​The SAMS Lyceum of Martial and Societal Antediluvian Chronicles An addendum to The SAMS Sporran – March 2020 ​

​Saint Patrick was a Roman Born in Scotland When one says St. Patrick several images​ spring to mind; Ireland Green, snakes, shamrocks and leprechauns. Much of that comes under the heading of wishful thinking. According to the Online Vatican Library, The real Saint Patrick was born in Kilpatrick, Dumbarton in AD 415. His real name was Maewyn Succat. His parents were Calphurnius and Conchessa Succat. His father belonged to a Romano-Britian family of high rank and held the office of Decurion. (A decurion {Latin:decurio, plural decuriones} was a Roman cavalry officer in command of a squadron (turma) of cavalrymen in the Roman army.) Calphurnius Succat was decurion stationed at The Antionine Wall in Scotland. Conchessa was a distant relative of the patron saint of Gaul, (France) St. Martin of Tours. When he was sixteen, Maewyn (Patrick) was carried off into captivity by Irish marauders and was sold as a slave to a chieftain named Milchu in Dalriada, a territory in the present county of Antrim in Ireland. For six years he tended his master's flocks in the valley of The Braid and on the slopes of Slemish, near the modern town of Ballymena. He heard a voice telling him he would go home soon and that a boat was ready. He walked about two hundred miles and found a boat that took him back to Scotland. Following his escape, he joined the priesthood and changed his name to Patrick. At age forty three he became a bishop and asked to be sent to Ireland. Upon his arrival he sought out his former master and paid him the amount of money that was required for a replacement. The town of Kilpatrick in Scotland still retains many memorials of Saint Patrick. At Kilpatrick frequent pilgrimages were held far into the Middle Ages to perpetuate there the fame of his sanctity and miracles.

Now that we have the facts about St. Patrick straight, you might be interested to know that: *St. Patrick’s Day was first celebrated by the Church of England. It was religious Holiday. *In Ireland, it was a dry holiday until AD1970. *The modern St. Patrick’s Day was entirely an Irish-American creation; which explains a lot. *The first St. Patrick’s Day Parade was held in Boston in AD1737 by Irish soldiers fighting for The British. *He did not preach using a shamrock (Gaelic for young clover). Also the shamrock is not the national symbol of Ireland. That is The Celtic Harp. *The shamrock, has three leaves and was associated with three, a sacred number in the Celtic (Druid) religion. It was also the symbol of “The Triple Goddesses”. There are many forms of the Triad or Triple Goddesses in the Celtic Religion. For example, in ancient Ireland: The Morrigan Triad was Brigid, Ériu, and Morrigan. The similarity between the Celtic Triad and the Trinity was not lost on either Patrick or the Irish which he emphasized in his evangelization. * St. Patrick did not create the Celtic Cross. That symbol had existed long before his birth. It was used to symbolise north, south, east and west… and also earth, fire, air and water. *St. Patrick did not chase the snakes form Ireland. There never were snakes there to begin with. Along with Ireland there are no snakes in New Zealand, Iceland, Greenland and Antarctica. You may hold that tidbit in one hand and a dollar in the other and buy a doughnut. *The original color associated with St. Patrick is blue. *“Corned” beef and cabbage, a traditional Saint Patrick’s Day staple, doesn’t have anything to do with the grain corn (It didn’t arrive in Europe until the 15th century and it was referred to as maize). Instead, it’s a nod to the large grains of salt that were historically used to cure meats, which were also known as “corns.” *There are no lady Leprechauns. Leprechauns were cobblers (shoemakers). *With all that said, it would be quite appropriate of us, on March the 17th, to say “Alba Gu ​ Braith” Scotland Forever. Unless, of course, you are Italian (Roman) then it would be ​ “Per Sempre Italia”, Please feel free to say this instead of Eireann Gu Braith (Ireland ​ ​ ​ ​ Forever). Scottish History As we continue our exploration of The Celtic and their influence on our modern world this month’s topic is Celtic Society. Celtic Society While the Romans viewed the Celts as barbarians, Celtic Society was far from barbarous. In point of fact it was probably much closer to that fictitious ideal democracy. It was a very ​ ​ organized society and controlled by strict rules. Otherwise it would not have endured for thousands of years. As the Celts moved throughout Asia Minor and Europe itself, the Celtic Culture absorbed the local tribes and