Brian Klaas

I mean, eventually you may have had the Revolutionary War anyway, but it might have started differently. And of course, one of the things that I think is really profound about this example is that the initial American Navy sailed under a white flag with a pine tree on it. And so if you look it up, you'll see this as this is the first naval flag for the United States.

I mean, eventually you may have had the Revolutionary War anyway, but it might have started differently. And of course, one of the things that I think is really profound about this example is that the initial American Navy sailed under a white flag with a pine tree on it. And so if you look it up, you'll see this as this is the first naval flag for the United States.

And it's because of this attempt to sort of seize the American trees for the Royal Navy. And, you know, when I was writing this part of the book, I didn't have time to go into a lot of the detail. But the ripple effects of this continue because you have things like Captain Cook then goes on these expeditions and his ship breaks off the coast of Hawaii and he gets killed.

And it's because of this attempt to sort of seize the American trees for the Royal Navy. And, you know, when I was writing this part of the book, I didn't have time to go into a lot of the detail. But the ripple effects of this continue because you have things like Captain Cook then goes on these expeditions and his ship breaks off the coast of Hawaii and he gets killed.

And it's because of this attempt to sort of seize the American trees for the Royal Navy. And, you know, when I was writing this part of the book, I didn't have time to go into a lot of the detail. But the ripple effects of this continue because you have things like Captain Cook then goes on these expeditions and his ship breaks off the coast of Hawaii and he gets killed.

And part of that may be because they lost the supply line. It's tied to this question of supply lines for tall trees and whether you have good timber and all these things. So every story around naval history in this period is somehow linked to this question of supply lines around trees. And we sort of take for granted, okay, now let's look at the naval battle

And part of that may be because they lost the supply line. It's tied to this question of supply lines for tall trees and whether you have good timber and all these things. So every story around naval history in this period is somehow linked to this question of supply lines around trees. And we sort of take for granted, okay, now let's look at the naval battle

And part of that may be because they lost the supply line. It's tied to this question of supply lines for tall trees and whether you have good timber and all these things. So every story around naval history in this period is somehow linked to this question of supply lines around trees. And we sort of take for granted, okay, now let's look at the naval battle

And there's this hidden set of factors that we just totally ignore that are lurking below the surface.

And there's this hidden set of factors that we just totally ignore that are lurking below the surface.

And there's this hidden set of factors that we just totally ignore that are lurking below the surface.

This is one of my favorite stories because there may be a few people who know the first part of this story, but the second part of it I had never seen written about. I found it in a very obscure journal article, and it's just unbelievably fascinating because the fate of the United States does genuinely pivot on a complete accident involving three cigars. So this goes back to 1862.

This is one of my favorite stories because there may be a few people who know the first part of this story, but the second part of it I had never seen written about. I found it in a very obscure journal article, and it's just unbelievably fascinating because the fate of the United States does genuinely pivot on a complete accident involving three cigars. So this goes back to 1862.

This is one of my favorite stories because there may be a few people who know the first part of this story, but the second part of it I had never seen written about. I found it in a very obscure journal article, and it's just unbelievably fascinating because the fate of the United States does genuinely pivot on a complete accident involving three cigars. So this goes back to 1862.

And what you have happen is you have this person who is in the Union Army. His name is Corporal Barton W. Mitchell of the 27th Indiana Regiment. And at 9 a.m. on September 13th, 1862, it's a Saturday morning. He sits down to rest, right? They're marching these long days as part of the sort of army's movements. and he sits down next to a fence row.

And what you have happen is you have this person who is in the Union Army. His name is Corporal Barton W. Mitchell of the 27th Indiana Regiment. And at 9 a.m. on September 13th, 1862, it's a Saturday morning. He sits down to rest, right? They're marching these long days as part of the sort of army's movements. and he sits down next to a fence row.

And what you have happen is you have this person who is in the Union Army. His name is Corporal Barton W. Mitchell of the 27th Indiana Regiment. And at 9 a.m. on September 13th, 1862, it's a Saturday morning. He sits down to rest, right? They're marching these long days as part of the sort of army's movements. and he sits down next to a fence row.

And he stretches himself out, and all of a sudden this thing catches his eye, and he looks at it, and it's a sheet of paper, and he unwraps it. It turns out there's three cigars inside this sheet of paper. But in the paper... What is written is it says, Confidential Headquarters, Army of Northern Virginia, September 9th, 1862, Special Orders 191.

And he stretches himself out, and all of a sudden this thing catches his eye, and he looks at it, and it's a sheet of paper, and he unwraps it. It turns out there's three cigars inside this sheet of paper. But in the paper... What is written is it says, Confidential Headquarters, Army of Northern Virginia, September 9th, 1862, Special Orders 191.

And he stretches himself out, and all of a sudden this thing catches his eye, and he looks at it, and it's a sheet of paper, and he unwraps it. It turns out there's three cigars inside this sheet of paper. But in the paper... What is written is it says, Confidential Headquarters, Army of Northern Virginia, September 9th, 1862, Special Orders 191.