and four others with two servants began to seize those natives who showed themselves.” Placing their captives in a kiva‚ the Spaniards set fire to the pueblo. “At once we took out the prisoners‚ two at a time‚ and lined them up against some cottonwoods close to the pueblo of Puala [sic]‚ where they were garroted and shot many times until they were dead. Sixteen were executed‚ not counting those who burned to death.” With that murderous matter settled‚ the party continued east across the Río Grande‚ still on the lookout for mines. Food was getting scarce‚ so they halted at Pecos Pueblo to ask for provisions. But word had spread of their depredations at Puaray. When the terrified Indians at Pecos retreated to their rooftops‚ the Spaniards edged into the pueblo‚ Obregón recalled‚ “with much precaution and care [and] discharged some of the harquebuses while passing through the plaza and streets. When [the Indians] saw that they were so determined and well equipped with arms‚ they became so frightened that hardly one of them dared to appear.” Finally‚ an old man showed himself‚ begging the intruders “not to fire the harquebuses‚ nor to start fighting‚ because they wished to be their friends and would give everything they desired and needed.” Thus reprovisioned‚ Espejo’s men turned south for New Spain‚ following the Pecos River. On Sept. 10‚ 1583‚ after 10 months on the trail‚ they arrived home. Espejo’s exaggerated account of the entrada made no mention of the disappointing mines or the 16 Indians executed at Puaray. But it did include a note that practically guaranteed other expeditions would follow: “In the greater part of those provinces‚ there is an abundance of game beasts and birds.…There are also fine wooded mountains with trees of all kinds‚ salines and rivers containing a great variety of fish. Carts and wagons can be driven through most of this region; and there are good pastures for cattle as well as lands suitable for vegetables or grain crops‚ whether irrigated or depending on seasonal rains. There are many rich mines‚ too.” Other expeditions did follow‚ one in 1590 and another in 1598‚ both larger and more heavily armed than Espejo’s. The era of the frontier firearm had begun.  this article first appeared in wild west magazine See more stories SubscriBE NOW!   For further reading on this topic author Garavaglia recommends The Rediscovery of New Mexico‚ 1580–1594 and Obregón’s History of 16th Century Explorations in Western America‚ both translated and edited by George Peter Hammond and Agapito Rey.

I shall sup tonight in Baltimore—or in Hell!” Thus spoke British Maj. Gen. Robert Ross‚ who commanded His Majesty George III’s land forces opposite the nascent United States’ third largest city on Sept. 12‚ 1814. It was no mere boast‚ as just three weeks earlier the redoubtable Irish warrior‚ supported by Rear Adm. George Cockburn‚ had routed the American army at Bladensburg‚ Md.‚ and torched federal buildings (including the White House) in the capital at Washington‚ D.C.—surely the most shameful humiliation in U.S. history. Whether or not Ross supped in Perdition that September night‚ two sharpshooting leatherwork apprentices serving in the Maryland militia‚ Daniel Wells and Henry McComas‚ enshrined as the “Boy Heroes of North Point‚” ensured Ross did not eat in Baltimore or anywhere else this side of Hell ever again.   During the American Revolutionary War wary Patriots constructed a small earthwork at Whetstone Point‚ the tip of a peninsula flanking the entrance to Baltimore Harbor. In 1794‚ recognizing the importance of safeguarding that major port‚ President George Washington persuaded Congress to appropriate funds for a 20-gun battery and small redoubt at the point. After the 1798 outbreak of the Quasi-War with France work continued on a new brick-and-masonry structure‚ complete with a magazine and barracks. Its defenders named it after Irish-born Baltimorean James McHenry‚ Washington’s secretary of war. The garrison became increasingly crucial after the United States declared war against Great Britain on June 18‚ 1812‚ in protest of the Royal Navy’s seizure of American trading ships and impressment of sailors as the “by any means necessary” British battled the existential threat of Napoléonic France.   In 1813 the British launched a widespread terror campaign in the Chesapeake Bay‚ landing marines‚ sailors and soldiers across the region to raid and pillage. After burning Washington‚ the British set their sights on Baltimore. Under the adept leadership of Samuel Smith‚ however‚ the city proved a difficult nut to crack. Smith‚ a 62-year-old American Revolutionary War veteran and major general of the Maryland militia‚ organized defenses and constantly drilled his troops. In September the British landed nearly 5‚000 men under Ross and Cockburn northeast of the city. However‚ after the subsequent Battle of North Point‚ where Ross fell‚ they were rebuffed at the city’s earthworks‚ manned by at least 10‚000 American Regulars and 100 cannons. It appeared the British would need the Royal Navy to enter Baltimore Harbor in support of the attack. But Fort McHenry and its 1‚000 defenders blocked the way and would have to be eliminated.   The national monument and historic shrine centers on a replica of Mary Young Pickersgill’s 30-by-42-foot American flag. On Sept. 13‚ 1814‚ a Royal Navy fleet‚ spearheaded by five bomb ships and a sloop equipped with rocket launchers‚ commenced a bombardment of Fort McHenry‚ hurling upward of 1‚500 shells at the garrison over the next 25 hours. When the fog and smoke cleared at “dawn’s early light” the next morning‚ Fort McHenry and its defenders were still there‚ having resisted British landing attempts and the storm of shot and shell at the cost of only four dead. Flying “o’er the ramparts” was the inspiring symbol of their victory—a 30-by-42-foot American flag (the Stars and Stripes) made the previous year by Baltimorean widow Mary Young Pickersgill at the request of fort commandant Major George Armistead. Francis Scott Key‚ an American attorney who’d been temporarily detained aboard a British ship in the outer harbor‚ witnessed the bombardment and was inspired to write a poem he called “Defense of Fort M’Henry‚” later put to the music of a British drinking song and renamed “The Star-Spangled Banner.”   After the War of 1812 Fort McHenry was upgraded‚ with expanded buildings and additional outer defenses. Supporting it was nearby Fort Carroll‚ designed and constructed by Army engineer Robert E. Lee. During the Civil War Fort McHenry was a prison for both captured Confederate soldiers and pro-Southern Marylanders held after President Abraham Lincoln suspended habeas corpus. Serving as prison chaplain was Father James Gibbons‚ future founding chancellor of Washington’s Catholic University and archbishop of Baltimore. The fort declined in strategic importance in subsequent decades‚ though its grounds hosted a sprawling Army hospital during and after World War I. In 1931 Congress adopted “The Star-Spangled Banner’ as the national anthem‚ in turn prioritizing the preservation of Fort McHenry‚ whose upkeep was transferred to the National Park Service. In 1939 it was designated a national monument and historic shrine‚ the only one of the more than 400 existing NPS units.This story appeared in the Winter 2024 issue of Military History magazine. historynet magazines Our 9 best-selling history titles feature in-depth storytelling and iconic imagery to engage and inform on the people‚ the wars‚ and the events that shaped America and the world. subscribe today