"The Time of Their Lives" - Abbott and Costello

 I hope you will read this. Maybe you won't watch it. But it's worth the read. It's the story of the only film Abbott and Costello ever made in which they do not play their usual comedic duo. As a matter of fact, Bud Abbott plays a dual role set 165 years apart. And that is what makes this film outstanding. The only real slapstick in it is performed briefly by Lou Costello. The two actors are presented in completely separate roles.

This story begins during the American Revolution and Costello plays a tinker named Horatio, who is in love with a servant girl named Nora. He hasn't enough money to buy her out of bondage in order to marry her, but armed with a letter of recommendation by General George Washington praising his work as a tinker and a Patriot, is poised to make both their desires a reality.

The Master of the house, Tom Danbury, is a spy for King George. His butler, Cuthbert, is played by Bud Abbott. And when he learns of the letter from General Washington, he steals that letter and hides it in a secret compartment in a clock.

Horatio decides that, rather than to wait and recover the letter to marry Nora, he will elope with her. To do this he enlists the aid of Melody, a social equal, who is in love with the Master, Tom Danbury, but knows nothing of his being a spy. Together, her and Horatio go forth to find the means of obtaining the money for Horatio to marry his love.

On the way out by horseback at night, with Melody dressed as a man, they are mistaken for traitors by General Putnam and his men. Horatio and Melody, fearing that these soldiers are British, fire a shot at them and are shot and killed as they attempt to flee. Their bodies are then stuffed down the well, and cursed to never have their spirits roam beyond the confines of the property until such time as evidence of their innocence can be uncovered. The rebels then loot the house of all its furniture and then burn it down. 

165 years pass with Horatio and Melody confined to the property. And then the local historical society, with the help of Danbury's memoirs and Dr. Greenway, the descendant of his butler, again played by Bud Abbott, rebuild the house exactly as it stood. A plaque is also placed by the well containing the two bodies which identifies them as traitors. The two must now recover both their dignity and their freedom. 

They also recover every piece of furniture that was looted, except for the original clock, which is now housed in a museum. This is the piece containing the letter which will set both Horatio and Melody free. 

This is the only film the comedy duo ever made where they are not paired as sidekicks. Instead, they play separate characters. And that, along with a wonderful plot, including 2 love stories, set over 165 years, make this film very worth watching. 

"The First Conspiracy" by Brad Meltzer with John Mensch (2018)

 

This is Brad Meltzer's first stab at non-fiction, and with the aid of co-author John Mensch, they have penned a truly riveting account of this overlooked chapter of the American Revolution. 

Long before Lincoln, Pinkerton and the Secret Service there was a group of soldiers assigned to guard General Washington 24 hours a day. They were literally called by the name "The Life Guards." They were armed, and stood close to the General wherever he was. Into every room he went, these men went with him. 

New York City, where the action in this book takes place, was a hotbed of espionage, skullduggery and counterfeiting during the Revolution. Governor Tryon, a Loyalist to the Crown, was forced to live aboard a British ship where no one could get to him. The Mayor, a noted Tory himself, was likewise in seclusion. But they were not idle.

Among the plots and sabotage emanating from Manhattan, were a band of counterfeiters from Long Island. They play a large part in this highly readable, well written book. Only out of their bungling does there emerge that there is a plot amongst a group of men who are members of Washington's own "Life Guards" to kidnap, and or kill, the General. The authors of this plot?  None other than the Governor and the Mayor!

This is a highly charged book which takes place on the eve of the Battle for New York City in June of 1776. The outcome is never in doubt. We won the war and Washington became President. The real story in this book is the beginning of espionage and counter espionage in America. It is a history that is still evolving over 200 years later, only now it continues en masse, and on a world wide stage and scale.
 

"Liberty's First Crisis" by Charles Slack (2015)

Imagine a law which would make it a crime to publish, or utter, “any false scandalous and malicious writing or writings against the government of the United States or either House of the Congress, or the President of the United States with intent to defame the said government….. or to excite against them…..the hatred of the good people of the United States….for opposing or resisting any law of the United States or any act of the President.”

This was the most important section of the Alien and Sedition Act which was passed in 1798 in the wake of the XYZ Affair and the partisan split between the two political parties over the possibility of War with France, even as we were still struggling to find our place in the world as a Nation.

The Republicans of the time; it should be noted; were today’s Democrats and the Federalists were today’s Republicans. The Sedition Acts were the work of the Republicans of the era, and all but 6 of them voted for the passage of it. The Federalists fought it tooth and nail.

Such a law passed today would have the effect of silencing most of the 24/7 news cycle we have all come to love/hate. FOX, Rush Limbaugh and even CNN would be silenced, along with all 3 major networks. Can you picture the silence, the death of debate, and the absence political discourse? The silence; one might say; would be deafening.

With a wonderful background on the of freedom speech stemming back to the Magna Carta and Sidney’s Discourses in 1688; for which Sidney was hung 5 years earlier; and Blackstone’s Commentaries, which although fairly revolutionary for the time did call for limitations on “pretended prophecies”; the author explores the issue of our own Bill of Rights, which contains our valued First Amendment.

Interestingly, Alexander Hamilton felt that there was no need for a Bill of Rights, since none of the rights in it were specifically forbidden in the Articles of the Constitution itself. The danger there, of course, lay in the interpretation of what was not there to interpret. It is no accident that the Bible; although containing all of 613 Commandments from God; felt it necessary to have the 10 most important ones etched into stone on Mt. Sinai. Some things are too important to be left open to interpretation.

It is important to note here that the whole Alien an Sedition Act drama is precisely why we need the Bill of Rights; and it puts to lie the assertions of those; who; like Hamilton; would say that the limits on government contained within the Articles of the Constitution itself are enough to protect our individual freedoms. But without them, what might have been the outcome of this whole era of the Sedition Acts? 

The most interesting part of this book concerns the 2 men most caught up in the calamity of the Acts. They were newspaper editors Benjamin Franklin Bache; grandson of Benjamin Franklin. He died from yellow fever just before his trial was scheduled to take place.

The second man was Matthew Lyon ; an editor who had originally hailed from Ireland and was in double peril due to the deportation aspect of the law. His was the first actual Sedition trial held.These 2 men were thorns in the side of President Adams, while a balm to his Vice President; Thomas Jefferson; who lobbied extensively against the Acts. The volatile relationship between Adams and his Vice President is legendary and the author gives us great insight into this. 

There was also the case of Henry Lyon of Vermont. He was a sitting Congressman and a newspaper editor when he was jailed for Sedition. He bore ill confinement with a dignity which even impressed his political foes. He even stood for reelection while imprisoned and won. His story is particularly fascinating. 

But beyond the newspapermen there was also the trial of a man named Luther Baldwin for the crime of a public utterance. He had wished that a cannon salute being fired in respect to President Adams be fired at his "arse" instead. He was drunk at the time he said he it, yet he was charged; along with his 2 friends; under the Sedition Act. This was just 23 years after the Declaration of Independence, and was perhaps the lowest point of the Sedition Act drama. If a man could not be secure in conversation with his fellows, then what had that revolution wrought? 