their cultures. However, the Celtic Culture proved to be the dominant one providing a unified Code of Mores and Laws and a common language (more or less). That is why today someone who can speak, say, Polish can still communicate with folks for the Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania and most ‘Slavic’ countries. Before the establishment of the Roman Empire a Celtic language was spoken throughout Asia Minor and Europe, except in the Mediterrean basin. Chinese mythology even holds the Tocarians (Celts) as the founders of their civilization. The Highland Code, up holding clan loyalty and personal honesty, is a remnant of these laws. Celtic Society was divided into two parts; The Aristocracy and The Commoners. They ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ did possess slaves but they were exclusively foreigners captured in war. The largest group - the commoners, was composed of the Tuath similar to today’s Clan. Caesar referred to them as ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ tribes. The Tuath was further subdivided into the Fine or families. In each Fine, the oldest male ​ ​ of the oldest male held sway. Although even before Roman times this ‘rule’ had evolved to include females usually the wife of the deceased elder. In the Tuath the leaders of each Fine would select one among them to lead. His role was not so much as a king, but more of the wizened elder that clan members sought for guidance. Similar to the “chief” in early Native American societies. Each Fine was self-sufficient and tended to live in a small area. The Tuath was a group of genetically related Fines and as such controlled a larger area. The Tuath's were held together by the nobility, which consisted of three groups: Bards, Filids and Druids. ​ ​ Another “non-barbaric” concept - equality among the sexes was first practiced by the Celts or more correctly the Geadhaels. Greek mythology speaks of a warrior race of women called the Amazons. It was Herodotus who wrote of a race of warriors led by women and living north of the Black Sea about 1200 BC. Graves have been found in Kazakhstan and China holding the remains of women clothed as warriors with weapons, some have even had the trappings of leadership. In Celtic Society men and woman were known to fight together. One needs only to look at Boadicea, the adversary of the Romans in Londinium, for verification. Another Roman writer Diodorus wrote about the Celts and their “gruesome custom” of keeping severed heads in cedar boxes. Some heads were carved in stone and dried human heads were found everywhere Celts settled. This custom was anything but gruesome. Celtic people believed the head to be the home of the soul. To the Celts this was pretty much the same idea as the Romans slaughtering all the captured warriors and selling the women and children ito slavery. Herodotus, like Caesar, cited Celtic customs like the severed head and the Amazons as further evidence of their lack of civilization and therefore were gravely in need of Greco/Roman influence. One popular myth was that the Celtics worshiped trees and practiced human sacrifice led by Druid priests. It is simply that - a myth. The Celtics were Pandeists meaning they worshiped ​ ​ many gods, but not plants, although some gods did manifest themselves through non human entities. Although the Celtic gods and goddesses were anthropomorphic, most were associated some form of natural phenomena. This was not an uncommon idea in early times -think of Moses and the burning bush. There is no specific record of human sacrifice, nor evidence ever found. Only undocumented rumors, from Caesar through his propaganda and from Lucan, a Roman poet and avid admirer of Caesar.(One might consider Lucan as an early version of a PR man fronting for Caesar while he was away fighting. ) Many historians have written about the Celts: Greek- Herodotus of Halicarnassus (The Father of History), Hieronymus of Cardia, Hecataeus of Miletus, Dionysius of Miletus, Charon of Lampsacus, Hellanicus of Lesbos, Xanthus of Lydia. ​ Roman- Cicero, Strabo, Pausanias, Diodorus Siculus, Tacitus, Pliny the Elder, Cato the Elder, ​ Livy, Seneca, Sallust, Suetonius, Appian, Polybius, Flavius Josephus and even Publius Vergilius Maro (you know him as Virgil his epic work the The Aeneid tells the story of Aeneas travels, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ following the fall of the city of Troy- The Trojans were Celtic.). All of these historians wrote ​ about the Celts and never once mentioned human sacrifice. Considering the length of time and extent of the Celtic Civilization (The Pacific to the Atlantic Oceans including Asia, Asia Minor and Europe) it