On September 19, 1777 my great-great- .... grandmother, her husband, children, her brother, his wife and their children awoke to milk the cows and, on stepping outside, found
THE ROYAL FUCKING ARMY.
They were Loyalists but Grandpa was a Patriot.
In the ensuing battle, their farms were incorporated into the line and destroyed by Patriot bombardment. Crops trampled. Animals "expropriated." Houses reduced to splinters.
Grandpa KIA. Husband KIA. Brother was "volunteered" and probably fired shots at his father's unit. We can't even figure out how many of our people were in the battle -- few records were left intact. No doubt many, many cousins and in-laws were involved.
After the peace treaty was signed, surviving members of the family, brother, sislter-in-law, widowed sister and their combined children, were granted Safe Passage to Canada in what is now Ontario.
Only half the children made it to the refugee camp alive.
Did they rend their garments and wail and gnash their teeth? Probably.
Let's give some perspective:
On September 19, 1777 my great-great- .... grandmother, her husband, children, her brother, his wife and their children awoke to milk the cows and, on stepping outside, found
THE ROYAL FUCKING ARMY.
They were Loyalists but Grandpa was a Patriot.
In the ensuing battle, their farms were incorporated into the line and destroyed by Patriot bombardment. Crops trampled. Animals "expropriated." Houses reduced to splinters.
Grandpa KIA. Husband KIA. Brother was "volunteered" and probably fired shots at his father's unit. We can't even figure out how many of our people were in the battle -- few records were left intact. No doubt many, many cousins and in-laws were involved.
After the peace treaty was signed, surviving members of the family, brother, sislter-in-law, widowed sister and their combined children, were granted Safe Passage to Canada in what is now Ontario.
Only half the children made it to the refugee camp alive.
Did they rend their garments and wail and gnash their teeth? Probably.
Did they believe God forsook them?
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
There are many more in my family's history. some even more dramatic and some not so much.
"These are the times that try men's souls . . . "
God bless -- keep the faith. Fight to the end however you can.