This book captures all of the excitement, as well as the drama, of a new nation struggling to come to terms with itself. There was no previous example to follow in this great experiment called America. We were winging it. The lesson to be taken from this book should serve as a lesson to people on both sides of the political aisle who seek to silence one another. We have tried it before and it failed miserably.

Lexington and Concord - The Shot Heard 'Round the World

Today is the 240th Anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, considered to be the first battle of the American Revolutionary War. This was the culmination of Paul Reveres' "Midnight Ride" captured so eloquently by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his epic poem. When I was in fourth grade we had to memorize this lengthy poem. I still know some, if not most, of it by heart. I will reprint it here for those who have never had the pleasure of reading it. But first, as I often say, a little background.

By the spring of 1775 the colonies were seething with resentment and anger at the British for a series of wrongs incurred over the course of a decade. These wrongs included "taxation without representation" and the quartering of soldiers in private residences. The Stamp Act and the tea tax were already behind us on this April morning. The midnight ride that had awakened the countryside was the result of a new transgression on the part of the British and General Gage, who was then the military Governor of Massachusetts.

Sam Adams and a few other of the Revolution's leaders were hidden in the countryside around Boston, most near Lexington and Concord. It was there that they kept a supply of guns and ammunition. General Gage was under orders to take these men prisoner and destroy their supplies. Benjamin Church and Joseph Warren were both still in Boston with Paul Revere as their chief messenger. Revere noticed that the British were making ready several small craft for crossing the Charles River to Cambridge. But they were never sure if the British were going to use the land route instead. So they arranged their signals, just as stated in Longworths' poem.

At 10 PM on the night of April 18th, 1775 Joseph Warren decided that warning needed to be sent to Sam Adams and so he dispatched Paul Revere. They had arranged the lantern signals of "One if by land, two if by sea" to be shown from the tower of the Old North Church. Revere would cross by water as insurance against William Dawes,who would take the land route, being captured on the way to Concord.

Using the petticoats of the boatman's girlfreind to muffle the oars, Revere set out to cross the Charles River. Arriving in Charlestown he began his ride with a narrow escape from 2 British soldiers. Due to this event Revere was forced to use an alternate route to the North, which lengthened his trip by several miles and more than a few precious minutes.

Arriving in Lexington he found Sam Adams and John Hancock. He was then joined by Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott, a resident of Concord. They left quickly, but before traversing the 5 miles to Concord they encountered a British roadblock, which they broke through and then split up. Dawes was thrown from his horse and taken prisoner. Revere was also taken prisoner and under interrogation gave false and misleading information to his captors as to the number of militiamen awaiting the Redcoats at the bridge.

Dr. Prescott, with his keen knowledge of the wooded country between Lexington and Concord, was the only rider to make it. His warning enabled the Militia to arm and ready themselves for the arrival of the British that morning.

Revere, meanwhile, was riding with the British back to Lexington, when he heard the church bells and gunshots that gave proof to his assertation that local militia were waiting the arrival of the British. This convinced the British to turn Revere loose, although they did give him a tired and slow horse as a precaution that he not reach Lexington too quickly. Revere joined Hancock and Adams to retreat into the countryside. Only the fact that Hancock had left some valuable papers at the tavern in Lexington caused Revere to return there.

Upon retrieving these papers, Revere rode out of town past the assembling militia. As he rode on through the countryside he heard the shots and looking back, saw the smoke from the "Shot heard 'round the World."

In April of 1860 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow climbed the tower of the Old North Church and was inspired to write his simplified version of the nights' events. It was first published in The Atlantic Monthly in January of 1861. It has since acquired legendary stature and has served as the inspiration for millions of Americans to learn more about the events of that night. I reprint it here with great pleasure and as a tribute to those men who gathered at Lexington that morning to begin the labor pains that ultimately gave birth to our Nation.

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere

Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.
He said to his friend, "If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm."

Then he said "Good-night!" and with muffled oar
Silently rowed to the Charlestown shore,
Just as the moon rose over the bay,
Where swinging wide at her moorings lay
The Somerset, British man-of-war;
A phantom ship, with each mast and spar
Across the moon like a prison bar,
And a huge black hulk, that was magnified
By its own reflection in the tide.

Meanwhile, his friend through alley and street
Wanders and watches, with eager ears,
Till in the silence around him he hears
The muster of men at the barrack door,
The sound of arms, and the tramp of feet,
And the measured tread of the grenadiers,
Marching down to their boats on the shore.

Then he climbed the tower of the Old North Church,
By the wooden stairs, with stealthy tread,
To the belfry chamber overhead,
And startled the pigeons from their perch
On the sombre rafters, that round him made
Masses and moving shapes of shade,
By the trembling ladder, steep and tall,
To the highest window in the wall,
Where he paused to listen and look down
A moment on the roofs of the town
And the moonlight flowing over all.

Beneath, in the churchyard, lay the dead,
In their night encampment on the hill,
Wrapped in silence so deep and still
That he could hear, like a sentinel's tread,
The watchful night-wind, as it went
Creeping along from tent to tent,
And seeming to whisper, "All is well!"
A moment only he feels the spell
Of the place and the hour, and the secret dread
Of the lonely belfry and the dead;
For suddenly all his thoughts are bent
On a shadowy something far away,
Where the river widens to meet the bay,
A line of black that bends and floats
On the rising tide like a bridge of boats.

Meanwhile, impatient to mount and ride,
Booted and spurred, with a heavy stride
On the opposite shore walked Paul Revere.
Now he patted his horse's side,
Now he gazed at the landscape far and near,
Then, impetuous, stamped the earth,
And turned and tightened his saddle girth;
But mostly he watched with eager search
The belfry tower of the Old North Church,
As it rose above the graves on the hill,
Lonely and spectral and sombre and still.
And lo! as he looks, on the belfry's height
A glimmer, and then a gleam of light!
He springs to the saddle, the bridle he turns,
But lingers and gazes, till full on his sight
A second lamp in the belfry burns.

A hurry of hoofs in a village street,
A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark,
And beneath, from the pebbles, in passing, a spark
Struck out by a steed flying fearless and fleet;
That was all! And yet, through the gloom and the light,
The fate of a nation was riding that night;
And the spark struck out by that steed, in his flight,
Kindled the land into flame with its heat.
He has left the village and mounted the steep,
And beneath him, tranquil and broad and deep,
Is the Mystic, meeting the ocean tides;
And under the alders that skirt its edge,
Now soft on the sand, now loud on the ledge,
Is heard the tramp of his steed as he rides.

It was twelve by the village clock
When he crossed the bridge into Medford town.
He heard the crowing of the cock,
And the barking of the farmer's dog,
And felt the damp of the river fog,
That rises after the sun goes down.

It was one by the village clock,
When he galloped into Lexington.
He saw the gilded weathercock
Swim in the moonlight as he passed,
And the meeting-house windows, black and bare,
Gaze at him with a spectral glare,
As if they already stood aghast
At the bloody work they would look upon.