is inconceivable that any of these Historians would have failed to mention this, if it had actually occurred. Human sacrifice was possible but not probable. In the 4,500+ year reign of the Celts only one writer mentioned human sacrifice (old Gaius Julius) therefore the inescapable conclusion is that the Celts simply did not practice this morbid ritual. Quod erat demonstrandum. The Bards were the poets, singers and storytellers. Their primary function was the spread ​ ​ of culture. If a member of a Tuath was held to be in violation of a rule (More) of society he or she would be demonized in story and song. As the Bards traveled between Tuaths (Think of the term 'troubadour'. ) the word of his or her misdeed would spread. Bards also served the purpose loosely described as advisors to elders of each Fine. They would advise the local Fine or Tuath ​ ​ leader what was done in other places.They were the source of information concerning how other Tuaths dealt with a problem. This is a concept that echoes down through English Common law. The Filid were the Soothsayers or Seers. They would be the ones you went to for ​ ​ predictions or prognostications of future crop yields, birth of children et cetera. The Filid were a kind of human Punxutawney Phil. Mythology has handed down to us one of the more notorious Filid - Myrddin or Merlin. The idea of a mad wizard comes directly from him. Most scholars feel ​ ​ ​ ​ that Myrddn was actually several people who practiced their art over a long stretch of time. The Filid also dabbled in what today we would refer to as ‘the sciences’.There is a school of thought that holds that modern horoscopes are actually a corruption of Celtic soothsayer’s practices. If you recall the biblical story, it was the magi or mystics who came from the Media (a ​ ​ Celtic place) following a star. Star study was not found in Israel. It is believed to have originated in the part of Asia or Asia Minor that was populated by the Celts. These magi or mystics had studied the stars and had predicted the birth of a king. The written descriptions of magi mirror those of the Filid. The Filid were also concerned with spagyric or plant alchemy a predecessor of Biology. One of their other secondary focus’ centered on ore testing and refining, metalworking, especially gold. They also perfected a variety of ink, dyes, paints, cosmetics, leather tanning, and ​ ​ the preparation of plant extracts, and the distillation of liquors. The medieval study of Alchemy ​ ​ and the search for the “philosopher’s stone” can be directly traced to the Celts. Their spagyric practices were the forerunners to alchemy, which evolved into modern chemistry. Which leads us to the Druids. As stated in the prior paragraphs, they were not blood ​ ​ thirsty priests who practiced human sacrifice. They were the teachers, philosophers,lawyers and judges. Druid means Knowing One. It is derived from two old Gaelic words – one meaning “all ​ ​ or most” and one meaning “to see”. It was Pliny the Elder who mistakenly associated Druids with trees. He mistranslated the Greek word for the Druids as 'opuq' which means Oak. He had also observed some Celts in the woods appearing to pray to trees. What they were actually doing was gathering the mistletoe as a sign of life in winter. So, he merged the two ideas and tree worship was the result. It should be noted that Celts viewed trees as symbols of strength and endurance. Evergreens were another a sign of life in winter. Sound familiar? As the acknowledged leaders of a Celtic society the Druids were held in high esteem their primary function was dealing with the leaders of the Tuaths and on rare occasions leaders of the fines. As the accepted leaders they were upon occasionally called upon to render decisions of both social and religious natures. Druids essentially were what we would term today as ‘pacifists’ abstained from any form of violence directed toward other people including warfare.Druids were even able to stop battles among rival Celtic tuaths by simply standing between the armies forbidding them to fight. Next mont: Celtic Cities and Towns

