I met the relative of a Revolutionary war casualty today

[Smokey Joe]

If ye break faith...

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
— John McCrae

(Emphasis added.)

 

[AirplaneDoc]

I too have a few relatives who fought in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.
Just as a side note, We don't always have to go back that far to find examples of armed conflict that our relatives were inviolved in.

A few years ago I was in Germany, and had a old German woman ask me if I was American. When I replied yes I was, she began crying, hugging, and thanking me. Not being able to speak German, I did not understand much of what she was saying other than Danka "Thank You". Just then one of the tour guides came over and offered the explanation and transalation. The woman was thanking me for the berlin wall, (I did not realize untill it was pointed out, by the guide, that it was the anniversery of the berlin wall comming down) And she was thanking me for her being rescued. As the guide told me this, the woman pulled back the sleeve of her jacket and showed me the serial number tattoo on her forearm, as the guide explained that she had been a prisioner there at Dachau. I think on that day on the parade field of the Dachau Concentration Camp, I began to appreciate what it is was to be American. Even thou I am far to young to have been involved in either event, At least to one woman in Germany, we as American's are all responsible

 

[Owen Sparks]

4v50 Gary asked "where was this at and how far were the British?

I don't know. This is an old family story and the details are lost to history but I will ask my Dad if he knows anymore about what happened.
Not every colonist was against the British. I would guess that the sniper used a rifle and was probably not a British regular. I don't think anybody really knew where the shot came from and they probably all scattered immediatly.

 

[MathurinKerbouchard]

My wife is directly decended from one Robert Young.
Robert Young supposedly fired the shot that actually felled Patrick Ferguson from his horse at the Battle of Kings Mountain. (Ferguson had been hit multiple times, but it was supposedly Young's bullet that actually unhorsed him.)

http://www.tcarden.com/tree/ensor/Kingsmountainroster.html#Man

Young named his rifle Sweet Lips, after his wife. Grandpa Jones of Hee Haw fame, recorded a song about it at one time.

 

[4v50 Gary]

A gun purported to be Sweet Lips is at the Tennessee State Museum. The lock is missing from it (as it had not been restored). I saw it displayed there and they've given me permission (I paid) to reproduce it in my (long awaited) book on sharpshooters.

 

[JWarren]

Like a number on this thread, a number of my ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War as well as the Civil War.

We've always known that my namesake(s) fought in the Revolutionary War-- John Warren Sr. and John Warren Sr., II (odd naming.) John Warren Sr. II's grave in in my family cemetary about 3 miles from my house. I visit it regularly to insure its upkeep.

About 3 months ago, I was doing some research on John Warren Sr. I knew that both he and his son served in Capt. Elias Dubose's Company in the South Carolina Volunteer Militia. Capt. Elias Dubose was John Warren Sr. II's father-in-law. Doing some research on Capt. Elias Dubose, I discovered a couple interesting things.

First, Capt. Elias Dubose company was part of Francis Marion's (The Swamp Fox) army. Intersting in itself. Second, I was able to find a complete list of the soldiers who served in that army. It turns out that there were 8 other Warren's that served in Capt. Elias Dubose's Company.

It seems that we had a LOT of relatives in the War.


I agree that you get a strong sense of responsibility to those who fought to establish this country. So many, it seems have forgotten.

-- John

 

[Alexfubar]

I live in massachusetts , home of gun banning , Conservative-hating socialists and liberals. ...


My ancestors include General John Glover and his son in law Nicholas Broughton.

Glover was commander of the Marblehead Regiment that did the ferrying of Washington across the Delaware. We've all seen the painting , with Washington standing on the bow of the skiff , the rest of them boys are my "great cousins" , as well.

Nicholas Broughton , who married his daughter Hannah , was given command of the 1st US Warship , a small sloop , named the Hannah. When they couldn't find any English merchants to interdict , they went north and basically pirated the Canadian trade - who were not at war with us. Gen. Washington was fairly pissed off. But what else would you expect from heavily armed Scots with a lot of firepower ?

The graveyards in my town hold the burial sites of these heroes , their parents and their offspring , from Colonial days to my own father. I know were they all are.

My child thinks the town and house we live in is haunted , but she knows they are all relatives , so isn't too worried about it.

