Virtual Tices Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It's up to you. I give you our standard challenge. Read everything. Listen to everyone. Believe absolutely nothing unless you can prove it in your own research. That goes for me. It goes for your mother. It goes for your minister. It goes for your university professors. It goes for everybody. Just because somebody says it does not make it true. Just because it's printed in a book does not make it true. And just because you read it in the newspaper or see it on television or hear it on radio doth not make it true. Now, folks, I want you to settle back. Get comfortable. Because we're going to go on a little trip back in time. And, well, you'll see. And I hope you enjoy. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We're listening to the hour of the time, folks. And according to William Jefferson Clinton, I am the most dangerous radio host in America. And if you listen carefully, you'll find out why. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And then paid a substitute for another three-month period. New England, with its Puritan origins and articulate leadership, was quick to react to discriminatory British actions. And by 1774, many citizens were ideologically prepared for war. The law from Cambridge is somewhat faulty. On 1 September 1774, a detachment sent out by General Gage seized gunpowder from Charlestown and two cannons from Cambridge. The populace reacted with prejudicial and predictable vigor. A group of three or four thousand did surround the house of the lieutenant governor, Thomas Oliver, not Thomas, and they did force him to sign a paper resigning his seat as president of the council. But the mob dispersed quietly. Brigham remained in Marlboro until 1796, when he joined the Yankee exodus to New York. He lived at Madison until 1802, then at Augusta in Oneida County, and moved to Chautauqua in 1810. He submitted this deposition in 1832 and was, based upon his narrative, granted a pension for his role in the Revolutionary War. This is his story. In the year 1774, he was residing in the town of Marlboro, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The British troops were then in Boston, and their fleet lying off and blockading the harbor. Excitement was high. And the moment of actual hostilities constantly anticipated by the inhabitants. Under these circumstances, he, with others of his townsmen, voluntarily formed themselves into a military company, a militia. And in the month of April in that year, chose the following company officers. Daniel Barnes, Captain. William Morse, First. And Paul Brigham, Second Lieutenants. The company attached itself to a regiment, raised in like manner, of whom one Henshaw was chosen colonel. Jonathan Ward, Lieutenant Colonel, and Timothy Bigelow and Edward Barnes Majors. That he and the company to which he belonged equipped themselves and met punctually through the year two days each week for the purpose of military exercise and improvement, and, as a minute man, continued to serve until his regular enlistment in the month of May, 1775, a period of about one year and one month. Among his first companions in the service, he recollects, Benjamin Stevens, John Warren, Ephraim Barber, and Moses Roberts, who was afterwards killed at the Battle of White Plains. While in the service, as such minute men, and in the early part of April, 1775, word was brought to Colonel Cyprian Howe of the militia that the colonial lieutenant governor, Thomas, had caused the Cambridge townhouse, in which the inhabitants had deposited a quantity of ammunition in military stores, to be broken open, and the articles it contained removed in the night to Boston. He immediately requested those who were willing to volunteer and go with him to punish the aggressor, and take measures to prevent the like occurrences in other towns. The declarant, and others, to the number of about 25, offered their services and went on horseback, under the command of Colonel Howe to the lieutenant governor's residence, a distance of some 25 miles. On arriving there, a committee was appointed to wait upon the lieutenant governor and make known their business, who, in discharge of their duty, went to his front door and knocked for admittance. But the door was fastened, and all silent in the house. They then went to the rear door and knocked, on which the lieutenant governor put out his head from a chamber window, and demanded their business. They told him they did not come to do any personal injury, but to obtain information and satisfaction in relation to the removal of the stores from Cambridge. He replied that they were removed by the express orders of Governor Gage, commander of the king's troops in Boston, that he was sorry that he had removed them, and would not remove any more, and consented to give a written pledge to that effect, that he then came out, marched with uncovered head through the company, and then signed the written pledge that he would not in future interfere or intermeddle with any of the town's stores, and would remain quietly and peaceably at home, and that he was sorry that he had had anything to do with the removal of the Cambridge