General Richard Ewell and His Bird-Brained Delusion
Confederate General Richard Ewell believed himself to be a bird, eating grains of wheat and sunflower seeds for meals.
There were persistent stories from soldiers on guard duty claiming that the General would spend many hours in his tent quietly chirping to himself.
Also known as “Old Baldy,” one can’t help but wonder if he fancied himself to be a bald eagle.
The Snail Telegraph: The 1850 “Wireless” Machine Powered by Telepathic Snails
In 1850, Jacques-Toussaint Benoît claimed he had invented wireless communication using paired snails, animal magnetism, and an elaborate brass contraption. The “snail telegraph” was scientifically hopeless—but its dream of instant global communication was oddly ahead of its time.
Reginald Bray’s 40 Years of Ridiculous Postal Experiments—and the Astonishing Results
Reginald Bray treated Britain’s postal regulations less like rules and more like a list of challenges. Over four decades, he mailed turnips, rabbit skulls, clothing, his dog—and even himself—while testing just how far the Post Office would go to deliver the seemingly undeliverable.
John Joseph Merlin: The Roller-Skate Pioneer Who Couldn’t Steer, Couldn’t Stop, and Hit a £500 Mirror
John Joseph Merlin pioneered early roller skates, played violin while wearing them, and reportedly crashed into a £500 mirror at a masquerade.
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