 

[RDavidP]

I had ancestors to fight in the Rev. War during the Battle of Moores Creek in NC, but they were Loyalists.

 

[Rocketman56]

Another Revolutionary War descendant

I was adopted at birth and I've just found out within the last year
who my biological parents were..

I haven't time to chase back my mother's side, but dad's side had this veteran..
(thanks to a cousin whose done the family tree..)

James L. Turley - served in the war from Virginia in 1777, in Capt. Thomas Pollard's company and Col. Rumsey's regiment. He again enlisted in 1781, and again for four weeks in Col. Lyon's regiment. He was in the battle of Germantown. He came to Sangamon county to reside, but died in Logan county, and is buried in the Carlyle cemetery, which was at that time known as the Turley graveyard. He was pensioned. "Illinois Revolutionary War Veteran Burials", 1917.

Apparently, James had 7 sons and 7 daughters, so most of the Turley's in Central Illinois are related to him... (including me, now! )

Revelations like this are real eye-openers.. I had to go back and re-read about the Battle of Germantown and try and trace the activities of Capt. Pollard.. Minimal findings so far but it certainly has been interesting.. (Way too many nights on the web with Google! )


Steve

 

[catfish101]

Imagine the shifts she experienced in daily life. Did you know her? I would love to have talked with her about little things: her reactions to cars, airplanes, telephone, movies, radio, and television for example.

She died before my time but I have heard several Civil war stories from my grandparents that she lived with until she died. I live in KY and there were alot of families split over the war. My family was. I remember them talking about her telling stories about the Rev. war. Here grandfather was in it. He died before she was born but her dad recounted those stories to her.

One thing I wish I could do over is tape record those stories as they were being told and not told them about the recorder so it would have been a natural.

 

[Texshooter]

Ah, blessed Freedom.

Thank you Patriots.

 

[MarshallDodge]

Thank you for sharing LKB. We have many to thank for our freedom.

Someday I would like to take my family back east and visit those areas so my boys can see the sacrifices that were made.

 

[Robert Hairless]

One thing I wish I could do over is tape record those stories as they were being told and not told them about the recorder so it would have been a natural.

It might be too late to do oral histories with generations past but it's just the right time to do them with the present generations of our families. That way we preserve what we know for those to come.

There's something especially exciting in hearing our ancestors speak to us.

You might want to get a decent voice recorder and start talking into it about your own earliest memories. Then see about transferring it to a CD. Do it bit by bit and pretty soon you'll have made your own oral history. Perhaps you can get other family members to do the same, and swap copies of your CDs for theirs.

I wouldn't record anyone in secret though. If naturalness is what you're after, you probably will find that after a few minutes the nervousness will pass.

 

[h0ss]

originally posted by Grandpa Shooter:

One of my relatives on my Mother's side was Colonel John Stark of the American militia. He and his troops successfully defended the armory at Bennington VT from the Hessians. I had a really hard time when the school my Son went to made a mockery of American History. I finally pulled him out and sent him to Charter school.

Thats interesting. I live in Bennington, VT. There is a grade school named after Molly Stark. Also a motel somewhere too, although i forget where exactly.


A guy i used to work with is big into history and was telling me that his father is friends with a man who is a direct descendent of Ethan Allen. Apparently Ethan Allens musket is still in the family's possession. Not sure how true that is, but if it is true, its very cool.

 

[Strings]

Knew a guy who was actually related to Tarrington (?), the British general that the villian of the Patriot was based on.

Thought that was a bit odd.

Unfortunately, I've never really traced dad's side of the family back. Mom's only goes back two generations, and then heads back to Italy...

 

[vis-à-vis]

I'm related to 2nd Lt. Hugh Kirkpatrick of the Maryland Militia.

Served in Capt William Bradford’s Company, Number 13, Maryland Militia, formed 30 Sep 1775, Hugh Kirkpatrick was a 2nd Lieutenant. He was also a Patriot in that he was appointed to inspect and appraise Guns (rifles) for the Honorable Convention. Hugh Kirkpatrick signed a Fidelity Oath on 21 Feb 1778.

There were a few other relatives. All officers in the Revolution.

My Uncle put together a 300 page Genealogy. I'm related to good ol' William Wallace (FREEEEDOM!!!!) It's a colorful history.

Haven't joined the Sons of the American Revolution yet.