One night a while back during an internet discussion between a number of both liberal & conservative debaters, I wish I could only remember their names but I can’t. But I do recall that it was a very liberal young lady who insisted that our forefather were just bunch of rich old white men who didn’t give a damn about anything but themselves & were just trying to line their pockets with gold from all the other fellow colonists. She said they were never in any danger or ever risked a thing. Others of us knew better but were unable to convince this ill taught expert of history & the discussions ended with her as convinced as she was in the beginning. A while after that night I found this little bit of history & have kept it hoping that our paths would cross again one night but we never have. I will post it here a few days into a brand new year in the hope that just maybe she might stumble across it. I would love to comment further but as this page is not the place for political opinions, but here are just the facts. 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 wifes 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. So, take a few minutes after enjoying holidays and silently thank these patriots. Its not much to ask for the price they paid. Remember: freedom is never free! We thank these early patriots, as well as all those patriots right up to today that have fought & died along with those now fighting to KEEP our freedom!
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 17:13:41 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015