stores. Of this, he was dismissed, and the company returned, not knowing, but they would be immediately arrested and transported beyond the seas for trial for so hazardous an action. At other times, before the actual commencement of hostilities, declarant was engaged in other similar enterprises, and on one occasion dispersed a gang of the king's adherents, who had collected to destroy the property, if not the person, of Colonel Bailey of Berlin, an ardent Whig, who had become obnoxious to the enemies of liberty, and as a minute man, declarant was ever ready on all occasions to defend his country and her rights. On the 19th of April, 1775, declarant, under the same officers as the preceding year, marched to Concord for the protection of the military stores on the first notice of the hostile approach of the British forces. Great efforts were made to keep secret the march and the objects of these troops, but the battle at Lexington roused the country. Declarant heard of the affair at Lexington about nine or ten o'clock in the forenoon, and arrived at Concord, a distance of about sixteen miles, at about two or three o'clock in the afternoon. When declarant arrived, the British had effected their object and were retreating. When declarant and his company immediately pursued, they could hear, as they advanced, various accounts of the retreating foe. Sometimes they were told they were nearly upon them and would then march upon a run for some distance till other accounts would induce them to believe they could not be overtaken and would then resume their ordinary march. When in pursuit, they saw numbers of dead bodies as the enemy's retreat was harassed by the yeomanry firing upon them from behind walls, hedges, and buildings. The British, reinforced at Lexington by Lord Percy, continued their retreat to Bunker's Hill, and the next morning crossed to Boston. Declarant and company encamped overnight at a place called Monotomy, about four miles from Cambridge, and the next morning joined the American army at Cambridge. Declarant remained at Cambridge with the troops until sometime in May. Thereafter, when enlisting orders were published, and then Declarant and his company enlisted for eight months and were continued under the same officers, with this exception, that Artemis Ward was colonel of his regiment instead of Colonel Hinshaw. On the 17th of June, 1775, Declarant was engaged in the battle at Bunker's Hill. The firing on the part of the British commenced at an early hour in the morning from their ships and batteries, but the engagement did not become general until a little afternoon when their forces crossed Charles River and attempted to dislodge the Americans from the redoubt which they had erected the preceding night. The battle was severe, and the British repulsed at every charge until, for want of ammunition, the Americans were compelled to retire. The awful solemnities of that day are still deeply impressed upon Declarant's mind, and the scenes of carnage and death and the inconceivable grandeur of the immense volume of flames illuminating the battlefield from the burning of Charlestown appear as vivid as if the events of yesterday. He was acquainted with every captain in his regiment who was in the battle. Captain Millen of Hopkinton, Captain Fay of Southborough, Captain Barnes of Marlborough, Declarant's Company, Captain Wood of Northborough, who was wounded in the shoulder, Captain Wheelock of Westborough, Captain Drury of Grafton, Captain Cushing of Shrewsbury, Captain Hubbard, who was afterwards killed at Quebec, Captain Kellogg of Hadley, and Captain Washburn of Leicester, who then, an aged man, and being himself wounded in the shoulder, brought off from the field Sergeant Brown, who was wounded in the far, and carried him to safety. When Colonel Artemis Ward assumed the command in chief of the army, Declarant's regiment continued under the command of Colonel Jonathan Ward, no colonel being appointed in the place of Artemis. On the second day of July, 1775, General Washington arrived at Cambridge as commander-in-chief. The army was reorganized by him, and Declarant's regiment removed from Cambridge to Dorchester Neck, where Declarant remained until sometime in February of 1776, 30 days after his period of enlistment had expired. The last 30 days' service was rendered at the express request of the commander-in-chief, and with the assurance that it should in all respects be deemed the same as if the original term of enlistment had not till then expired. The company was called together at the expiration of the last 30 days, and dismissed without any written discharges, having served nine months after his regular enlistment. In March, or the forepart of April 1776, Declarant enlisted under a captain whose name he does not now recollect as he was a stranger to him, and as he did not serve personally under him. For a period of three months to guard the town of Boston, which had then been recently evacuated by the enemy. He hired Charles Hudson to serve this period for him, who was accepted as his substitute, answered, and did duty in his name. Declarant went to Boston during his service, and understood and believes he served