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. 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 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 to it than beer, picnics, and baseball games.
As I was reading it I was thinking what it mentions: Freedom is never free. Never has been, and never will be.
It's nice to know some people do recognize the cause for our celebration on days like these, looking past the beer and barbeque.
From the founding fathers and Declaration signers to the men and women away from home serving their country today... they all deserve our gratitude and thoughts, especially in times like these, while honoring our past and present Freedoms.
Even our little freedoms like watching these:
Last edited on Mon Jul 4th, 2005 05:57 am by lil duratec
