Independence Day The Sacrifices of Our Founders

The year is 1765 June 17th at Breeds Hill in Massachussette. Colonists have gotten word that the British are coming and intend to occupy the hills surrounding the city. In order to do this General Gage and Commander Pigot will make an amphibious landing in order to carry out their attack. The King George Ggovernment has little respect for the 13 Colonies even if they have addressed the King's demands with perfectly legal documentation.

Decisive engagement

Colonel Presscot is in command of 1000 Militiamen who will build earthen fortifications on Breed's Hill even though the skirmish will be labeled the "Battle of Bunker Hill". The British have moved 2,400 troops into position while the colonists position themsleves behind earth works and await the attack. General Gage and his subordinates under estimate the Americans thinking that the fight for independence will be a brief affair. They confidently line up in formation for a frontal assault.

Fighting at a disadvantage

Short on ammunition and outnumbered Colonel Prescott implores his men in a famous battle cry that will be remembered for centuries later, "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!" This would be a rallying cry throughout the war!

Repulsed!

British cannon could not displace the fortifications of the Colonial fighters so the Britsh marched forward up the slope of the hill. Waiting until the Redcoats were only several yards away, the Militiamen fired in tandem with great effect! Their muskets blazed causing bloody casualties that forced the enemy to retreat! The British regrouped and implored by General Gage, made a second assault! Again the rifles of Colonel Prescott's troops fired wounding and killing more of Her Majesties warriors as they collapsed dying and sprawled across the slopes of the hill just a short distance from the firing line of the Colonists!

Last chance

Thorougly beaten, the British commanders would rather sacrifice more of their men than accept defeat and this time marched against Breed's Hill again. If Prescott's men had not been low on ammunition they would have prevailed but instead the Britsh broke through and bitter hand to hand combat broke out! Being outnumered more than 2 to 1 the Militiamen were forced to withdraw! The British had suffered 1,100 casualties while the Americans had lost 300 wounded and 100 dead.

Boost to morale

The Militiamen under Colonel Prescott had handed the British a jaded victory of bloody casualties, had gained confidence from their performance, and realized they could indeed defeat a superior British army. Veteran seasoned troops of the Royal Crown had met near defeat at the hands of a rag tag colonial force hastily thrown together! This told the British that the war would not be easily won, but instead would be a long costly engagement!

Far-reaching implications

Fast forward to July 2, 1776 as the Continental Congress convened to declare independence. Fifty six delegates met, most of them signed the parchment document that would then be copied and delivered overseas to King George, but not only that, it would send shock waves through Europe as both France and Spain now realized that the new world had risen to challenge the most powerful army and navy in the world and were punishing the opposition over their Crown Colony possession.

Inevitable sacrifices

Each of the signers of the Declaration of Independence knew they were signing their death warrants if they were ever captured, the cause was lost, or their countrymen had betrayed them that everything they owned, their families, and their vision for the nation free of tyranny would be over! Still they upheld their risky proposition! Still, many of them would lose their estates in the coming months, their families, and even their own lives in the face of King George's wrath! These men, who have been characterized by today's radical lying left as being slave owners, disgruntled rum runners, rebel rousers, and domestic terrorists stopped the draconian fascist control of England from forever choking the future generations of Americans out of their heritage of liberty, pursuit of happiness, and legal protection from the corruption of their own government, though we today have begun to question this thanks to our own leaders betraying us!

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Comment by Doc Vega on July 5, 2019 at 3:32pm: James Roberts Thanks Buddy!

Comment by Doc Vega on July 5, 2019 at 9:44am: Thanks oldranger_68!

Comment by Doc Vega on July 5, 2019 at 9:43am: Thanks cheeki kea!

Comment by cheeki kea on July 5, 2019 at 3:11am: Happy Independence Day Americans. May you all have great celebrations and enjoy your amazing history.