It was two by the village clock,
When he came to the bridge in Concord town.
He heard the bleating of the flock,
And the twitter of birds among the trees,
And felt the breath of the morning breeze
Blowing over the meadow brown.
And one was safe and asleep in his bed
Who at the bridge would be first to fall,
Who that day would be lying dead,
Pierced by a British musket ball.

You know the rest. In the books you have read
How the British Regulars fired and fled,
How the farmers gave them ball for ball,
From behind each fence and farmyard wall,
Chasing the redcoats down the lane,
Then crossing the fields to emerge again
Under the trees at the turn of the road,
And only pausing to fire and load.

So through the night rode Paul Revere;
And so through the night went his cry of alarm
To every Middlesex village and farm,
A cry of defiance, and not of fear,
A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,
And a word that shall echo for evermore!
For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,
Through all our history, to the last,
In the hour of darkness and peril and need,
The people will waken and listen to hear
The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed,
And the midnight message of Paul Revere.

The following is an eyewitness account of that day by 23 year Sylvanus Wood, who wrote the following in 1858. It was sworn before a Notary.

"I, Sylvanus Wood, of Woburn, in the county of Middlesex, and commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged seventy-four years, do testify and say that on the morning of the 19th of April, 1775, I was an inhabitant of Woburn, living with Deacon Obadiah Kendall; that about an hour before the break of day on said morning, I heard the Lexington bell ring, and fearing there was difficulty there, I immediately arose, took my gun and, with Robert Douglass, went in haste to Lexington, which was about three miles distant.

When I arrived there, I inquired of Captain Parker, the commander of the Lexington company, what was the news. Parker told me he did not know what to believe, for a man had come up about half an hour before and informed him that the British troops were not on the road. But while we were talking, a messenger came up and told the captain that the British troops were within half a mile. Parker immediately turned to his drummer, William Diman, and ordered him to beat to arms, which was done. Captain Parker then asked me if I would parade with his company. I told him I would. Parker then asked me if the young man with me would parade. I spoke to Douglass, and he said he would follow the captain and me.

By this time many of the company had gathered around the captain at the hearing of the drum, where we stood, which was about half way between the meetinghouse and Buckman's tavern. Parker says to his men, 'Every man of you, who is equipped, follow me; and those of you who are not equipped, go into the meeting-house and furnish yourselves from the magazine, and immediately join the company.' Parker led those of us who were equipped to the north end of Lexington Common, near the Bedford Road, and formed us in single file. I was stationed about in the centre of the company. While we were standing, I left my place and went from one end of the company to the other and counted every man who was paraded, and the whole number was thirty-eight, and no more.


Confrontation at Lexington Green

Just as I had finished and got back to my place, I perceived the British troops had arrived on the spot between the meeting-house and Bucknian's, near where Captain Parker stood when he first led off his men. The British troops immediately wheeled so as to cut off those who had gone into the meeting-house. The British troops approached us rapidly in platoons, with a general officer on horseback at their head. The officer came up to within about two rods of the centre of the company, where I stood, the first platoon being about three rods distant. They there halted. The officer then swung his sword, and said, 'Lay down your arms, you damned rebels, or you are all dead men. Fire!' Some guns were fired by the British at us from the first platoon, but no person was killed or hurt, being probably charged only with powder.

Just at this time, Captain Parker ordered every man to take care of himself. The company immediately dispersed; and while the company was dispersing and leaping over the wall, the second platoon of the British fired and killed some of our men. There was not a gun fired by anv of Captain Parker's company, within my knowledge. I was so situated that I must have known it, had any thing of the kind taken place before a total dispersion of our company. I have been intimately acquainted with the inhabitants of Lexington, and particularly with those of Captain Parker's company, and, with one exception, I have never heard any of them say or pretend that there was any firing at the British from Parker's company, or any individual in it until within a year or two. One member of the company told me, many years since, that, after Parker's company had dispersed, and he was at some distance, he gave them 'the guts of his gun.'"

"The Education of George Washington" by Austin Washington (2014)

I have been unable to see the episode of "Between the Lines" with Barry Kibrick in which he interviews the author of this book, Austin Washington. Mr. Washington is the great great great etc grand-nephew of George Washington; as in the Father of Our Country. As such, he has a unique perspective on the story of the man and how he really willed himself to be what he became. 

If you haven't seen the interview then I would suggest taking a look at the book. In lieu of reviewing "Between the Lines" and Mr. Kibrick's interview with Austin Washington I offer a re-posting of my review of the book from February 22nd;

Get ready for the best book ever written about the Father of Our Country. What makes this book so special? It was written by his great nephew several times removed, Austin Washington. He is the direct descendant of one of George Washington’s brothers. He was even raised in one of the homes owned by the Washington family since colonial times. It was in the kitchen of that house where he first encountered the great man’s portrait; noticeably smaller than that of his 2 brothers; in the kitchen. The other 2 portraits were displayed more prominently elsewhere.

The premise of this book stems from an old miniature biography of Frederick, Duke of Schonberg; called a Panegyrick; that was published in 1690 and fell into young George’s hands sometime during his early years.

Most people assume that Washington was at least as educated as his colleagues Jefferson and Adams. But that would be wrong. Although his 2 brothers received the benefits of his father’s relative wealth; both received classical educations; young George was unable to take advantage of this attribute due to his father having passed away when the boy was only 11 years old. He would have to study at a local school, which would not afford him the same type of education as his peers in later life possessed. 

Washington did not quote the Greek scholars so highly thought of by men like Adams and Jefferson. To him Greek was; well, Greek. But the biography of Schonberg was a book which he studied and took to heart; and whose subject he tried to emulate in every way possible. Some might say he surpassed his idol in all respects; after all, until I read the man’s name, I had never heard of him. And I doubt you have either.

Drawing upon family history; as well as some of Washington’s lesser known writings; the author successfully debunks the myth busters on several of the most apocryphal stories about Washington; stories we were told about in Kindergarten, and then later on debunked by our high school teachers.

Some of the stories in this book are so wonderful in their original, true versions that you have to wonder why Reverend Weems; Washington’s local pastor; found a need to embellish them in the first place.

The Cherry Tree – it really did happen, but not like you heard. Little George did kill the tree, he just didn’t chop it down. This is the only case in which I will tell you what the book says. I want you to read the book on your own. Besides, I’m no spoiler.

George’s father had a favorite cherry tree; it was his pride. George was about 6 years old at the time and his father presented him with a hatchet. He took that hatchet and chipped away at everything he could find. When it came to the fabled cherry tree he merely skinned it of its bark. When the tree began to fail and the elder Washington noticed the bark skinned from the trunk, he inquired of the whole family as to who had done it; knowing all the while that it was George. The boy actually did say he could not lie to his father and owned up to the deed. His father expressed that he would not trade 100 trees for his son’s integrity. That’s the true story.

The silver dollar across the Potomac is a similar circumstance. Washington was a very strong and athletic young man. His feats of strength almost rival those of Abraham Lincoln’s.  Young George had an arm which rivaled that of famed Washington Senator’s pitcher Walter Johnson; who in 1936 actually did pitch a silver dollar across the 272 foot width of the Rappahannock, clearing it by an additional 42 feet beyond the far bank. If you want to know how this relates to the Potomac story; read the book.

