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TIL - Battle of Machias was an early naval engagement of the American Revolutionary War a small town militia captured an armed sloop and two merchant ships. Two years later the British tried it again with 1,000 men but were beaten off.

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XE04Q TIL that modern fire departments/brigades have their origins from when property-insurance companies had their own fire departments.
b9vYN TIL in the 1970’s a man in his mid-30’s committed suicide by jumping off the Gold Gate Bridge. The suicide note that he left behind in his apartment wrote “I’m going to walk to the bridge. If one person smiles at me on the way, I will not jump.”
QNdGL TIL that bananas are berries, but strawberries are not.
wkZE TIL In the movie “Lord of War”, the production team bought 3000 real AK47s to use in the movie, instead of prop guns. Why? It was cheaper.
wLklJ TIL Robert E. Lee owned a plantation across the river from Washington DC until the start of the civil war. The Lees abandoned the home and the Union army occupied their land, ultimately burying Union war dead there to spite Lee for his treason. It is now Arlington National Cemetery.