Thursday, October 19, 2006
Why don't we celebrate October 19?
On this day 225 years ago, Lord Cornwalis surrendered 7,000 British troops to General George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette at Yorktown, effectively ceding the American colonies to the rebellion. The world would forever be different.
Since I will be extremely busy today (planes, trains and automobiles, actually), this may be it for a while.
3 Comments:
By 
, at
Thu Oct 19, 01:51:00 PM:
Instead of celebrating the victory at Yorktown on October 19, 1781 as America's birthday, we celebrate the 4th of July. Why? Because America is based on the credo of freedom and liberty so beautifully enunciated in the Declaration of Independence, and America was founded because our Founding Fathers were courageous enough to pledge their lives, fortunes and "sacred honor" and to boldly sign their names to a document that renounced their King and his tyrannical system of governance.
Of course, this country has survived over the centuries because Americans have always been willing to fight and die for the same principles as those men who fought the British during the siege at Yorktown 225 years ago. They fought to force the words "Don't Tread on Me" down the throats of King George, Lord Cornwallis and the bloody redcoats so that their children and children's children could enjoy "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Some of us still fight for those God-given and "unalienable rights" ... for ourselves, our progeny and all mankind. As George Washington himself once wrote, "Happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected."
It's altogether right and proper for Americans to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence as the creation of our nation, but it's good to remember that our ancestors had to endure more than six long years of war ... and that the United States of America would not exist without the victory won at Yorktown. Those who say that fighting never solves anything or that nothing good ever comes from war need to learn a little American history ... and to ponder just why it is that Americans celebrate July 4, 1776 and not October 19, 1781 as our country's birthday. (Hmm ... maybe we truly are a nation of peacemakers and not warmongers!) Again, to quote George Washington, "If we cannot learn wisdom from experience, it is hard to say where it is to be found."
The left has forgotten, I guess, that there are still some things worth fighting and, if necessary, dying for. (But that, as another George -- General George Patton -- once observed, you win wars by making the other son of a bitch die for his country.)
To commemorate the glorious victory won by Generals Washington and Lafayette 225 years ago today, let me leave you with the following quotes, including additional words of wisdom from George Washington, our first Commander-in-Chief and our first President -- indeed, our first "cowboy President" and first, but luckily not last, President named George -- that seem to me to be especially appropriate today:
"To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace." -- GW
"It is really a strange thing that there should not be room enough in the world for men to live, without cutting one anothers' throats." -- GW
"The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves." -- GW
"The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistence, or the most abject submission. We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer or die." -- GW
"The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations." -- GW
"Posterity: you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it." -- John Quincy Adams, 6th President of the United States
Flame
By 
fmfnavydoc, at
Thu Oct 19, 10:31:00 PM:
What was the name of the musical tune that the British played when they marched out of Yorktown to surrender?
"The World Turned Upside Down"
By Dawnfire82, at
Fri Oct 20, 07:00:00 PM:
Yep. And the Americans played 'Yankee Doodle,' a song made up by the British to mock the Revolutionaries. Sweet irony.