His father was a very big influence upon young George; but you have to wonder how he would have developed had his father not passed away when he was so young. Most likely he would have gone on to the better schools over in England; as was the family plan. Had that occurred he would have been in a much different situation when it comes to any revolutionary ambitions.

Religion wise Washington was a Deist; meaning that he believed in a higher power, but not necessarily Jesus Christ as his deliverer. When he went to church as President he never took communion. When it was pointed out to him that this was a cause of dismay among the other congregants, he merely skipped church on the Sundays when Communion was offered. This was the type of man he was; tolerant and at the same time respectful of the sensibilities of others. Responsibility held more meaning for him than his “rights.”

This is a long overdue book which will hopefully set the record straight once and for all about the Father of Our Country. The timing couldn’t be better; it was just released late in January and it is already in the library in time for Washington’s traditional birthday; which is of course today.

The change in the calendar from the old style to the new in the 1740’s make Washington’s Birthday even more complicated than the ubiquitous “President’s Day holiday, which changes every year to accommodate convenience. Washington was actually born on February 11^th on the old calendar. When the change to the calendar came it added 11 days to his date of birth.

Don’t discount this fascinating book by George Washington’s great grand-nephew. It is filled with wit and wisdom, displaying a keen sense of humor as it sets about to correct the record concerning the most well-known; and some not so; stories about his life. It also illustrates how one little book; which is reprinted in the back of this one; can alter a person's life, and affect millions in the bargain. Very well done.

For more about the change in the calendar, see the post at;

http://robertwilliamsofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2012/02/leap-year-george-washington-and-jewish.html

The Mecklenburg Declaration - May 20, 1775

Today is somewhat of a holiday in Charlotte, North Carolina. We don’t take the day off, but we do recall, with ceremony and remembrance, the events of May 20, 1775 and the document affectionately called the “Meck Dec.” It seems that on that long ago day, over a year before the Declaration of Independence was released in Philadelphia, the residents of Charlotte declared themselves to be free of British rule.

They did it right where the heart of downtown Charlotte sits today; at the courthouse which was then located at Tryon and Trade Streets. What was once an old Indian trading post and trail is now home to Bank of America and several other major banks.

 

The Mecklenburg Declaration was the product of a local citizen’s committee, which; having taken the measure of the people in the area; then decided to declare their Independence from Britain. This decision was reached after news of the Battle at Lexington and Concord; over 1 month earlier; reached Charlotte in late May. Some people still dispute the claim, and the first mention of it cannot be found in newspapers or broadsides until about 1819. There is however, a document known as the Mecklenburg Resolves, which was released to the public on May 31, 1775.

The resolves were a rather radical set of proposals set forth by the citizens as an approach to the problems the colonies were having with King George III, but did not go so far as to call for breaking away from the “mother country.” The text was published in the newspapers of the time, but the original was misplaced; or hidden; until 1838.

Some people believe that the myth of the Mecklenburg Declaration began as an attempt to recreate the Resolves. Since this was done by memory, perhaps the authors remembered the document as having called for independence, but the rediscovery of the original Resolves proved that to be a false assumption. And still another group argues that both documents were real.

The Resolves were taken to the Continental Congress via Captain James Jack who rode to Philadelphia with them on horseback. The Congressional Delegation from North Carolina; Richard Caswell, William Hooper, and Joseph Hewes; made the decision that it was too early to call for a separation between the colonies and the mother country. Captain Jack returned home and then the document disappeared for several decades.

No matter what the truth is, it is apparent that Charlotte; which was named in honor of King George’s wife; proved to be the “hornet’s nest” that the British dubbed it to be.

Here are the original Resolves;

1. Resolved, That whosoever directly or indirectly abetted, or in any way, form, or manner, countenanced the uncharted and dangerous invasion of our rights, as claimed by Great Britain, is an enemy to this County, to America, and to the inherent and inalienable rights of man.

2. Resolved, That we the citizens of Mecklenburg County, do hereby dissolve the political bands which have connected us to the Mother Country, and hereby absolve ourselves from all allegiance to the British Crown, and abjure all political connection, contract, or association, with that Nation, who have wantonly trampled on our rights and liberties and inhumanly shed the innocent blood of American patriots at Lexington.

3. Resolved, That we do hereby declare ourselves a free and independent people, are, and of right ought to be, a sovereign and self-governing Association, under the control of no power other than that of our God and the General Government of the Congress; to the maintenance of which independence, we solemnly pledge to each other, our mutual cooperation, our lives, our fortunes, and our most sacred honor.

4. Resolved, That as we now acknowledge the existence and control of no law or legal officer, civil or military, within this County, we do hereby ordain and adopt, as a rule of life, all, each and every of our former laws - where, nevertheless, the Crown of Great Britain never can be considered as holding rights, privileges, immunities, or authority therein.

5. Resolved, That it is also further decreed, that all, each and every military officer in this County, is hereby reinstated to his former command and authority, he acting conformably to these regulations, and that every member present of this delegation shall henceforth be a civil officer, viz. a Justice of the Peace, in the character of a 'Committee-man,' to issue process, hear and determine all matters of controversy, according to said adopted laws, and to preserve peace, and union, and harmony, in said County, and to use every exertion to spread the love of country and fire of freedom throughout America, until a more general and organized government be established in this province.

Here is a list of the signers as recalled in 1819;

1. Abraham Alexander

2. Adam Alexander

3. Charles Alexander

4. Ezra Alexander

5. Hezekiah Alexander

6. John McKnitt Alexander

7. Waightstill Avery

8. Rev. Hezekiah J. Balch

9. Richard Barry

10. Dr. Ephraim Brevard

11. Maj. John Davidson

12. Henry Downs

13. John Flenneken

14. John Foard

15. William Graham

16. James Harris

17. Robert Harris

18. Robert Irwin

19. William Kennon

20. Matthew McClure

21. Neil Morrison

22. Duncan Ochiltree

23. Benjamin Patton

24. John Phifer

25. Col. Thomas Polk

26. John Queary

27. David Reese

28. Zacheus Wilson, Sr.

The DAR - Why They Matter Today

One of the most misunderstood organizations in America today is the Daughters of the American Revolution. Most people think of the group in a very narrow frame of reference, usually the unfortunate incident in 1939 when Marion Anderson was denied the role of singing at Constitution Hall before an integrated audience.

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt arranged another concert on Easter Sunday at the Lincoln memorial, where she sang to a crowd of 75,000 people and millions more on radio. The DAR has long since renounced their mistake, and today the DAR is a rainbow coalition which represents the America we have become over the centuries since the Revolution.

Why is this important? To put it in its simplest form; as the demographic make-up of our country changes; through inter-marriage, adoptions, etc. the DAR strives to reflect that change while still retaining the integrity of those families who actually fought in the Revolution.

As the demographics change, many times the past gets lost in the jumble. The DAR is a way of stopping that loss. For instance, if you are of Chinese descent, and marry into an American family having roots going back to colonial times, your daughters are eligible to become members. The same holds true for the Sons of the Revolution. There is no color line anymore. It’s all in your family tree.

