4th of July
susan wilson
hi,
this was forwarded to me and i thought other might find this worth the
read, the remembering and the graditude
-susan,
austin, tx
'unity through diversity'
4th of July message
Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the
Declaration of Independence?Five signers were captured by the British
as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes
ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the
Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.Nine of the 56
fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their
sacred honor. What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and
jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation
owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration
of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if
they were captured.
Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his
ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and
properties to pay his debts, and died in rags. Thomas McKean was so
hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost
constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was
kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was
his reward. Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery,
Hall, Clymer,Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.
At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr, noted that the British
General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his
headquarters.He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire.
The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt. Francis Lewis had
his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailedhis wife, and she
died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside
as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields
and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived
in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his
children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a
broken heart.Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.
Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution.
These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were
soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they
valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they
pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on
the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other,
our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." They gave you and me a
free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot
about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight just
the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our
own government!
87 Years later, equally principled men met at a crossroads town in
Pennsylvania and sanctified that ground forever with blood shed in
defense of their principles. Whatever your geographic or political
point of view, you cannot help but admire the courage and fortitude of
men like Joshua Chamberlain and Lew Armistead. Gettysburg in 1863,
like Philadelphia in 1776, San Juan Hill in 1899, Midway Island in
1942, and Normandy in 1944, were all turning points in the course of
American history at which everyday Americans risked everything and
stood up to be counted.
Some of us take our liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't.
So, take a few minutes this year while enjoying your 4th of July
holiday and silently thank the patriots of the past. It's not much to
ask for the price they paid. Remember: freedom is never free!
this was forwarded to me and i thought other might find this worth the
read, the remembering and the graditude
-susan,
austin, tx
'unity through diversity'
4th of July message
Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the
Declaration of Independence?Five signers were captured by the British
as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes
ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the
Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.Nine of the 56
fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their
sacred honor. What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and
jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation
owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration
of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if
they were captured.
Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his
ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and
properties to pay his debts, and died in rags. Thomas McKean was so
hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost
constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was
kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was
his reward. Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery,
Hall, Clymer,Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.
At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr, noted that the British
General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his
headquarters.He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire.
The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt. Francis Lewis had
his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailedhis wife, and she
died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside
as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields
and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived
in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his
children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a
broken heart.Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.
Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution.
These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were
soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they
valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they
pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on
the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other,
our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." They gave you and me a
free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot
about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight just
the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our
own government!
87 Years later, equally principled men met at a crossroads town in
Pennsylvania and sanctified that ground forever with blood shed in
defense of their principles. Whatever your geographic or political
point of view, you cannot help but admire the courage and fortitude of
men like Joshua Chamberlain and Lew Armistead. Gettysburg in 1863,
like Philadelphia in 1776, San Juan Hill in 1899, Midway Island in
1942, and Normandy in 1944, were all turning points in the course of
American history at which everyday Americans risked everything and
stood up to be counted.
Some of us take our liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't.
So, take a few minutes this year while enjoying your 4th of July
holiday and silently thank the patriots of the past. It's not much to
ask for the price they paid. Remember: freedom is never free!