> > > A wonderful, yet sad story. > > Who would do this today? > > > > Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the > > Declaration of Independence? > > > > Five signers were captured by the British aerators, 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. > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