the said term of three months faithfully, and was regularly discharged at the expiration thereof, and was paid his wages by Declarant in addition to his regular pay, which he drew as such substitute in Declarant's name. In the beginning of October 1777, when General Burgoyne was advancing from the north, and Sir Henry Clinton from the south, threatening a total dismemberment of the states, a call was made for volunteers from Marlborough, where Declarant was still residing, to march against Burgoyne. Declarant volunteered in this service, and a company of his townsmen was organized under William Morse as captain, and Ephraim Barber and Obadiah Bass lieutenants, and Declarant marched with them through Springfield and Northampton, Massachusetts, Brattleboro, and Bennington, Vermont, Hoosick, and Cambridge to Saratoga, New York, where they arrived two or three days before the surrender of Burgoyne. Declarant's regiment was commanded by Colonel Reed on this occasion. After the surrender of Burgoyne, Declarant and his regiment returned, having in their charge the Hessian prisoners in one party and the British prisoners in another, the regiment having divided and taken different routes for that purpose. At Charlestown, in Massachusetts, the regiment united, but the British prisoners, not being willing to go on in company with the Hessians, that part of the regiment with which Declarant was, and who had the Hessians in charge, remained there until the other party had first advanced, when they proceeded with their prisoners to Winter Hill near Boston and then returned to their homes. On this service, Declarant was absent thirty days. Ladies and gentlemen, it was common during the Revolutionary War for soldiers to pay someone else to serve in their stead, and it was as, as, a little confusing sometimes, it was as if they had served themselves. Only the substituted collected their pay, and they were paid, in addition, by the person being substituted, and, of course, they had to perform all duties, fight all battles, march, whatever was required of them, in the stead of the person being substituted for. anic candidate on the side on the уровню and on theождения for those who have on the fleece Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. of the Continental Army, successively as sergeant, ensign, and then finally as lieutenant. He retired to make shoes for the army, later farmed and successfully submitted this pension application in 1830. His pension was granted. Whoever these lines come before may depend upon facts that I, Sylvanus Wood, was born in Woburn, but in that part now called Burlington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, twelve miles from Boston, and there I learned to make boots and shoes. There I joined a minute company, disciplined with activity by a man who was in the fight on Abraham's plains with the brave General Wolfe, and in fifteen months hostilities commenced. I was then established at my trade two miles east of Lexington Meeting House, on west border of Woburn, and on the 19th morn of April, 1775, Robert Douglas and myself heard Lexington Bell about one hour before day. We concluded that trouble was near. We waited for no man but hastened and joined Captain Parker's company at the breaking of the day. Douglas and myself stood together in the center of said company when the enemy first fired. The English soon were on their march for Concord. I helped carry six dead into the meeting house, and then set out after the enemy, and had not an armed man to go with me. But before I arrived at Concord, I see one of the grenadiers standing sentinel. I cocked my piece, and run up to him, seized his gun with my left hand. He surrendered his armor, one gun and bayonet, a large cutlash, and brass fender, one box over the shoulder with twenty-two rounds, one box round the waist, with eighteen rounds. This was the first prisoner that was known to be taken that day. I followed the enemy to Concord and to Bunker Hill that day. Next morning, I agreed to stay the first campaign and served as sergeant, and when my first term was expired, Colonel Loamy Baldwin of the same town of myself gave me an ensigns commission for 1776 and marched to New York, when General Sullivan and General Lord Sterling were made prisoners. I was in the reinforcement on Long Island when we evacuated the island. General McDougall commanded the flotilla when we left the island of New York. The baggage was carried to the North River, with an officer and ten privates to guard the chests. But a British ship came up the river, and cut off ours, and all was lost. The next day we crossed the river and went over to Fort Lee. Soon after, we crossed back and landed above Kingsbridge. We marched on and came to a place called Frog's Point. There we had a small brush with the enemy. I received a ball through my left shoulder. Colonel Shepard threw his double chin. Our wounds were dressed at Dr. Graham's in White Plains. My wound soon got well, and at the end of 1776 campaign, Colonel Baldwin leaving the army, Colonel Wesson took the command, and he placed me as first lieutenant in Captain John Wood's company during the war. I told the Colonel I would