American History Mac Arthur and the Fall of the Bataan and Corregidor ​ The​ Battle for the Philippine Islands is often considered the worst military defeat in United States history. Of the 151,000 American and Filipino military personnel involved 25,000 were killed, 21,000 were wounded and 100,000 were captured. As a positive counterpoint; their heroic but tragically futile defense slowed the Japanese advance in South East Asia by almost four months. This allowed the allies to prepare Australia as a base of operations and kept it out of the control of the Japanese. This then was a key factor in the Battle of The Coral Sea. The battlethat marked the first time that a Japanese invasion force was turned back without achieving its objective, which greatly lifted the morale of the Allies after a series of defeats by the Japanese during the initial six months of the Pacific Theater. However, as is true with most historical events there is also another side to the story. While they had fewer aircraft, the defenders had been alerted to the attack and had prepared defensive lines. They also outnumbered the attackers 3 to 2 and had enough tanks, naval support,(1 heavy cruiser, 2 light cruisers, 25 submarines. 6 PT Boats. ) supplies and munitions for an extended siege. The defense did not necessarily have to end in abject failure. Especially considering that the War Department considered General MacArthur to be their 'best' field commander. If the Japanese attacked Pearl, Harbor General Mac Arthur was ordered to activate the pre-planned defense of the Philippine Islands, Rainbow 5. The first stage was to be an attack by ​ ​ B-17 bombers on the staging area at Takao, Formosa. Followed immediately by a second attack later in the day. When the Japanese invasion occurred the American and Filapino troops were to man the already constructed lines of prepared defensive positions while the FEAF (Far East Air Force Command) carried out offensive attacks against specific Japanese targets.Then carry out an orderly retreat to pre established defensive lines while the supplies were to be transferred to the easily defended Bataan Peninsula. Then MacArthur would withdraw his troops into the mountains of the Bataan Peninsula and await better -trained and equipped American reinforcements. The defense forces available in The Philippines consisted of approximately 135,000 troops, about 85 % of which were Filipino. The Americans were equipped with M1 Garand rifles, and 108 M3 tanks. In addition, General MacArthur was given$10,000,000 US and 107 ​ P-40 fighter aircraft and 100 B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. Yet the Philippines still lacked critical maintenance and repair facilities and enough airfields to permit the proper dispersal of aircraft. Their largest deficiency was the inadequate air-raid-warning service and antiquated antiaircraft artillery which left the growing air forces vulnerable to enemy raids. The Philippine Army received clothing that was of poor quality. Their rubber shoes would wear out within 2 weeks. There were shortages of nearly every kind of equipment such as blankets, mosquito nets, shelter halves, entrenching tools, gas masks, and helmets. The Philippine Army was forced to continue using the old World War One Enfield and Springfield 103 rifles . Additionally, the Filipino troops never received adequate training. In 1941, many Filipino units went into battle without ever having fired their weapons. Many of the troops had also never even seen an artillery piece fired. Despite that On 16 Jan, troops of the Philippine Scouts ​ ​ performed the last cavalry charge in American military history. American code breakers already knew the location of the invasion force, and felt an offensive maneuver would be delay the impending invasion by disrupting the Japanese timetable. In his first departure from Rainbow 5 MacArthur decided to defend all of the Philippines instead of the Island the major islands, especially Luzon. He spread his resources thinly throughout the islands. MacArthur radically overestimated his troops’ strength and underestimated Japan’s determination. The bombing attacks never occurred. Against orders, instead of two bombing attacks General MacArthur ordered a photographic reconnaissance mission instead. As a precaution, orders were given to move the 27th Bombardment Group B-17 bombers southward to Mindanao, out of range of the Japanese bombers. This move was delayed, however, as the pilots were invited to a big party held in honor of Major General Lewis Bereton, at the MacArthur's residence. The event was held on what was to become the night before the Japanese attack. th, When the actual attack began on December 8 even​ with the use of radar, the Army Air ​ Corps on the island launched a limited and confused response. Half of the aircraft were destroyed on the first day. After the first few days the air force had been completely destroyed. The capitol, Manila was protected by three forts at the entrance of the bay. The Pico de Lora hills on the adjacent Cavite shore, rising to a height of 225 feet, completely dominated Fort Frank and the surrounding terrain. Under current war plans this area was to have been occupied by an infantry battalion and one battery of field artillery