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TIL the philosopher, David Hume, served as secretary to general James St Clair in a planned invasion of Canada, which is soon cancelled; then they invade France, where several comic events ensue, and the military career of Hume end ingloriously, without any significant military achievements.

5YyyP TIL Toronto has around 90 fake houses (they look real on the outside) which contain transformers that convert raw, high voltage electricity to a voltage low enough to distribute throughout the city.
LQlVZ TIL: "Jumbo" was a male African bush elephant who was an attraction for PT Barnum. He was hit by a train in St. Thomas, Ontario and died. He was not named Jumbo because of his size; we got the word "jumbo" because of his name.
nW5bW TIL that John III, Duke of Cleves, the father of Anne, the fourth wife of Henry VIII, allegedly had 63 illegitimate half-siblings from his father, John II, who was known as β€œThe Babymaker.”
b69Ka TIL During Julius Caesar's siege of a Gallic fort, the Romans dug tunnels under the spring that served as the fort's water supply. The defenders, believing that the spring drying up was a sign from the gods, surrendered. Caesar spared their lives, but had their hands cut off.
pogZ TIL a US Army Lieutenant in WW2 sacrificed his life by calling an artillery strike – on himself. Knowing an incoming German advance was a huge threat, he volunteered to remain behind, directing the fire until the enemy reached him. His body was found next to approx. 100 dead German troops.