4th Of July?

[Persuader, SASS # 74492]

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.

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! We thank these early patriots, as well as
those patriots now fighting to KEEP our freedom!

I hope you will show your support by sending this to as many people as you
can, please. It's time we get the word out that patriotism is NOT a sin, and
the Fourth of July has more MEANING to it than beer, fireworks, HOT DOGS,
and picnics......

[Charlie Plasters, SASS#60943]

INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

[Anvil Al #59168]

WOW. Great post.

 

 

Something we should all remember.

I might have to copy this and post it someplace else.

[Peach Tree Kid]

I enjoyed that, Just got back from Philadelphia seen a lot of history there. Your post put a lot of things in perspective.

 

Thanks

[Persuader, SASS # 74492]

To the top.

[Fillmore Coffins, SASS #7884]

Part of being a patriot is to not walk lock step with everyone else without knowing the facts. Never swallow what they're trying to feed you, no matter who "they" are, with all due respect.

 

http://www.snopes.com/history/american/pricepaid.asp

 

Fillmore

[Griff]

Too bad we don't have that type of courage in today's politicians...

 

Happy Birthday, America! Still better'n anywhere else!