stay with all my heart if I was not overpowered at home, and when four months was elapsed, I saw my parents and offered them all I was worth if they would be willing. I should stay in the army. But no offer, whatever would answer. I then concluded to leave the army, but with great reluctance. Colonel Wesson asked me what I was going to do. I told him I did not know what to set myself about, but having a chance to make shoes for the army, I bought leather, hired journeymen, made shoes, and delivered them for the soldiers. And after some time was elapsed, I took my money, and it would not purchase my stock, so I lost my time for 1777. After this, it came into my mind to purchase a small farm about forty acres, and my custom was to make a pair of plow joggers in the afternoon, and before noon, and work on the farm in the afternoon, so that I got no time to go a-hawking. And about thirty years ago, I'm becoming acquainted with the Honorable Abraham Bigelow Clark of Middlesex County Courts. He offered me a farm in the town of Woburn, $5,333 purchased about twenty-six years ago. I labored nights as well as days, and have paid for the same. It is true, but my lifting logs of wood, barrels of cider, has caused a breach of body which all physicians on earth cannot make whole. This infirmity I have been troubled with about fifteen years, and now I am not able to do anything by reason of the breach. I am past seventy-six years of age. I sent an application with my commission eight or nine years ago to Congress. I am worth nothing but what has been drawn from my fingers' ends. If I am favored ever with anything for service done in the Army, I need it now, as well as my fellow soldiers who have done no more than I have. I think I have been neglected. If I have said anything wrong, I will seal my lips and say no more. But I am willing to publish this to the United States. Fly to the U.S. . . . . . . . Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitled them, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments, for suspending our own legislatures and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. He has abdicated government here by declaring us out of His protection and waging war against us. He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. He is, at this time, transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy, scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy, the head of a civilized nation. He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country. To become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to follow themselves by their hands. He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes. And conditions. In every stage of these oppressions, we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms. Our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Nor have we been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our immigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity. And we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would invariably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They, too, have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace, friends. We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in general Congress, assembled, appealing to the supreme judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved. And that, as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Samuel Larrabee was born in 1753. He was a resident of North Yarmouth, Maine. He claims to have participated in the Boston Tea Party in 1773, joined a state militia company two months after Lexington and Concord. He served on a government vessel in Casco Bay and at Falmouth, and enlisted in February 1776 in a Massachusetts regiment with the Continental Army. After a siege of about a year, Washington's troops occupied Dorchester Heights on the night of 4th March 1776. The British commander, the British commander, Howe, had no choice but to evacuate Boston. This narrative conveys the excitement with which the Americans reoccupied the town. It was the first and one of the most brilliant American successes of the war. Larrabee filed this account and received a pension in 1837. In the month of June, 1775, at North Yarmouth, he enlisted in a company of the state militia commanded by Captain Benjamin Parker and served in said company till the last of November or first of December following. The first part of the time he served on Chebacue Island in Casco Bay. Then accompanied by Captain Parker, he went on board a government vessel commanded by Captain John Wyman, which was employed in cruising between Cape Elizabeth and Monhegan. On one of these cruises he fell ill, and then fell in with General Arnold's transports on their way up to Kenebeck, near Seguin Island. At the time, Falmouth, now Portland, was burnt. In October 1775, a part of our company was there, and the rest followed immediately after. The last duty we did on that enlistment was to build a fort near the foot of King Street, a British armed vessel having made its appearance in the harbor. This fort was thrown up in one night by said Parker's company, assisted by soldiers from other companies, which were