[valid]

the american revolution ...... "the birth of a nation" on the history channel television.
wow...no wonder we celebrate gw's birthday!

[ravenmore]

a friend of mine emailed this to me for the 4th of July last year. It was really good so I kept it.
__________________________________________

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 McKeam 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 jailed his
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 the 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. Some of us take
these liberties so much for granted, but we should not.

Take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently
thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.
Remember: freedom is never free!

[Ltspd]

ravenmore, nice post.

[wgscott]

My wife's a Redcoat. July 4th is always a bit awkward around here. I always find it helps to bring up World War II a lot.

[Caesar Augustus]

I am a history major and I must say it pleases me to see so many more people knowing and caring about history than in the past. "Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it" --George Santayana-
Keep the faith,
Napoleon
P.S.-Raven, WONDERFUL and accurate post! Rest assured I will honor them on the 4th as should we all. Though I am of Italian desent (as was the real Napoleon Bonaparte BTW,FYI) My family would not have the freedoms they enjoy today had our forefathers not made such a sacrifice.

[Mikeman]

little known fact but washington lost alot more battles then he won.

maybe that is where the phrase: you may have won the battle but not the war, came from

[ravenmore]

quote by Mikeman:

little known fact but washington lost alot more battles then he won.

Yep, but he won the ones that counted.

-Mike

[MEC]

Thanks Mike, Its amazing all the things they didn't teach us in school.
...Mike