Today in History

September 6, 1813

U.S. Nicknamed "Uncle Sam"

Samuel Wilson, a Troy, New York meat packer, began supplying United States troops with barrels of meat on this day in 1813, and continued to do so throughout the war of 1812. Wilson stamped the rations with the letters, "U.S.", and soldiers began referring to the meat as "Uncle Sam's."

The political cartoonist Thomas Nast portrayed the image of Uncle Sam in his drawings, eventually turning the cartoon into the well-known stars and stripes-wearing character.

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