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The
Patriots
Navy. Words can’t express
how proud I am of you, Victor, on this special holiday. I love you, and thank
you for serving my county.
The Star-Spangled Banner was
not written until 1814, well after this story takes place. I have chosen to
use my artistic license and place it in this story.
Oh, say can
you see By the dawn’s
early light The acrid smell of gunpowder
lingered in the cool early morning air. The foul stench of death rose from
those wounded in the now twenty days of battle at The brave soldier for the Colonial
troops surveyed the great loss around him. The bodies of soldiers clad in the red
jackets of the British lay strewn about amongst his fellow Patriot brothers.
Friend and foe shared a common resting place, as their corpses littered the
bloody battlefield of
Painting of the It was not the first
time this soldier had experienced the aftermath of such a siege, but as he
clutched his wounded shoulder in a vain effort to stem the blood flow, he
knew of a certainty that it would be the last. Jonathan J. Frayne,
valiant soldier for the American colonies, would not leave He had received a
blast at close range from a Loyalist musket. With each passing breath,
additional blood spurted from his shoulder, making his chances for survival
minimal. Jonathan had fought
bravely for the Patriots in their quest to gain freedom from Though Jonathan had sought adventure,
his father hoped to find a better life for his family in During the long voyage, Jonathan’s
parents fell ill and finally succumbed to the unhealthy conditions. The young
Irishman was left alone. He knew he could return to his homeland, but he
remembered the wonderful stories his father had told him about Not long after his parents’ death, Jonathan befriended
another Irish lad on the ship by the name of Timotheus.
Timotheus’ parents had passed away in As soon as they had met, the two boys
became inseparable companions. Perhaps their souls were knit by a kindred
sense of adventure; perhaps their common state as orphans firmly melded their
bonds. Nonetheless, the two lads formed a brother-like union. What so
proudly we hailed At the
twilight’s last gleaming? Jonathan and Timotheus settled in the colony of At the conclusion of
the French and Indian War, The increased taxes
strained relations between the Colonies and Jonathan heard that the great Patriot,
Benjamin Franklin, declared in 1769 that the British ministry should “Repeal
the laws, Renounce the Right, Recall the troops, Refund the money, and Return
to the old method of requisition”.”
Painting of our great
Statesman, Benjamin Franklin However, Several Patriots warned that the
British would take measures to assure their domination of the colonies, and
Lord Frederick North, Prime Minister of England, proposed the Tea Act, which
resulted in the Boston Tea Party in December 1773. The ensuing actions quickly escalated
and resulted in the outbreak of war between Jonathan and Timotheus eagerly gleaned bits and pieces of the
forthcoming information from the Patriots. As rumors spread of an inevitable
revolution, both men vowed to defend Whose broad
stripes and bright stars, Thro’ the
perilous fight, In 1775
General Thomas Gage of the British army was ordered to close an assemblage of
Patriots in At
Painting of “the shot heard
‘round the world” “Stand your ground… if they
mean to have a war, let it begin here!” ~ Captain John Parker, Jonathan and Timotheus had eagerly signed up to serve with the Patriot
army in its efforts to gain independence from the powerful nation of Though several
soldiers signed up for the cash bonus and the promise of a future land grant,
Jonathan and Timotheus were eager to defend their
adopted homeland. Both proudly wore the navy blue uniforms chosen by the New
York Infantry. Upon sight of the
Continental Flag, first raised on
The Grand union flag,
officially adopted by the Continental Congress in 1775. This flag represented
the Continental Congress for two years, after which it was replaced by Old
Glory (the predecessor of our modern flag, featuring 13 stripes and 13
stars). O’er the
ramparts we watched, Were so
gallantly streaming? Of course,
Jonathan had to amend his opinion of the most beautiful sight he had ever
seen as the army sojourned briefly at One family traveled from a neighboring
community to bid farewell to their two oldest sons. A father, mother, and daughter were among
the group who had accompanied the incoming soldiers. The father choked back
proud tears, as the mother clung to her beloved boys. The sobbing woman
kissed her sons’ cheeks, knowing she may never kiss them again. Jonathan watched
from a distance as the sister, a lovely girl with curls the color of sand, tearfully
embraced her older brothers. As the young lady walked past him, Jonathan
gallantly bowed and handed her a handkerchief with an “F” carefully
embroidered upon its corner. The young lady shyly
fluttered her sandy lashes, her graceful cheeks
flushed a becoming shade of crimson. When she looked up at Jonathan, her
brilliant blue eyes caused him to gasp. Taken aback by her beauty, the
handsome soldier flashed her a crooked smile. The
two struck up a conversation, and instantly a powerful attraction was felt
between them. Beatrice, as she was
called, promised to write to the young soldier, and gave him a lock of her
sandy curls upon her departure. Jonathan fondly recalled their sweet good-bye
kiss often during the many hardships he faced as a Patriot soldier. He and Timotheus formed a bond with Beatrice’s brothers. The
eldest, Benjamin, served as a medic to the troops. He counted it an honor to
use his skills as a physician to gain And the
rockets’ red glare, The bombs
bursting in air, The skirmishes
between the British and the colonists grew in intensity. In the first year
and a half of war, On Malachi Belden
fought the good fight and finished his course on the morning of
Painting of General
Washington crossing the *see Author’s note at end
for History fact* After defeats
at In spite of the vast
odds against them, the Patriots began gaining ground on the Redcoats.