The point is this; though the DAR does not support any particular political party; through their work in preserving our nation’s heritage, they are the Keepers of our past. They are the ones who place the monuments and trace the history of our unique nation. It is largely through their efforts that so many of the monuments we all take for granted, are there in the first place.

But, the most important function of all performed by the DAR is the tracking of family histories in relation to the American Revolution. The ethnic make-up America of today is vastly different from Colonial times and the struggle for Independence. But the rainbow color of today’s DAR reflects the truth of the principles upon which we were founded. Even Marion Anderson would have to smile at that.

So, why am I so big on the DAR? Simple; both my wife Sue, and our daughter Sarah, are members. Sue's great grandfather; several times removed; was named Henry Pensinger and he fought at the Battle of Ticonderoga, loosing a leg in the process. You can look him up. He has a blog page at;

http://henrypensinger.blogspot.com/p/background-bartlyme-bentziger-spelling.html

And if you, or anyone you know, is eligible to join the DAR, please use the following link to start the application process. No matter what your ethnic background or nationality may be, if the ancestors on either side of your family fought for the freedom which we enjoy today, then the DAR hopes to reflect that difference.

http://www.dar.org/natsociety/ 

"Desperate Sons" by Les Standiford (2012)

Author Les Standiford carefully examines the relationship between the Stamp Act of 1765, which was passed in March of that year by Parliament, with implementation taking pace in November of the same year. Of course the colonies were furious with this new form of taxation. During the months leading to the actual Landing of the Stamps here in America, citizens from Boston to South Carolina were in a foul mood over this latest economic burden, proposed by a government thousands of miles away.

Today’s Tea Partiers claim to be revolutionary, but in reality, they are merely unhappy with their representatives. Unlike the original Tea Party activists in Boston, today’s activists have the opportunity to vote for their elected officials. Our forefathers did not have that luxury.

When the British ships did arrive with the cargo of Tax Stamps, they were not allowed to unload them. And when they did, they were not allowed to distribute them. On October 22, 1765 the ship Edward, carrying the stamps for the colonies arrived off the Narrows in Brooklyn, site of today’s Verazzano Narrows Bridge, and anchored. Without a military escort of British man of wars, it was too risky to attempt to move the stamps ashore at the Battery in Manhattan.

Outraged citizens, from Boston to Charleston, raised Liberty Trees, Liberty Oaks, and in New York the Liberty Pole, which was the mast from a burnt ship, was the rallying point for the colonists on the Commons in lower Manhattan. When the British hacked one down, another took its place. The people even burned the house of the Mayor and Governor, driving them to seek refuge in Fort George. This was New York’s version of the Tea Party that would take place several years later in Boston.

The Stamp Act served as a cohesive force which united the colonies in a way that had never occurred before. With all of the colonies being adversely affected by the onerous new taxes, which included legal documents, nine of the 13 colonies banded together and petitioned the King for redress. Of course, all they received for that effort were the Townshend Acts.

The Crown, reasoning that the colonists were unhappy with being taxed for the things they were making here on their own, decided to tax imported materials only, while not allowing the colonies to place any export taxes on the goods coming from America. The main point of both the Stamp Act, as well as the Townshend Acts, was to have the colonies pay an inordinate share of the costs for the maintenance of the colonies, as well as the spiraling expense of Britain’s war with France.

A fascinating book which takes a close look at the gross inequities which fostered a revolution; Mr. Standiford has written a unique perspective on a portion of our history which may even have relevance to the social and economic inequities of the present day.

"Hysterical High Spots in American History" from Walter Lantz (1941)

Walter Lantz is most noted for his Woody Woodpecker cartoons, but he had a life in animation before the advent of the noisy little bird we all came to love. This Technicolor cartoon from 1941 should give you a good idea of what Mr. Lantz was doing prior to the birth of Woody.

Beginning with Columbus’ voyage to the New World, Mr. Lantz takes the viewer on a tour de force through America’s most colorful moments. From Columbus and all the way through the American Revolution; which began today at Lexington-Concord in Massachusetts; on through the stock market crash of the late 1920’s and the Great Depression, this cartoon leaves nothing out.

The First Thanksgiving is covered in a humorous fashion, with everyone shaking hands and saying “Thank you” to one another. The Minutemen are here, as is Lincoln at Gettysburg. The Gold Rush in California, the New Deal, and even the rumblings of the Second World War, along with the first peacetime conscription of  the Armed Forces, are all covered as well.  

Today is the anniversary of the events that brought us freedom, and in spite of the events in Boston; the “Cradle of Liberty”; this past week, Americans will persevere and move on with their lives, always remembering the fallen that did not make it. And, along with that, we will keep our senses; all of them; even our sense of humor. And that, in itself, is a victory.

Surrender at Yorktown - 1781

Unlike Vietnam; where we won just about every battle, but lost the war; the American Revolution was the complete opposite. We managed to lose almost every battle, and still win the War for Independence. There is a lesson in that. When people fight; on their own soil; for their own freedom; it is virtually impossible to beat them.

John Trumbull’s painting “Surrender at Yorktown” epitomizes the strength inherent in a just cause. Had the Americans lost the war, England would have faced a hostile colony for centuries; much in the same way that Indo-China was a “thorn in the side” to the Koreans, French and eventually the Americans who tried to rule it. But that’s another discussion.

The subject of this post is the surrender of the British at Yorktown in 1781. In spite of a lack of adequate provisions, George Washington was able to lead the Continental Army to a decisive victory over the British forces for the simple reason that they were fighting on “home turf”, for their families as well as their own futures.

In September, Lord Cornwallis had been reinforced with about 7,000 new troops in a last ditch effort to stamp out the revolutionaries. He took these troops to Yorktown, where he established a fort, hoping for relief from the British Navy, which never arrived.  Washington deployed more troops and artillery, with the result that by October; with the help of the French fleet, under the command of Admiral Compte de Grasse; Cornwallis found himself caught between the land forces of the Continental Army, and the French Navy; which had come to our aid through the efforts of Benjamin Franklin in Paris. Those vessels repelled the British fleet, keeping them from rescuing Lord Cornwallis and his men. With all hope of escape gone, he had no choice but to surrender.

The British, and the Germans fighting with them, were eventually forced from their fort under threat of further bombardment, and instructed to bring their colors with them. The British military band played "The World Turned Upside Down"; a popular song of the era; as a way of displaying their disbelief in their loss to the colonies. Cornwallis elected to remain indoors, rather than face his adversary in defeat. Even his second in command, General O’Hara, tried to surrender to the French rather than to the Americans, but he was rebuffed in this effort, leaving him no choice but to surrender to the Continental Army, thus recognizing the new nation it represented. This was the reason which compelled General Washington in his decision to have General O’Hara surrender his sword to General Lincoln instead of himself. He was merely returning the snub by Cornwallis.

So, the painting of the surrender is not exactly what many Americans think of it as being. That is not General Washington mounted on his horse accepting the sword of surrender. It is, rather, General Benjamin Lincoln who is extending his right hand toward that sword, which is not carried by Lord Cornwallis, but is borne by General O’Hara instead.

