B964
07-26-2008, 11:34 AM
Please allow me to share this inspirational post from the Project Appleseed forum.
Should you be touched by this, please share it with others and go to RWVA.org for more information...
Isaac Davis
AKA "Am I Doing Enough".
April 19th, 1775, approximately 6:00 am, there was a knock at the home of Isaac Davis, located in Acton. Isaac Davis was a gunsmith, and also the captain of the Acton Militia. His unit not only drilled, but they also practiced marksmanship twice a week behind Davis's gunshop. Davis also equipped the troops under his command as any "gun guy" would do, with the best equipment he could get. Cartridge boxes and bayonets, equivalent of the British regulars. The best equipped militia in New England at the time. Other units may have had scattered better equipment, however, Davis's men were uniformly setup.
Upon awakening, Davis took up his Minuteman equipment, ready, of course, in a minute's time. Dressed, and walking out the door, he turned to his wife. She wrote in her journal that he stopped in the doorway, as if to say something, but he hesitated. After a moment, he only turned and said "Take care of the children".
And then he walked off into the dawn.
She was at that time sure Isaac would never return alive.
The exact morning activities are lost to me, but he and his unit made it to Pukattaset Hill, while the militia of Concord and elsewhere gathered. Part of the morning was spent in discussion over what to do with the British in Concord. Until the plume of smoke arose from the accidental fire set to the town hall that is. Then, someone, finally, asked the correct question.
"Will we sit here as the Regulars burn our town?"
Finally, the slow to motion, but furious in their action New Englanders began to form up to "run the Regulars out". Davis was asked if his Acton Militia would lead the way.
He replied the words for History. "I have not a man who is afraid to go."
At the North Bridge the Militia approached the 3 companies of Regulars. The Regulars took a shot into the water first, as a warning. When the Militia didn't stop, they fired a second volley, this one going high. For the most part. However, while the center was high, the cone stretched both higher and lower, the lower shots causing wounds to the head and chest. Isaac Davis was among the first to fall, with a ball to the heart.
After several volleys, the Regulars broke and ran. The Militia, having practiced Marksmanship, shot the officers first. However, the war, and the future, was over for Isaac Davis.
Of his children, as many as 4 had a fever rash, that was known a being fatal in those times. His wife was left alone, sure of his not returning. I believe he knew he wasn't coming home, or at least the possibility was heavy on his mind.
But he went anyway.
There was no country then. The United States was but a far away fantasy for most, to only be dreamed of in the deepest of sleep. Not until Thomas Paine's pamphlet, Common Sense, did the dream begin to take shape at a Colonial wide scope. And that wasn't until late 1775, and over a year latter until the Declaration of Independence. In fact, the months after Davis died, reconciliation with the Crown was on the minds of most of the colonists.
Had that happened, Davis, along with all the others dead on that first day, would have died for nothing.
Still, he went, for no other reason than it had to be done.
We are now a Nation, with over 200 years invested in it's body. We have a History that is our own, starting with that first shot on Lexington Green, 19 April, 1775.
Our future though; it is just as cloudy now as it was when Isaac Davis bled out at the North Bridge. Our Nation, and it's people, have grown weak in spirit and body, from Letting Things Go. Letting Someone Else Take Care Of It. From practicing Not Getting Involved. From thinking My Vote Won't Count Anyway.
Instead, we complain. We gripe. We spend time discussing the evils of the "gooberment". And then we go to work the next day, get our little bit, stretch it out to the next little bit, sometimes taking the family out to dinner and a movie.
Fat and happy, doing it again.
...we complain. We gripe. We spend time discussing the evils of the "gooberment". And then we go to work the next day, get our little bit, stretch it out to the next little bit, sometimes taking the family out to dinner and a movie.
Fat and happy, doing it again.
Davis could have done what we do now. Sat in the tavern, propping his feet up by the fire, complaining about Parliament, and a distant government ruling him with no input from him. No representation, as it were.
He could have lived out his life, to the ripe old age, and watched his surviving children grow. All the benefits of living.
Instead, he took his action.
We do not ask you to die. We don't even ask you to take up arms, or fight.
We simply ask you for your time.
Now.
Before.
We win now, or we fight later. And then someone else will become the next Isaac Davis.
I'm sure he would advise against it.
I will leave you with this. We are all Isaac Davis's children. Sons and Daughters of Paul Revere, John Adams, George Washington, Thomas Paine, Jefferson, Hancock, Adams, Franklin, Greene. The Parkers, the Harringtons
Will we do as well for our children, our Posterity, as they did for us?
Will you work for it?
Here is the words on the monument in Lexington;
...Ensign Robert Munroe, Messrs Jonas Parker, Samuel Hadley, Jonathan Harrington, Junr, Isaac Muzzy, Caleb Harrington, and John Brown of Lexington, and Ashahel Porter of Woburn, who fell on this field
The first victims to the sword of British Tyranny & Oppression, on the morning of the ever memorable Nineteenth of April An. Dom. 1775
The Die was cast!!!
The Blood of these Martyrs,
In the cause of God & their Country was the cement of the Union of these States, then Colonies & gave the Spring to the spirit, Firmness & resolution of their fellow Citizens. They rose as one man to revenge their Brethren's Blood, and at the point of a sword, to assert and defend their native rights.
They nobly dar'd to be free!!
The contest was long, bloody, & affecting; Righteous Heaven approved the solemn appeal; victory crowned their arms; and the Peace, Liberty, and Independence of the United States of America, was their glorious reward. 1799
"I have not a man who is afraid to go."
"Take care of the children."