Finally, a major victory was won at Though the victory
was great for Timotheus
Mangan’s black eyes were lifeless as Jonathan
cradled the head of the man who’d been closer than a brother, in his arms.
General Burgoyne surrenders The war raged
on. Much to the surprise of the powerful Benjamin received
word that his youngest brother, Richard, had assisted in gaining the
Patriots’ small navy a most surprising victory. The teenaged privateer was on
board the barely seaworthy American ship, the Bonhomme Richard, which was commanded by John Paul Jones. The highly inferior American vessel engaged
the British warship, Serapis,
in the Richard Belden,
youngest son of Philip and Harriet Belden, bravely sacrificed his life for
the cause of liberty on
Against all odds, the
American vessel, Serapis, defeated the British warship, the Bonhomme Richard. It was here that the Father
of the American Navy, John Paul Jones, uttered the famous phrase, “I have not
yet begun to fight!” Some
casualties of the war were not penned by historians, for they involved the
death of dreams, rather than soldiers. The only record of such heartbreak
dwelt in the souls of the suffering. The American troops heard of loss
amongst their families at home. Mothers, fathers, sisters, wives, and
children succumbed to attacks from the enemy, as well as the effects of war.
Sweethearts grew weary waiting for their lovers’ return and forsook their
soldier boys, preferring to be courted by men at home. Occasionally, the Patriots
lost those they loved most out of their loyalty to Benjamin had been engaged to a lovely
maiden, her wealth and social standing only surpassed by her sweet
temperament and fair countenance. As the war ravaged on and as he faced the
death of his beloved brothers, Benjamin took comfort in the missives he
received from his dear fiancée, Martha. However, in the
spring of 1780, a letter of great importance was delivered to the young
medic. He anxiously ripped open the envelope, fearing bad news from his
family at home. Jonathan watched as his friend’s brown eyes filled with tears
as he pored over the news from Finally, Benjamin soberly rose to his
feet, crumpled the letter in his strong hands and tossed it into the
campfire. Without a word of explanation, he strode away, bitterness evident
in every step. Jonathan learned
later that Martha’s family had sided with the British. Choosing to depart for
Gave proof
thro’ the night That our flag
was still there. The smoke from
the muskets going off around him practically choked Jonathan as he wearily
fell to his knees. He apprehensively removed his freckled hand from the wound
in his shoulder, and grimaced at the amount of blood he saw in his palm. The battlefield was
a cacophony of utter chaos and suffering, as the echoes of musket fire
mingled with the weeping of the dying. Dust, along with gunpowder, filled his
nostrils as he lay upon the ground below. Crimson puddles pooled on the dirt,
mingling with the blood that had already been spilled by his fellow soldiers.
Old Glory "We take the stars from Heaven, the red from
our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have
separated from her, and the white stripes shall go down to posterity
representing liberty." Desiring one final glance at Old
Glory, Jonathan painfully pushed himself to an upright position. He furtively
looked about the battlefield for the standard bearer who proudly carried the
flag into battle. In 1777, Congress had forsaken the Grand Union flag used
earlier in the war and voted upon a new style for the American flag. The Continental Congress had decided
the Jonathan
crawled upon the ground, dodging the bodies of English soldiers clad in their
redcoats, as well as the corpses of his fellow Patriots who had already
answered death’s call. Slowly he made his way through the field of shells,
blood, and lifeless bodies. After searching for several minutes,
Jonathan located the young boy who served as the standard bearer. He
laboriously turned to the right and made his way to Old Glory, thinking it
would be a great honor to die within sight of the symbol of freedom. Painfully he
struggled to reach the standard. Though the loss of blood was making him
disoriented, Jonathan watched as the lad carrying the flag was struck by a
cannon’s blast. Through the utter confusion of the battle, Jonathan focused
on the anguished cry of the boy bearing the colors. The young patriot,
perhaps not even a teenager, wobbled unsteadily and fought to keep the
standard raised high. “The standard!”