Depicted in Trumball’s painting, the British troops are in a line which extends into the background. The troops on the left are the French officers, mustered under the banner of the Bourbon family. To the right are the American officers with the flag of their new republic. In that group are the Marquis de Lafayette and Colonel Jonathan Trumbull, who is the brother of the artist who captured it all on canvas. General Washington is in the background, astride a brown horse, keeping an ever watchful eye on the events, just as he had guided the colonies to victory over the course of the war.

But, in spite of these proceedings, the war did not come to a formal end until sometime later, when the British and Americans signed the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The painting itself was not completed until 1820 and hangs in the Rotunda of the capitol in Washington, D.C. today.

Happy 26th, Sue

This is Sue, my wife. I have written about her here and also posted photos of her before now. But this is one of my favorites. It really captures the inner light of the woman I married; so different than myself. When I see only darkness, she sees only light. That's what makes this picture so special to me. And, with all the ups and downs of marriage, I do believe we would both do it all again. That's love...

Happy 26th, Sue. Love grows.

Happy Fourth of July!

And to the rest of my fellow Americans, have a safe and happy Fourth of July. A lot of thought went into the creation of our nation; let's not allow partisan bickering to tear it all down. And, wherever you are today, "let freedom ring!"

A Day in the Life

We began the afternoon, Sue and I, with nothing to do. So we went to the hardware store, where I got the most beautifully landscaped parking space that I have ever seen. As a matter of fact, until I saw this spot at Ace Hardware; in Corneilus, North Carolina; I had no idea that there was such a thing as a landscaped parking spot. It made the old station wagon look like a young girl on her first date. She glowed.

From there we went across the street to take a look at Legion Park, where some sort of festival was said to be going on. We were pretty late, it was about 3:30 or so, but we did find this group of Sue's family who were holding their annual family reunion. We marveled at the co-incidence. Sue is, of course, a Daughter of the American Revolution, her great grandfather, several times removed, having served in the Continental Army. Obtaining any news of his current whereabouts was especially gratifying. I should mention that there were still several Redcoat stragglers in the area.

Generally, things went so well; meeting as were all were for the first time; that the family kind of got carried away and decided to blow off a cannon to celebrate this chance meeting of two generations, so far removed from one another. With thunder rolling in the distance; coming off the lake in the background, and under the threat of imminent rain; the cannon was set off twice, its roar seeming to dwarf the thunder of the God's themselves. And that was also the last we saw of the Redcoat stragglers!

And what better way to end such a day but to grab some quick Italian food at Romanello's, in Huntersville, where we were joined for part of our meal by the owner's daughter Pari. We were kind of reluctant to let her go home with her father. All in all, it was a perfect day; considering we set out with nothing to do.

"Surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown" by John Trumball (Preliminary)

This is John Trumball's 1797 oil painting of General Cornwallis' surrender to George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia on October 19th, 1781. It is not the final version, which hangs in the Rotunda of the Capitol in Washington. This preliminary version hangs in the Yale University Art Gallery. The final work was completed sometime before 1824, which means that John Trumball, mostly remembered as a potrait artist, spent considerable time on the final version. He spent several years traveling around Europe, and America, sketching the features of anyone still alive from the events of 1781.

General Cornwallis is noticeably absent from the painting, as he was in real life. The General claimed to have a cold that day, and so could not attend the ceremony. Other, unflattering, theories abound. His second in command, one General O'Hara, is seen, on foot, offering his sword to General Washington's second, General Lincoln, who is shown, mounted at the center of the painting.

John Trumball was not present at the surrender, although he did serve in the Continental Army as an officer early in the war. He was also an aide-de-camp to General Washington for a short time. He resigned his position over a trivial matter in 1780, and went to study in London, where he was immediately arrested in reprisal for the hanging of British spy Major Andre.

Therefore, we know that Trumbull was not present at Yorktown in 1781, and this explains some of the liberties he took in the composition of the painting. For instance, Trumball originally had Cornwallis present at the surrender, on horseback, with General O'Hara standing to his side. When the first sketch of the painting was exhibited, it became apparent that Trumball was totally unfamiliar with the events of the day he was attempting to immortalize. At that point he began his long quest to get the picture right.

From 1787 through 1789, Trumball traveled to Europe to sketch the senior officers who had been present that day at Yorktown. Upon his return to America, in 1789, he did the same thing with all of the surviving members of the Continental Army who had also been present that day. In 1790 he went to New York, which was then the nation's capital, in order to paint George Washington into the picture. By 1791 he was actually visiting Yorktown in order to sketch the scene correctly.

In spite of all of his preparatory work, the painting is still grossly inaccurate in many respects. There are officers present in the painting, such as Admiral Compte de Grasse, in the line of French Officers, even though he was not in America at the time. Even the uniforms shown are incorrect for the era, they are actually later versions of the respective uniforms from the 1790's.

No matter, the painting still stands as a great vision of the events of that long ago day. And, in the final analysis, is it really that important who was standing where? The real majesty of this painting is in the truth of General Cornwallis' surrender, rather than how may buttons are on the sleeves of General O'Hara's coat, or how may stripes are on the flag.

Although Trumball was a 1773 graduate of Harvard, in 1831 he donated his personal collection to Yale University, where this preliminary painting of "Cornwallis at Yorktown" resides today.

"Revolution"

In America today, it is time. Time to stop the politics as usual and demand a change in the way in which our elected officials conduct themselves to our detriment.

It is time to cease the partisan bickering which has this nation so divided, so mired in debt, that we cannot even imagine being solvent again.

It is time to cut the staffs and office allowances of ALL Congress persons and Senators.

It is time to stop all Congressional and Senatorial pay until such time as they have produced a budget.

It is time to stop subsidizing the Senate Cafeteria, where lawmakers earning hundreds of thousands of dollars a year have their meals subsidized by your tax dollars, as they debate whether or not to fund school lunch programs for the needy.

It is time to end the Health Care Debate and make available to all Americans the healthcare which our elected officials enjoy. With the bureaucracy already in place, this is a no-brainer. Any other proposals are just smoke and mirrors.

It is time to clean house in Washington, where Congress gets an automatic raise each year, unless they vote against it. (See the 27th Amendment to the Constitution, which took 203 years to ratify.)

It is time to stop Cost of Living increases for Senators and Congress persons while the elderly and disabled, subsisting on far less money, are denied the same.

It is time to draw a line in the sand, not just with the terrorists abroad, but also the homegrown ones in the Tea Party, who are empowered by the apathy of those who are presently in power.

It is time for the People (remember them?) to take back America. We don't want to change the Constitution, just the folks who are administering it so ineptly. I was born in a country that was the richest on the planet, yet today we are one of the largest debtor nations in the world.

It is time for action, yet also a time for restraint. We do not want to burn cars in the street, like the French, but we can. And so we demand an end to the gridlock which has seized the minds of our representatives in Washington. And we demand it now, not after next year’s election.

