December 4th, 2008

Today in History

1969:
1969 - Legendary surfer Greg "Da Bull" Noll rode a 65-foot wave on the North Shore of Oahu, still the highest ever recorded.

1958:
Dahomey (present-day Benin) becomes a self-governing country within the French Community.

1875:
Notorious New York City politician Boss Tweed escapes from prison and flees to Cuba, then Spain.

1864:
At Waynesboro, Georgia, forces under Union General Judson Kilpatrick prevent troops led by Confederate General Joseph Wheeler from interfering with Union General William T. Sherman campaign of destroying a wide swath of the South on his march to the Gulf of Mexico (Union forces did suffer more than three times the casualties as the Confederates, however).

1110:
First Crusade: The Crusaders conquer Sidon.