#WackyWednesday: Strange things in history

History tells tales of noble men and women, of villainous fiends and sometimes it shares some rather unusual happenings. Be sure to read our selection of four of the strangest things in history.

November 15, 2017

Quinton Boucher 2 minutes read

The pirate, Jean Laffette once put a bounty on an American Governor.

History has taught people valuable lessons over the years, reminding communities of where they come from and how they have grown.

However, within the historical world there are some facts which are so odd, they are almost unbelievable.

Here are four of the strangest history facts:

1. When war is not your thing

The shortest war ever recorded was the Anglo-Zanzibar War in 1896. The Zanzibar forces surrendered within 38 minutes, therefore leaving the English victorious.

2. He did what?

Jean Lafitte was born in 1780 and made a fortune with his brother, through smuggling and piracy.

The local Governor Claiborne of Louisiana began a campaign to capture the heads of illegal smuggling operations, which included Lafitte.

During the War of 1812, where the English fought the United States, Lafitte was approached by the English who planned to capture New Orleans.

The British offered to make him a captain in the English navy and pay him $30 000 for his services.

Being the man he was, Lafitte pretended to consider the offer, and waited for the English to leave before telling a local legislator about the planned attack. He offered to assist in the defense of Louisiana.

However, Claiborne refused to deal with outlaws and ignored the offer. Shortly after Lafitte offered Clairborne a helping hand, an American warship attacked and destroyed Lafitte’s base and captured 80 of his men.

Claiborne then offered a $500 reward for the capture of Lafitte. Offended by this, Lafitte decided to put out a bounty calling for the governor’s capture for the much larger sum of $5 000.

3. Winston Churchill, the original badass

Winston Churchill will forever be remembered one of Great Britain’s most famous prime ministers.

However, not many know that prior to becoming prime minister, Churchill fought in several wars.

He left the army in 1899 to run for an unsuccessful parliamentary bid, which he followed by becoming a newspaper columnist. He then traveled to South Africa to report on the Boer War.

While aboard a train transporting English troops, Churchill was taken as a prisoner of war by Boer fighters who had ambushed the train. He was caught while trying to help the soldiers escape.

Although treated relatively well, Churchill despised being a prisoner and decided he was going to escape.

But, he did not vanish without a trace, but rather left a letter for the Boer War Secretary, Louis de Souza, which began as follows:

“I have the honour to inform you that as I do not consider that your Government have any right to detain me as a military prisoner, I have decided to escape from your custody.”

It ended: “Regretting that I am unable to bid you a more ceremonious or a personal farewell, I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, Winston Churchill.”

4. One surgeon, three deaths

In 1847, Scottish surgeon Robert Liston performed an amputation in 25 seconds. Unfortunately he did hit one snag.

During the surgery, he accidentally cut off one of his assistant’s fingers.

The patient and assistant both later died of sepsis. Apparently a spectator died of shock during the procedure, leaving Liston with the record of a 300 per cent mortality rate in one operation.

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