I was getting frustrated with trying to write a simple URL like this:

/example-withdash

I used the htaccess code like this:

Rewriterule ^example-withdash$ / [R=301]

I also tried escaping the dash which I thought should have treated it as a literal but that didn't work either:

Rewriterule ^example\-withdash$ / [R=301]

But it wouldn't work, apparently the "-" dash means don't substitute, so this means in plain Engilsh that my rule is not treated as intended or expected.

The Solution:

Put brackets around the rewrite rule ()

Rewriterule ^(example-withdash)$ / [R=301]

Now it works, it's very simple but quite frustrating when you don't know this.  I actually think Apache should have a debug mode or some switch to run an .htaccess file and verbosely output the interpretation of each rule.