So, let's begin with a massive phone campaign to our individual representatives in the nation's capital. Below are the links for you to obtain the phone numbers of your Congress person and Senators. I strongly urge you to call them and hear for yourself the ignorance and detachment with which your call is received. And as you interact with these people, remember that you pay them. That's right, the Congress person gets about $189,000 per year from you, but you also pay the cost of each of the people you speak with on the phone. With most Senators maintaining several offices, all staffed by professionals, even with the help of some volunteers, the cost is staggering! And many of the most incompetent staffers are relatives and friends of the elected officials. At one time this was called Nepotism.

Let them know that you will stay away from the polls next year. Let every politician in America become a member of a government elected by a minority of its citizens. Let them walk on eggshells, knowing that their legitimacy is a facade.

I am open to any and all ideas, which will kick these people in the rear end and get them going, or get them gone.

For your Congress person's contact information go to;
http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/

For your Senator's contact information go to;
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Brattonsville - Stepping Back In Time.

Sue and I took a trip to Brattonsville, South Carolina yesterday. We have been meaning to visit this 38 structure town for quite awhile, but never seem to have gotten around to it. The town is a unique collection of buildings, most of which once belonged to the Bratton family. The 5 Bratton brothers came to America from Ulster in Northern Ireland sometime around 1730, first settling in the Pennsylvania area and then Virginia, before William Bratton and his wife Matha, purchased these 770 acres in present day York County in 1766. They immediately began to build for their growing family, which would eventually number 14 children. Not to mention William's 4 brothers.

The first home reflected the urgency of building something for a dwelling. It is a simple log cabin with a hearth on the first floor and an upstairs loft area for the kids to sleep. The most unusual part of this building is the latch on the OUTSIDE of the doorway leading to the children's sleeping area in the loft. I suppose that when Momma and Papa wanted to have some time alone, they just latched the kids in upstairs. Not a bad system when you think about it!

Eventually William and Martha needed a larger home, and so, they built one right next door. When that one grew cramped, they built an annex to it. After awhile, with all of the outbuildings, and dwellings, along with a store run by the family, there were 38 structures in all!

Historically, the property is significant, in that it played a key role on the road to Yorktown and the British surrender there. Brattonsville was the site of what is known as the "Battle of Huck's Defeat", which was fought on July 12th, 1780. William Bratton's slave, Watt, chanced upon the British troops under Huck's command. He was able to get back to William Bratton in time to summom all the local militia and defeat Huck, who was on his way to re-inforce Cornwallis in Virginia. A victory for him at Brattonsville might have changed the outcome of the war. There is a marker to Watt erected on the site of the Visitor's Center.

The real pleasure of this visit was the unhurried, and unescorted, pace. There were no tour guides moving groups of people about. It was a relaxing way to tour an historical site, an approach which allows the visitor to really absorb the novelty of living in the woods, far from the main roads. The property is still home to some goats, and I heard some chickens roosting about in one of the outbuildings.

But, the lizards were the best. Sue spotted them first, and I was lucky enough to become friendly with this red headed lizard, who allowed me to take numerous photos of him. Of course, I expected him to speak in an Australian accent and sell me insurance, but I would be a liar if I were to tell you that is what happened.

This little village really was self sufficent. Along with the hen house, the pastures for the sheep and cattle, alongside of the vegetable and herb gardens, and the smokehouse, was the most important building of all- the gin house, which allowed them to gin their own cotton, resulting in a larger profit from the cotton crop, which was the mainstay of the village. They even had a loom house, where they spun their own cotton into cloth.

This is a wonderful place to visit for a look back at what life was really like in the last days of the 18th Century. With it's lack of regimentation, it is the perfect way to spend a spring afternoon in the past.

For more about this historical village visit the website at;

http://south-carolina-plantations.com/york/brattonsville.html

"The Black History of the White House" by Clarence Lusane

In 1787, as the founding fathers gathered in Philadelphia to iron out the Constitution, which legitimized slavery, abolishionists were already working to end the practice of slavery in the newly formed nation.

In the skillful hands of author Clarence Lusane, the old argument, of which I have been a proponnent, that slavery was allowed to exist in the colonies in order to appease the Southern states, so that they, in turn would support a Revolution, simply loses all credibility. A quick look at the actions of President George Washington will illustrate just what I mean.

At the time President Washington was in Philadelphia, signing the "Fugitive Slave Act" into law, he was actively engaged in the pursuit and capture of one of his own slaves, a young woman named Ona "Oney" Maria Judge. She had been sent from Virginia to the new capital in Philadelphia, a free state. Technically she was a free woman. Realizing that she would be sent back to Virginia at the end of Washington's term in office, after all, the Constitution, under Article 4, considered her property, she did the unthinkable, she escaped. And Washington did the predictable thing, he signed the "Fugitive Slave Act" into law, and then had Ms. Judge pursued by bounty hunters. I am happy to report that Ms. Judge made it all the way to New Hampshire, where she died many years later, a free woman.

The book covers all the years between the Founding of our Constitution in Philadelphia, to the building of our nation's Capital City, and on through the 2008 election of Barack Obama as President. In between, the book sheds light on the daily lives of African Americans during more than 200 years in Washington, D.C., which remained a segregated city from it's beginnings in the late 18th century, until the 1950's.

Drawing upon historical accounts the book paints a picture of Washington, and our nation, during the years following our birth as a nation. It then continues on through the Civil War, the era of Jim Crow, and the early years of the 20th Century, finally culminating in the inaguaration of our first African-American President. And what a strange story it is.

Lafeyette Square Park, located across from the White House, was a slave market, even as our early Presidents sat in the White House. As the tensions heated up in the years before the Civil War, Washington was a non-state, caught between the North and the South. Abuse of Negro citizens was rampant. It was hazardous to walk alone at night for fear of being kidnapped and "sold down South." Slaves caught up North were brought back to Washington and sold at auction. Slave "pens" were everywhere in the city, and there was much money to be made in the human trafficking of slaves.

The Pearl was a ship engaged in transporting runaway slaves. On the night of April 15th, 1845 she was loaded with 70 African-Americans, some of whom were free, and set sail bound for Chesapeake Bay, and ultimately freedom. They never made it. Acting on the tip of a Negro informant, the bounty hunters were able to commandeer a boat and overtake the Pearl. When she was returned to port an auction was held, and all 70 African-Americans were sold into slavery, regardless of whether they were free or not.

Up through, and after, the Civil War things went pretty much unchanged in Washington. There would be seperate drinking fountains, restaurants and hotels all the way through the late 1950's.

In 1961 Lillian Rogers Parks wrote the first White House memoir from the perspective of the maid. The book was entitled "My 30 Years Backstairs at the White House." In the book, Ms. Parks laid bare all of the reality of being a minority employed by the world's largest democracy.

Utilizing the writings of Alonzo Fields, White House Butler from 1933-1959, Lillian Parks and Abraham Bolden, the first African-American Secret Service member, as well as the first to be assigned to the Presidential Detail, the reader gets a sense of what it was like to be "invisible." The book paints a portrait of a White House, and the Presidents, as they are caught up in a changing society, one in which African-Americans were beginning to demand, rather than ask for, equal treatment under the law.

One of the best illustrations of this time period occurs when Mrs. Roosevelt arrives in 1933, only to discover that the White House Staff is segragated, resulting in there being 2 head staffers for each department. To solve this, she fired all of the white head staff and kept the balck head staffers in their positions.