Jonathan cried, pointing to the boy bearing the flag. “The standard bearer
has been wounded! Someone help him! Keep the flag high!” His cries were
futile as they became lost in the battle chaos. Fearing the sacred symbol of
freedom would fall to the ground, Jonathan gathered every ounce of his
remaining strength. The brave Patriot painstakingly rose to his feet,
mustered his adrenaline and limped as quickly as he could to the lad’s side. Jonathan made it to the boy just in
time to pry the pole from his hands, as the standard bearer sank lifelessly
to the bloodstained ground. “Must keep… keep the
standard high,” Jonathan gasped, clutching the oozing wound in his shoulder
with his free hand. He wobbled about, trying to remain upright. Knowing he
would soon succumb to his wound, Jonathan cried desperately, “Someone help me
keep the standard high!” “Jonathan,” he
vaguely heard someone choke out. He opened his eyes and made out the
slightly-blurry form of his companion. “Benjamin,” he
sputtered, blood dripping from his lips. “Take the flag… Wave it… high.” Instantly, the medic
dropped his bag, grabbed the flagpole from Jonathan’s clutches and wrapped a
strong arm around his friend. “You’re wounded.” Jonathan nodded, his
knees buckling under him. “Earlier… a musket blast…
my shoulder…” Benjamin assisted
him to a laying position, carefully keeping the standard high above the ground.
“I can’t help you with this in my hands. Let me find someone to take the
flag, and I’ll---” “No,” Jonathan
interrupted, as he coughed out some blood. “I’m dying… Tell… Tell Beatrice…
that I love her.” “I will,” Benjamin
vowed, tears pooling in his chocolate-colored eyes. Alarm mingled with
sadness as he watched Jonathan fight to raise upright. “What is it, my
friend?” “I need… in my
pocket…” Battling the hazy feeling overwhelming him, Jonathan dug into the
inner pocket of his uniform’s jacket until he clutched a sandy curl in his
freckled hand. Satisfied that he had accomplished his task, he settled back
onto the ground and waited for death to overtake him. “My dear… Beatrice…”
Jonathan murmured, fighting the urge to fall asleep. “ ‘Twas not… ‘twas not to
be…” His breath grew
ragged, as each desperate gasp for oxygen became more painful and difficult
to receive. “How goes… the battle?” “We’re winning, my
friend,” Benjamin informed him, pride shining through his tears. “General
Washington is of the opinion that Cornwallis will surrender soon.” “Cornwallis… surrender…?” Jonathan whispered as he wistfully gazed up
at the red, white and blue flag his comrade held high in the air. “ “Yes, my friend,”
Benjamin assured. “ “I wish… Timotheus had… had been here to see it…” Jonathan gasped,
life quickly fading from him. “And Malachi… and the others…” “Their descendants
shall see it,” Benjamin comforted. “The children of all who remain shall never
forget your bravery. As long as we live, we shall always remember those who
gave their lives for our freedom.” Oh, say does
that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
“The flag!” Jonathan rose slightly, then relaxed to see it still waving in all its unfurled
glory. “Is it high?” “The standard is
safe, my friend,” Benjamin soothed, knowing the end was near for his
companion. Ever a soldier,
Jonathan J. Frayne used the last of his strength to straighten the lines of
his once-crisp New York Infantry uniform. The cuffs of his coarse, navy blue
waistcoat were ragged due to years of hardship. His linen cravats and
breeches, once a pristine white, were now yellowed from wear. Both the jacket
and the breeches had several red spots on them. The bloodstains upon the
fabric included those of Malachi and Timotheus, as
well as his own. Just as he began to
close his eyes in death, a large white horse passed by and halted briefly
beside the flag. The rider sat erect upon his steed, as he surveyed the
losses endured in battle. He gave an approving glance at Benjamin for holding
the standard high above the ground. The dignified rider’s eyes left the
flag and fell upon Jonathan. The white-haired General knew the young soldier’s
life was but a passing vapor, as he beheld the lad’s face growing paler and
the ground beneath him growing redder. Humbled by seeing the Jonathan’s chest
swelled as he watched the great General, who had served his country so
faithfully, salute him. The beautiful American flag wafted in the breeze, a
proud symbol of liberty and justice for all. Before he took his last breath,
Jonathan returned General Washington’s crisp salute, and then closed his
green eyes in death, the sandy curl of his beloved still clutched in his
grasp. The Patriot died,
so that O’er the land
of the free, And the home
of the brave?
Cornwallis surrendered to The End God
Bless
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