when the main forces found it necessary to withdraw to Bataan. However this plan was not followed and the Japanese were able to occupy this important observation post early in January 1942, and from it to adjust heavy concentrations of artillery fire on Forts Frank and Drum. Again, instead of following the Rainbow 5 battle plan MacArthur decided to meet the Japanese head on at the beaches. General MacArthur ordered his troops to meet the invaders on the beaches rather than at the prepared positions that would allow the air force to strafe and harass the Japanese advance. They failed to hold the invasion on the beach. After suffering heavy casualties they belatedly retreated to their defensive lines. Meanwhile, General Mac Arthur's staff forbade the transfer of supplies to Bataan. More than ten million tons of rice, food stuffs and clothing never made it to the Bataan Peninsula leaving only a thirty day supply of field rations for over 100,000 men. With most of his remaining forces now in Bataan, MacArthur retreated to Corregidor. There he sent a message to his troops. "Help is on the way from the United States," he had said. "Thousands of troops and hundreds of planes are being dispatched. The exact time of arrival of reinforcements is unknown as they will have to fight their way through...." The help and relief never came. Additionally, MacArthur made only one recorded visit to the Bataan front, earning him the sobriquet “Dugout Dug”. On February 20, he, along with his staff, was ordered to depart The Philippines immediately for Mindanao, then on to Melbourne, Australia, where he was to assume command of all United States troops. Even then he delayed departure. MacArthur finally obeyed the president’s order on March 11. His orders stated that he depart by submarine. However, he refused and commandeered several PT boats to be re-equipped for the trip instead. Prior to the outbreak of war he should have sent his family to a safer area. Instead they remained with him in The Philippines. Their presence further complicated his departure. When he finally chose to depart his staff went with him in addition to his wife, son and their an Army doctor and a special mattress for the MacArthurs. All in all 26 people were loaded on to 4 PT boats. Additionally, each boat was loaded with twenty 55 gallon drums of fuel. This new requirement forced the removal of the 32 sailors needed to defend the boats. Putting the entire operation in additional jeopardy. The short handed and overloaded boats managed to complete the perilous journey to Mindanao where the MacArthurs and staff met two B-17 Bombers who flew them to Darwin, Australia The famous quote everyone knows by heart really didn’t happen. When he relinquished command to Major General Wainwright he actually said, "When I get back, if you're still on ​ ​ Bataan, I'll make you a Lieutenant General." Wainwright replied: "I'll be on Bataan, if I'm still alive." As he was leaving MacArthur spoke to Major General George F. Moore, the commander of the Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays. He told him,"George keep the flag flying. I'm coming back." On Bataan, the reaction to MacArthur's escape was mixed, with many American and Filipino troops feeling bitter and betrayed Under General Wainwright's direction the combined American and Filipino forces heroically and astonishingly defended Bataan for three more months. In 1979, historian Carol Petillo discovered a memorandum from the papers of chief of staff General Sutherland, revealing a conveyance of $640,000 US made in January 1942 from the Philippine Treasury to the personal bank accounts of MacArthur and his immediate staff. Philippine Commonwealth President Quezon provided MacArthur a bonus of 1% of the defense spending up to 1942, and yet the Filipino troops were not provided proper uniforms, shoes, or even helmets. This discovery led to many rumors and speculation as to the real purpose of the MacArthur mattress. Despite his refusal to follow direct orders, his disastrous defense of the Philippine Islands,The Bataan Death March and the missing funds, no official inquiry was held. Unlike General Kimmel and Admiral Short at Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt awarded Douglas MacArthur a Medal of Honor. The desperate defenders of Bataan called themselves the “Battling Bastards of Bataan”. A poem was written by American correspondent Frank Hewlett in 1942: Battling Bastards of Bataan ​ We’re the battling bastards of Bataan No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam No aunts, no uncles, no cousins, no nieces, No pills, no planes, no artillery pieces And nobody gives a damn. Nobody gives a damn.