But by far the most chilling story told in this book involves Abraham Bolden, whose provocative book, "The Echo from Dealy Plaza" I reviewed in 2009. In 1958 he was recruited by the Secret Service as a "token" minority. When he met President-elect Kennedy in Chicago in 1960, he was invited to join the Presidential Protection Detail as the first African-American in that position. What happened after that is truly an amazing story.

Shunned by his fellow agents, who routinely referred to him as a "nigger", Bolden was further ostrichized for his diligence in performing his duties. He complained about his fellow agents use of drugs and rampant drinking on the job, and was relieved of his duties on the Presidential Detail and returned to the Secret Service office in Chicago. After an assassination attempt was foiled at the Army-Navy game there in 1963, another plot was foiled in Palm Beach, Florida several weeks later. By this time Agent Bolden was talking to anyone who would listen to him concerning the danger posed to the President. The other agents referred to the President as "that nigger lover", and vowed that they "would never take a bullet for him."

Agent Bolden was subsequently framed in a mob related case and shipped off to prison, where he continued to talk about what he knew. This landed him in a mental hospital, where he was subjected to drug experiments and shock therapy. He was released in 1969 and continues to fight for his vindication. His memoir, released in 2008, is one of the most compelling stories ever told.

This book is long overdue. African-Americans, working as slaves, built our nation's White House, as well as the Capitol Building itself. That they were subjected to such treatment anywhere in a "free" nation is unconscionable. That this mistreatment occurred in our nation's Capital, and in the White House itself, is almost unforgiveable.

"John Adams" with Laura Linney and Paul Giamatti

I have no idea why I have not seen this incredible HBO Mini Series from 2008, nor any excuse as to why I have not read the book. I can only atone for it by writing this review. What a pleasure it was to watch history portrayed so accurately, and with such fine acting. The movie, based on the Pulitzer Prize Winning book by David McCullough, is of course, beyond reproach. The research for this project was an enormous undertaking, which included the diaries of both Abigal (Laura Linney) and John Adams (Paul Giamatti), as well as their abundant letters to one another. And in that sense, this movie is the story of a marriage, as well as that of John Adams and the Revolution.

There are 7 parts to this docu-drama, though it really could be termed a documentary.From his beginnings as a lawyer, the film follows the career of one of America's Founding Fathers, as he navigates his way through war, politics and personal tragedy, and helps to form the 13 colonies into a Sovereign Nation.

A large part of the series concerns the conflict between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. They were very much divided on several points. From the subject of currency issue and National Debt, to the formation of a Standing Army, these two men could not have differed more on so many subjects, yet both passionately loved the Ideal that defined the American Revolution.

Eventually, when the two men got older, they became great friends once again, and that friendship would last until both their deaths on July 4th, 1826. Adams last words were, "Jefferson survives." At the same time that he was uttering these words, Jefferson was only hours away from death himself at his home in Virginia. In Philadelphia, where the 50th anniversary of the Revolution which founded the Republic was being celebrated, the Liberty Bell was struck in commemoration, and cracked.

The film is lengthy, it took me 3 nights to watch it. But I actually looked forward to the next disc each evening. A knowledge of history is helpful in watching this film, but not necessary, in order to absorb the magnanimity of the sacrifices endured by the men, and women, who helped to found our Nation. These were extraordinary people, faced with extraordinary circumstances, which they met head on.

Here is a link to a great interview with the author of this beautifully crafted book and film;

http://www.thedocisin.net/?p=3747

"The Lion of Liberty" by Harlow Giles Unger

Patrick Henry was a complex man. We all remember him as the patriot who thundered the immortal words, "Give me Liberty, or give me Death." In school that's about all they tell you about him. But he was so much more. And Mr. Unger does his level best to make sure that we see this extraordinary man from all angles.

One of the most overlooked of our "Founding Fathers", Patrick Henry came from a family of lawyers. Several generations, in fact. His faher was the presiding judge in the Virginia County in which they lived.

At that time in Virginia, farmers of tobacco were obligated to cede a portion of their crop to the Anglican Church. The Church then sold this crop for a profit as a means to survive. But what happened when a bad season ruined the crops through drought, or even flood? When the weather didn't co-operate and the farmers bought in no crop, the Parsons wanted their money anyway, even at the cost of bankrupting the farmers. The Colonial Governor authorized the "Two Penny Act", which guaranteed the Parsons 2 cents per pound of tobacco, even in bad years.

The Parsons complained to the King, after all, with tobacco scarce the price had gone up and they wanted more than their usual share of the profits. The King agreed and nullified the act of his own Governor. The Parsons then filed suit for the monies owed them, but at the higher rate, which would bankrupt most of the planters. The planters, in turn, called upon Patrick Henry, who had never tried a case in court before, for their Defense. The fate of nearly every farmer in Virginia was resting on this young and untested attorney. This case became known as "The Parson's Cause."

With the keen eye of a surgeon he took the position that there was a contract between the Crown and the People. The people worked and a portion of that work went to the Crown for protection in times of war, stable governance and economic well being. When the King nullified the Two Penny Act, which had been drafted by his own Governor, in Mr. Henry's opinion, the Crown broke that contract, freeing the people to do as they would.

When Mr. Henry won the case the King came up with the Stamp Act. The British hoped that by requiring the affixing of tax stamps to all legal documents, and newspapers, enough money would be generated to pay for the British soldiers who provided protection against Indians in the Western Colonies. The King's aim may have been legitimate, but his timing couldn't have been worse. The whole episode caused the colonists to convene the "Stamp Act Congress." The Revolution was underway.

This is a very well written, and somewhat complex look, at a man who was well ahead of his time in almost every facet of his life. He was a proponent of Abolition, yet, like most of the Founding Fathers, held slaves. He was a devout family man, and as gregarious a character as his compatriot Thomas Jefferson. An avid fiddler, he often frequented the local pub to play his fiddle after a victory in court. Shortly after his brilliant victory in the Parson's Cause case, he became the most sought after attorney in the colony of Virginia.

The book follows Mr. Henry through the years of the Revolution, showing the part he played in making it happen. Thomas Jefferson once said of him, that "Mr. Henry gave the first impulse to the ball of the Revolution." High praise, coming as it did from Mr. Jefferson!

Mr. Unger has done a wonderful job of pulling together the many pieces of history that comprise the story of the American Revolution. He follows the path of Patrick Henry throughout the War, as the colonists struggle to attain their Independence from the Crown. The author follows the Colonial Army as it barely survives the winter at valley Forge, and Mr. Henry rides throughout the colonies, in an effort to keep the troops supplied with clothing, food and ammunition.

This is an insightful read into the causes, and eventual triumph, of the American Revolution, as well as an exciting chronicle of the life of one it's principal players. Set, as it is, against the backdrop of a changing Europe and the War between France and England, the book also explores some of the petty, and not so petty, differences that were dividing our own leaders at the time. The debate on whether to revolt or not, during which Patrick Henry unleashed his famous quote, is but a small part of a large and grandiose story that would come to affect the whole world.