The Guy
RWVA Staff
Appleseedinfo.org
Should you be touched by this, please share it with others and go to RWVA.org for more information...
Isaac Davis
AKA "Am I Doing Enough".
April 19th, 1775, approximately 6:00 am, there was a knock at the home of Isaac Davis, located in Acton. Isaac Davis was a gunsmith, and also the captain of the Acton Militia. His unit not only drilled, but they also practiced marksmanship twice a week behind Davis's gunshop. Davis also equipped the troops under his command as any "gun guy" would do, with the best equipment he could get. Cartridge boxes and bayonets, equivalent of the British regulars. The best equipped militia in New England at the time. Other units may have had scattered better equipment, however, Davis's men were uniformly setup.
Upon awakening, Davis took up his Minuteman equipment, ready, of course, in a minute's time. Dressed, and walking out the door, he turned to his wife. She wrote in her journal that he stopped in the doorway, as if to say something, but he hesitated. After a moment, he only turned and said "Take care of the children".
And then he walked off into the dawn.
She was at that time sure Isaac would never return alive.
The exact morning activities are lost to me, but he and his unit made it to Pukattaset Hill, while the militia of Concord and elsewhere gathered. Part of the morning was spent in discussion over what to do with the British in Concord. Until the plume of smoke arose from the accidental fire set to the town hall that is. Then, someone, finally, asked the correct question.
"Will we sit here as the Regulars burn our town?"
Finally, the slow to motion, but furious in their action New Englanders began to form up to "run the Regulars out". Davis was asked if his Acton Militia would lead the way.
He replied the words for History. "I have not a man who is afraid to go."
At the North Bridge the Militia approached the 3 companies of Regulars. The Regulars took a shot into the water first, as a warning. When the Militia didn't stop, they fired a second volley, this one going high. For the most part. However, while the center was high, the cone stretched both higher and lower, the lower shots causing wounds to the head and chest. Isaac Davis was among the first to fall, with a ball to the heart.
After several volleys, the Regulars broke and ran. The Militia, having practiced Marksmanship, shot the officers first. However, the war, and the future, was over for Isaac Davis.
Of his children, as many as 4 had a fever rash, that was known a being fatal in those times. His wife was left alone, sure of his not returning. I believe he knew he wasn't coming home, or at least the possibility was heavy on his mind.
But he went anyway.
There was no country then. The United States was but a far away fantasy for most, to only be dreamed of in the deepest of sleep. Not until Thomas Paine's pamphlet, Common Sense, did the dream begin to take shape at a Colonial wide scope. And that wasn't until late 1775, and over a year latter until the Declaration of Independence. In fact, the months after Davis died, reconciliation with the Crown was on the minds of most of the colonists.
Had that happened, Davis, along with all the others dead on that first day, would have died for nothing.
Still, he went, for no other reason than it had to be done.
We are now a Nation, with over 200 years invested in it's body. We have a History that is our own, starting with that first shot on Lexington Green, 19 April, 1775.
Our future though; it is just as cloudy now as it was when Isaac Davis bled out at the North Bridge. Our Nation, and it's people, have grown weak in spirit and body, from Letting Things Go. Letting Someone Else Take Care Of It. From practicing Not Getting Involved. From thinking My Vote Won't Count Anyway.
Instead, we complain. We gripe. We spend time discussing the evils of the "gooberment". And then we go to work the next day, get our little bit, stretch it out to the next little bit, sometimes taking the family out to dinner and a movie.
Fat and happy, doing it again.
...we complain. We gripe. We spend time discussing the evils of the "gooberment". And then we go to work the next day, get our little bit, stretch it out to the next little bit, sometimes taking the family out to dinner and a movie.
Fat and happy, doing it again.
Davis could have done what we do now. Sat in the tavern, propping his feet up by the fire, complaining about Parliament, and a distant government ruling him with no input from him. No representation, as it were.
He could have lived out his life, to the ripe old age, and watched his surviving children grow. All the benefits of living.
Instead, he took his action.
We do not ask you to die. We don't even ask you to take up arms, or fight.
We simply ask you for your time.
Now.
Before.
We win now, or we fight later. And then someone else will become the next Isaac Davis.
I'm sure he would advise against it.
I will leave you with this. We are all Isaac Davis's children. Sons and Daughters of Paul Revere, John Adams, George Washington, Thomas Paine, Jefferson, Hancock, Adams, Franklin, Greene. The Parkers, the Harringtons
Will we do as well for our children, our Posterity, as they did for us?
Will you work for it?
Here is the words on the monument in Lexington;
...Ensign Robert Munroe, Messrs Jonas Parker, Samuel Hadley, Jonathan Harrington, Junr, Isaac Muzzy, Caleb Harrington, and John Brown of Lexington, and Ashahel Porter of Woburn, who fell on this field
The first victims to the sword of British Tyranny & Oppression, on the morning of the ever memorable Nineteenth of April An. Dom. 1775
The Die was cast!!!
The Blood of these Martyrs,
In the cause of God & their Country was the cement of the Union of these States, then Colonies & gave the Spring to the spirit, Firmness & resolution of their fellow Citizens. They rose as one man to revenge their Brethren's Blood, and at the point of a sword, to assert and defend their native rights.
They nobly dar'd to be free!!
The contest was long, bloody, & affecting; Righteous Heaven approved the solemn appeal; victory crowned their arms; and the Peace, Liberty, and Independence of the United States of America, was their glorious reward. 1799
"I have not a man who is afraid to go."
"Take care of the children."
The Guy
RWVA Staff
Appleseedinfo.org