stationed there. The British vessel, the next morning seeing our fort mounted with two long 18-pounders, immediately made sail without changing a shot. This was about the last of November, or first of December, when our company were discharged, having served not less than five months. The said Samuel Larrabee further states that early in the month of February 1776 at North Yarmouth, he again enlisted under John Webster, an orderly sergeant, and marched to Dorchester, near Boston, and there joined a company commanded by Captain Cranston in the regiment commanded by Colonel Whitcomb, and served on Dorchester Heights, the road to which was across a low piece of land where we were exposed to the fire of Lord Howe's guns, to protect ourselves from which we placed bundles of hay. The last fortnight before Howe evacuated Boston, we kept up a smart cannonading every pleasant night from twelve o'clock till sunrise. The night before Howe left, we threw up a fortification on the point opposite south Boston. In this new fortification were myself and three hundred others who received a heavy fire as soon as we were discovered in the morning from guns placed on May's Wharf and those around it. About sunrise, and on a day in the middle of March, the 17th, I believe, Howe's fleet began to move. The drums beat to arms from Dorchester Heights all around to Cambridge, and we instantly left our fort and hastened to our regiment, which was barracked at Governor Hutchinson's house, where we found them parading. We immediately formed, took up our line of march, and a few rods from the trench on Roxbury Neck were met by two men who had just thrown open the gates and let down the bridge to receive us into the town. At twelve o'clock, we were at the state house at the head of King Street. At half-past twelve, all the English were embarked. And while the fleet were sailing out of the harbor, I heard the explosion of Castle William and the lighthouse as they were blown up by the English. Lord Howe left ten or twelve transports and other armed vessels to blockade the harbor. Ten or twelve days after this, Captain Mugford, of Marblehead, a privateersman having just returned with a prize, a powder ship, went down in company with the schooner Lady Washington, another privateer, to putting point on his way out on another cruise. They were attacked by boats from the fleet, which were finally repulsed, though Captain Mugford lost his life in the engagement. On this, our officers immediately sent down a number of boats and gondolas, on board of which they put two eighteen-pounders and a mortar with three hundred or four hundred men, among whom I was, to Castle William. From thence we proceeded to Long Island, and there, during the night, threw up a breastwork on the head and planted our cannon on it. Having first placed our mortar on the north side of the island, at daylight we opened a fire from our eighteens and tossed three or four dozen shells from our mortar. In a short time, the blockaders cut their buoys, slipped their cables, and cleared. In a day or two after, we returned to Boston, where our regiment, Colonel Glovers and Colonel Finney's, were employed during the summer in repairing the castle and building a fort and blockhouse on Governor's Island at a fort on Fort Hill. In July, we were paraded on the east side of the State House and heard the Declaration of Independence read. In August, the smallpox prevailed, and the three regiments were inoculated, which took in every instance in our regiment except on myself. When the regiment had recovered, we were ordered to Ticonderoga, and, before marching, were drawn up on the common to hear a sermon and prayers. This day, I had the symptoms of smallpox, and the day the regiment marched, I was broke out with it. Not having anyone to take care of me, there being no hospitals, I was ordered back to Widow Diamonds, with whom I was quartered, when inoculated, who nursed me and got me well of the smallpox, though I was long after very feeble and afflicted with boils. After recovering from smallpox, I sold my watch to pay the widow and returned my gun and equipments to the gunhouse where I drew them, not being any longer fit for military duty, and returned to Falmouth, now Portland, by water, not being able to walk that distance. I know not of any living witness to my last service above stated except my wife. It was in September that I returned my gun and equipments, making seven months from the time I enlisted in February and twelve months service in all on both enlistments. When he enlisted with John Webster, he received four or five dollars and has never received anything since for his services. He would also state that in December 1773, he went to Boston in a coaster with a load of wood and was there when the tea was destroyed and that he assisted that night in throwing the tea overboard. Good night. God bless each and every single one of you. God save this wonderful republic. Good night, Annie, Poo, and Allison. I love you. I love you. objective has the second half to the next half and to other tracks. Are you left there? Well, what are you going ahead? Hmm. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.