This week in the Civil War: Sept. 29, 1863

Attack on USS New Ironsides near Charleston Harbor

The armored Union warship USS New Ironsides came under attack the night of Oct. 5, 1863, while patrolling near Charleston, S.C. The attack by the Confederate steam-powered torpedo boat CSS David inflicted damage on the warship but it manage to escape worse fate and remained active in enforcing a Union blockade of Confederate ports well after the attack. Charleston Harbor, where the Civil War had begun with the Confederate bombardment of Fort Sumter, was a major target of Union warships seeking to enforce the blockade against gunrunners and other smugglers seeking to transport supplies to the secessionists. But the last major Union attempt to take Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor went down in failure in early September 1863. At the time, about 500 Union soldiers and Marines in small boats had approached Sumter in an unusual nighttime operation only to see five Union troops killed, several wounded and more captured. Though the Confederates suffered no loss of life, the blockade that brought USS New Ironsides to waters outside Charleston would only be solidified through the rest of the war — creating no real imperative for the Union to try further to take Charleston militarily.

The great steampunkin

It took awhile, but I finally got my mini Steampunkin!

Isn't it cute?!

Made by Isher Creations, his mini mini steampunkins not only have a color-changing LED pack inside, but also a strong magnet for shoulder riding action! 

Phoenix area residents can get their very own steampunkins this weekend at Keen Halloween. 

See you there!

A tale of two grumpies

Apparantly, we are unimpressed.

I came, I saw, I grumped.

Yes, that is correct. I got to meet Tardar Sauce, AKA Grumpy Cat.

Tardar Sauce was at Changing Hands Bookstore today to meet with local fans. Grumpy fans were allowed to take photographs and get their copies of Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book "pawtographed." We also got our choice of a Grumpy Cat pin or poster.

According to my calculations there were about 1,300 people there to see Arizona's viral internet sensation. We weren't allowed to touch, but I was pleased to see them let children with disabilities pet her.

And while I was not quite as popular as Tardar Sauce, I did find my own fans.

In fact, Tardar Sauce kind of reminded me of myself.

Small in stature. Big in imagination.