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Times were dark for the young republic. They had gained their independence from the empire thirty years before. In the years since times were tough. The light of the revolution had nearly gone out. Finally a small group of men met in secret and set a new course for the new republic. They founded the republic on the radical premise that the rights of the governed are more important than the right of the rulers.
The new compact within the republic led to a resurgence in economic and military might. That inevitably led to conflicts with the empire who was at the time the preeminent maritime power. The young republic was feeling it's oats and quite frankly prematurely declared war on the old empire.
The old empire was a massive military power with outposts around the globe. The one advantage the republic had was the empire was engaged in a war with another younger more aggressive empire.
At first our small navy was a match for empire's forces in the vicinity of the republic. For two year the republic pretty much had their way. In one small naval engagement the American Admiral sent a dispatch to his superiors stating "We have met the enemy and they are ours." However the weight of the empires battleships broke down the republics small navy. The empire had won their war against the other empire and could throw it's full weight against the republic. The empire then blockaded parts of the republic. The part of the republic where the revolution had spawned even talked secession from the republic!
The empires strategy was a three pronged attack. The middle prong seemed most dangerous as if that attack succeeded the republic would be split in two. With the empire controlling the seas the republic would be perhaps fatally split. The empire began that campaign by attacking the republics capital. The battle was swift and the army of the republic was beaten. Many of the leaders of the Republic had to flee for their lives, including the vivacious wife of the republic's president who was able to save some historic artifacts. The empires armies proceeded to burn the legislative buildings and even the presidential palace.
In less than three weeks they set their eyes on the next target, the largest city in the "Free State." They set a two prong attack, one infantry and one naval. The infantry attack went against an army commanded by one of the republics senators who had a well fortified position on the North Point. The republic army bent but did not break. The commander of the empire's army called a halt to the attack knowing that if the navel attack succeeded they would have won the campaign.
The navy moved in to attack the city's defenses. You have to understand one thing. The republic didn't believe in having large armies standing around. They believed that they could win with a citizen militia. In fact they had done just that with their citizen militia in the revolution. So when times were tough they didn't call on the army to bail them out, they did it themselves. What kind of people served in the militia? Most people did, but the city militia probably was a special case. The republic consisted of farms large and small. The large farmers generally were the officers, the small farmers the soldiers. The city militia were probably a different breed. They were likely working men, dirty but perhaps better educated than we might think. I'm sure of one thing they weren't likely thought of as the elite. The one thing they knew was what they were fighting for. They were fighting for their homes, their families, their friends and their country. On one of the empire's naval ships was a prisoner, a Doctor William Beanes. A lawyer and friend of his courageously went out to the ships to ask for his release. He was able to get the captain of the ship to agree, but only after the battle was over. The battle was joined. The empires fleet of 19 ships moved in with a rocket and mortar bombardment.
The defenders of the fort responded in kind. They were handicapped by the lack of range of their cannon. After the first barrages the fleet moved a mile and half away out of range of the forts cannon. They could hit the fort but they weren't accurate enough to cause enough damage to win. The empire tried one last attack where they put their best men on small boats and sent them to storm the fort on foot. Fortunately this thrust was discovered in time and the men of the fort drove them off in a withering barrage.
Finally shortly before dawn the guns fell silent. The passengers on the ship did not know the outcome of the action. Had the fort driven the attackers off or had it fallen. Would the republic see another day or would this unique experiment in self-determination founded on the principal that God was the source of our rights fade into the night. The passenger and his friend strained to see if the fort's large flag was still flying or had it been taken by the empire. As they strained to see the flag, the lawyer, Francis Scott Key had these thoughts.
Many sources were used for this article. The idea for the article was a somewhat similar one written by Wayne LaPierre in an NRA publication years ago. I haven't been able to sing the Star Spangled Banner since without getting choked up.
You and your family have a great Fourth of July
The new compact within the republic led to a resurgence in economic and military might. That inevitably led to conflicts with the empire who was at the time the preeminent maritime power. The young republic was feeling it's oats and quite frankly prematurely declared war on the old empire.
The old empire was a massive military power with outposts around the globe. The one advantage the republic had was the empire was engaged in a war with another younger more aggressive empire.
At first our small navy was a match for empire's forces in the vicinity of the republic. For two year the republic pretty much had their way. In one small naval engagement the American Admiral sent a dispatch to his superiors stating "We have met the enemy and they are ours." However the weight of the empires battleships broke down the republics small navy. The empire had won their war against the other empire and could throw it's full weight against the republic. The empire then blockaded parts of the republic. The part of the republic where the revolution had spawned even talked secession from the republic!
The empires strategy was a three pronged attack. The middle prong seemed most dangerous as if that attack succeeded the republic would be split in two. With the empire controlling the seas the republic would be perhaps fatally split. The empire began that campaign by attacking the republics capital. The battle was swift and the army of the republic was beaten. Many of the leaders of the Republic had to flee for their lives, including the vivacious wife of the republic's president who was able to save some historic artifacts. The empires armies proceeded to burn the legislative buildings and even the presidential palace.
In less than three weeks they set their eyes on the next target, the largest city in the "Free State." They set a two prong attack, one infantry and one naval. The infantry attack went against an army commanded by one of the republics senators who had a well fortified position on the North Point. The republic army bent but did not break. The commander of the empire's army called a halt to the attack knowing that if the navel attack succeeded they would have won the campaign.
The navy moved in to attack the city's defenses. You have to understand one thing. The republic didn't believe in having large armies standing around. They believed that they could win with a citizen militia. In fact they had done just that with their citizen militia in the revolution. So when times were tough they didn't call on the army to bail them out, they did it themselves. What kind of people served in the militia? Most people did, but the city militia probably was a special case. The republic consisted of farms large and small. The large farmers generally were the officers, the small farmers the soldiers. The city militia were probably a different breed. They were likely working men, dirty but perhaps better educated than we might think. I'm sure of one thing they weren't likely thought of as the elite. The one thing they knew was what they were fighting for. They were fighting for their homes, their families, their friends and their country. On one of the empire's naval ships was a prisoner, a Doctor William Beanes. A lawyer and friend of his courageously went out to the ships to ask for his release. He was able to get the captain of the ship to agree, but only after the battle was over. The battle was joined. The empires fleet of 19 ships moved in with a rocket and mortar bombardment.
The defenders of the fort responded in kind. They were handicapped by the lack of range of their cannon. After the first barrages the fleet moved a mile and half away out of range of the forts cannon. They could hit the fort but they weren't accurate enough to cause enough damage to win. The empire tried one last attack where they put their best men on small boats and sent them to storm the fort on foot. Fortunately this thrust was discovered in time and the men of the fort drove them off in a withering barrage.
Finally shortly before dawn the guns fell silent. The passengers on the ship did not know the outcome of the action. Had the fort driven the attackers off or had it fallen. Would the republic see another day or would this unique experiment in self-determination founded on the principal that God was the source of our rights fade into the night. The passenger and his friend strained to see if the fort's large flag was still flying or had it been taken by the empire. As they strained to see the flag, the lawyer, Francis Scott Key had these thoughts.
Oh! Say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last
gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the
perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly
streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still
there.
Oh! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Many sources were used for this article. The idea for the article was a somewhat similar one written by Wayne LaPierre in an NRA publication years ago. I haven't been able to sing the Star Spangled Banner since without getting choked up.
You and your family have a great Fourth of July
Mickey
Ames Tiedeman
RebTex
robert108
JazzyKat
Oswaldo
Rob
Gene
Kevin
