CAMERON-L Archives

From: "Jackie M. McMinn" <>
Subject: [CAMERON] American History
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2000 14:10:00 -0500

Way to go Dean,
Your a good example of endurance, and strong
will, and I wish you well. We all rejoice with you, and
now, relax, smoke a cigar, shoot some fireworks, and
enjoy your 4th of July.
Also, if Alana and the group will endure me, I'll
add this American History Fact.
Jackie Mc



good history lesson

> >> Declaration of Independence
> >> 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
shouldn't.
> >> So, 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!
> >> I hope you will show your support by please sending this to as
many

> >> people as you can. It's time we get the word out that patriotism
is
NOT
a
> >> sin, and the Fourth of July has more to it than beer, picnics,
and
> >baseball
> >> games.

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• [CAMERON] American History by "Jackie M. McMinn" <>