Independence Day

I have in my electronic files an essay concerning the signers of the Declaration of Independence. It is a brief history of their fates following the signing of that foundational document of our country. You may not have ever read their histories, much like the fate of the Lord's disciples, once their moment in history is fulfilled, they quickly fade from view. I did not author this essay but share it with you for some depth of perspecitve concerning this "holiday".

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Have you ever wondered who the men who signed the Declaration of Independence were? What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and plantation owners; they were all men of means and well educated. They signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that if captured, their penalty for signing would be death. By signing, they pledged their lives, their personal fortunes, and their honor to this cause of America becoming a land of freedom and liberty. Have you ever wondered what happened to these 56 men who signed? Five signers were arrested by the British, sentenced as traitors and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in combat while serving in the Continental Army; another had two sons who became prisoners of war. Nine fought and died from combat wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his trading ships attacked and sunk by the British Navy. He had to sell his home and properties to pay his debts and died in poverty. Thomas McKeam was so hunted by the British that he was forced to move his family constantly. He served in the Continental Congress without pay while his family was kept in hiding. Eventually his possessions were confiscated, and he became penniless. Soldiers sacked and looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton. At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr., reported that the British General Cornwallis had taken over his family’s home for his headquarters. He urged General George Washington to fire upon it with artillery. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt. Francis Lewis had his home razed and properties destroyed. His wife was imprisoned and died within a short time from the appalling conditions of the British prison. John Hart and his 13 children were driven from their home while his wife lay dying as British soldiers attempted to capture them. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. His fields and his gristmill were laid waste. A few weeks after returning home, he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates. Common were such stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These men were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken gentlemen of means and education. They had wealth and security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall 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." Their sacrifice and service gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books do not tell much about what happened to individual people in the Revolutionary War. It wasn't just about fighting the British, we were British subjects at the time. We were fighting our own countrymen and government! Some take our liberties for granted because we didn’t pay, we didn’t sacrifice, we were not deprived. Their pain, sacrifice and deprivations were their gift to us. Their service bought us the freedoms we so enjoy, even if we are ignorant of the struggle that provided them. 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! 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 civic parades. God bless America!