Friday, July 4, 2014

The Fourth of July

Last night, I watched a documentary about the Revolutionary War, on the American History channel. Much of the Revolutionary War was fought in NY and NJ, in or very near places where I live(d). I shudder at the in-human conditions that the Continental Army, state militias, and other Patriot groups trained, camped, marched, and lived under. I also shudder at the thought of standing shoulder to shoulder at close range facing British soldiers who are also shoulder to shoulder and firing their rifles at you. And that was often followed by a bayonet charge--the Brits had bayonets, and we didn't. Even worse--the overwhelming majority of soldiers who died, died of starvation and disease as POWs in British prison ships. I can't think of too many more miserable ways to die.

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