This Date in History: February 23

 

Heinrich von Vietinghoff, genannt Scheel, Army Colonel General, born December 6, 1887 in Mainz, commander of the 46th Panzer Corps and later the 9th Army, 15th Army, 10th Army and Army Group Southwest, winner of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, died on February 23, 1952 in Pfrontenried, on the war in Russia:

“Fully to appreciate our anxieties, you should see the indescribably bad conditions on the autobahn lines of communication of the 3rd and 4th Panzer Armies [the road from Smolensk to Moscow].  We live literally from hand to mouth.  Even a temporary interruption of our supply line, be it on account of snow or as a result of enemy action, could well lead to the destruction of both panzer armies and the certain destruction of the motorized divisions.  Can’t they see this?”  (2,000 Quotes From Hitler’s 1,000-Year Reich)

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February 23, 1874: Sunrise occurred at 7:03 a.m.  The expedition moved to a campsite one-half mile east of Big Timber Creek, some 64 ground miles from Bozeman.  The water at this location was much better, although the wind was a perfect “hurricane.”  There was plenty of grass and wood.  Jack Bean and Stewart Buchanan joined the expedition from their hunting camp in the Crazy Mountains.  The gunners of the Big Horn Gun and the mountain howitzer test fired their guns, the loud noise booming down the valley.  Sunset occurred at 5:53 p.m.

Addison Quivey sent an update back to the Avant Courier.  He mentioned that the strength of the expedition was now 142 men, with 19 wagons.  He also mentioned that some of the livestock had moved away from the laager area and the herders had to look for them.  The flying dust, as the wind had been blowing strongly since the expedition started, was almost as unpleasant as the snow had been.  At the time he was writing the note, Quivey stated that the wind was 27 knots per hour.  (Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Gold and Guns: The 1874 Yellowstone Wagon Road and Prospecting Expedition and the Battle of Lodge Grass Creek)