Without sufficient food, munitions and abandoned by their leader, the heroic American and Filipino troops held out until May 8, 1942.

From The Mess Deck Scotch Eggs with Fresh Herbs Ingredients: 1lbs bulk sausage meat 3 tbsp. minced fresh chives 3 tbsp. Chopped fresh parsley ​ 1 large egg 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard 5 cups dried breadcrumbs (use crustless french bread) 1 cup all purpose flour 6 large hard boiled eggs, peeled vegetable oil for deep frying Method: Mix sausage, chives and parsley in medium bowl. Whisk egg and mustard in a bowl ​ and blend. Place breadcrumbs in a bowl. Place flour in another bowl. Roll 1 hard boiled egg in flour. Using wet hands press1/3 cup of sausage mixture around egg ​ ​ to coat. Brush egg with mustard mixture, then roll in breadcrumbs, covering completely and pressing to adhere. Place Scotch egg on plate. Repeat with each egg. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Add enough oil to heavy large saucepan to reach a depth of 1½ inches. Attach a deep-fry thermometer and heat oil to 325F. Add 3 prepared eggs to oil: fry until sausage is cooked through and coating is deep brown, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon transfer eggs to paper towel to drain. Repeat with remaining eggs. Serve warm with ketchup or mustard. Classic Scones Ingredients: 2¼ cups of self rising flour 1 tbsp. Sugar 2 tbsp. baking powder ¾ cup or more ​ of chilled cold milk 1 large egg 1 tbsp. Vegetable oil butter jam whipped heavy cream Method: Preheat oven to to 425F Sprinkle large rimmed baking sheet with flour. Whisk flour ​ sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl. Whisk ¾ cup of milk, egg and oil in a small bowl to blend. Gradually add milk mixture to dry ingredients tossing until moist clumps form (add more milk by tablespoon if dough is too dry) Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, kneed gently for several turns until dough comes to Get her. Pat out dough to 1 inch thick round . Using a 2 ½ inch diameter cutter cut out scones. Gather dough scraps; press out to 1inch thickness and cut out more scones. Transfer to prepared sheet. Bake scones until golden on top and test with toothpick to check if they are done about 14 minutes. Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer to basket. Serve warm with butter, jam, and whipped cream. MacDaddy ​ Ingredients: 1 strip orange rest 25ml/1floz. Scotch whisky 25ml/1floz. Ginger liqueur ​ lemon zest to garnish dash of bitters Method: Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice and stir to mix. Strain ​ into a whisky tumbler over ice, garnish with lemon zest and serve.

Scottish Crackers This section will feature humorous contributions by our membership. If you told a joke at the last meeting and wish to share it or you have a humorous anecdote, please send it in.

Scottish Words of Wisdom ​ Always borrow money from a pessimist. He/she won't expect it back. A Wee Bit O' Scottish Humour ​ The Wall With apologies to Pink Floyd A Scotsman & a Englishman are strolling along the beach when they find a lamp. They pick it up clean the sand from it and poof- out pops a genie! "I'll give you each one wish for freeing me" says the genie. The Englishman thinks then wishes. "I believe in an England for the English, I'm sick and tired of all these Jocks coming into MY country. I wish for a huge wall around England - to keep the English in and the Scots out." The genie waves his hand and POOF and it's done! The Scotsman thinks. "Genie?" he says "Tell me aboot this wall". "Well" says the genie "It's 500 feet high, a third of a mile thick, nothing can get in and nothing can get out". "Oh Aye,” says the Scotsman "Fill it with water".

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Alba Gu braith!! A special Thank You goes out to members: also to The Scots Tongue, First Foot, The Scotsman, Scotland Magazine, The Vatican Library, Who’s Who in Mythology, The American Catholic Encyclopedia and Wikipedia who contributed to this edition. ​

Anyone wishing to contribute an article, a joke or humorous anecdote or other contributions, news, suggestions for articles or genteel comments can send them to : skiinwonderland @gmail.com

Cheers!