Library Entry # 665
Marshall’s Law Dateline – Rule for this writing exercise; reader must distinguish between holidays and celebrations of sacrifices.
Definition of holiday is period of relaxation in which one is generally exempt from work.
Definition of celebrate is to perform sacrament or solemn ceremony with appropriate rites to honor person, day, or event.
Definition of patriot is one who, loves their country like America and supports its traditions; values; principles; history; constitution; domestic and national security interests.
Definition of sacred is dedicated to set apart for service or worship of God.
Concepts of this writing exercise are patriotic celebration and spiritual sacred celebration.
First two celebrations for April are celebrations of patriots’ sacrifices; while third April celebration defines spiritual sacrifice.
Story to explain first celebration of sacrifices by American patriots: “Shot Not Heard Around the World”
Background: Captain John was born in Lexington, Massachusetts, on July 13, 1729. Captain John played a prominent role in the first battle of the War for Independence, as leader of the volunteer American militia known as the Minutemen.
In April, British General Thomas Gage, military governor of Massachusetts decided to confiscate weapons stored in the village of Concord and capture patriot leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock reportedly living in Lexington. On the night of April 18 Captain John received warning of the approach of the king’s soldiers.
Act I: (afternoon April 18)
Patriot Leader (enters): Relax, Captain John. A decision has been made to assign you command of Lexington militia. Before you respond that others may seem more qualified, you were chosen, one, for your devotion and loyalty to following orders. Second, militia members respect you and will do exactly when and what you command.
Captain John: Should I ask my young scout to leave?
Patriot Leader: No he can report to me when time is right. Your orders, do not fire on British troops until after they fire on you and your militia. Have something to say?
Captain John: Sir, sounds like you are ordering me to conduct myself like a coward and watch my friends and neighbors die.
Patriot Leader: Sir, the very future of our yet unborn republic could very well depend on when you order your militia to fire. Tomorrow’s events will determine how fellow Americans and foreign governments view our struggle for freedom and liberty. Firing on British troops first will be remembered as a provocation by criminals and traitors. Firing on British troops after British fire on you and your militia is citizens engaging in self defense; a concept understood by all Judeo-Christians. I am asking you to place serving America’s unborn republic before your own vanity. Understand?
Captain John: Yes, Sir. I will not command my volunteer militia “not to return fire” until I fire or give the order.
Patriot Leader: Good, may our Heavenly Father be with you and your militia, (turns to young scout) I will be expecting brutally truthful report from you tomorrow.
ACT II: (April 19 Report To Patriot Leader)
Scout’s Report to Patriot Leader: The first shots were fired just as the sun was rising at Lexington. The British troops approached rapidly in platoons, with a officer leading on horseback. The officer came up to within about two rods of the centre of the company and 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 but no person was killed or hurt, being probably charged only with powder.
Captain John 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 any one of Captain John’s company. I was so situated that I would have known it, had any thing of the kind taken place before a total dispersion of our company.
ACT III
Captain to Grieving Woman: Let me say …
Grieving Woman (interrupts): Do not say another word to me. My husband, father of my children; and my only son is missing and thought to be prisoner of British. And the man you called your best friend is dead because you were too cowardly to give orders to fire on British before they got close enough to kill friends and neighbors under your command.
Captain John: (as turning to walk away): Madam that may very well be true.
Young Scout: Mother, we have to talk!
Captain John: Scout, this is the time for grieving, not talking, understand?
EPILOGUE: Now you my reader hopefully understand how one heart breaking loyal order should have become known as the “shot not heard around the world” as opposed to “the shot heard around the world.” So writes Texas Drifter.
Research Reference notes for reader: Scout’s Details of report based on excerpts from affidavit by Twenty-three-year-old Sylvanus Wood who was one of the Lexington militia who answered the call that spring morning. Several years after the event he committed his recollection to paper in an affidavit sworn before a Justice of the Peace which was first published in 1858: 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.
Part of affidavit includes: I have been intimately acquainted with the inhabitants of Lexington, and particularly with those of Captain John’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 Captain John’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 John’s company had dispersed, and he was at some distance, Captain John gave them ‘the guts of his gun’.
Reader can reference entire work at: All Right Magazine Texas Drifter: Portraits of Two Leaders – March 03, 2011
Translation: Any unjust law of the land can be changed when patriots are willing to make appropriate sacrifices.
Story to explain second celebration of sacrifices by American-Texan patriots includes General Houston’s example at San Jacinto. Taking a brief step back, definition of motivate is provide person with desire to act.
General Sam Houston had two types of motivations at Battle of San Jacinto. First, cowardly command at Goliad; and second, heart and souls full of courage at Alamo.
When the time was right, General Sam had two messages, one for his troops and one for his enemies. Sam’s first message to his troops: I ordered my scouts to burn all bridges. No one comes in, no one retreats. I must have Santa Anna alive. Remember Goliad. Remember the Alamo.
Casualty reports from April 21st eighteen minute battle sent Houston’s enemies the second message: six hundred enemy killed, two hundred enemy wounded, and 732 enemy captured. Santa Anna was captured the next day after fleeing the battle like a coward.
Out numbered two to one, Republic of Texas casualties were two killed and twenty-three wounded. The wounded included General Sam Houston. When asked about his part in the battle, one Texan answered, I would not have stopped killing those ######## if Jesus Christ himself had asked me too.
Closing question: The third and ultimate spiritual celebration of sacrifice in this year of 2014; is on April 18, a Friday. TRUE not FALSE
Bonus question, above is about celebrating actions of those whose sacrifices are verifiable memories. Not about most Americans whose future sacrifices will be limited to their popularity or ratings motivated words. TRUE or FALSE
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