Proceedings of the New York Historical Association [1906] — John Shaqi
Proceedings of the New York Historical Association [1906]New York State Historical Association. Meeting
History
Proceedings of the New York Historical Association [1906]
New York State Historical Association. Meeting
New York (State) -- History -- Periodicals; New York State Historical Association -- Periodicals
It has never been sufficiently made clear that the classes fought the
Revolutionary war. The educated, the elegant, the conservative, the
well-to-do, in short the "better elements," were practically all with
the British. While the broken, the ignorant, the discouraged, "the
rabble," were the ones that won our liberty. Every single Tory that
was expatriated could read and write, while I believe if the muster
rolls of my own county, inhabited at that time by the educated Dutch,
not one-third of those who enlisted could sign their names. So coldly
did the wealthy Dutchman look upon the war that it was a common trick
for him to send a slave to serve in the ranks instead of himself.
Sullivan by birth and position belonged among the former class, and yet
in spite of position, broke with his own class and gladly took up the
sword with the ignorant because he saw clearly that all social progress
must from very necessity spring from the discontent of the _Hoi Polloi._
He was a true patriot for he lost his all by giving his attention to
public rather than private affairs, and though respected by all and
honored by his State, his last years were the years of gloom and the
gathering clouds, for his life was beset by heartless creditors. The
last scene is the saddest of all, for at his funeral his creditors tried
to seize his body and would have done so, except that an old army
general drew his pistols and drove off the bailiffs of the law. So was
buried one of America's greatest patriots, a constant friend, a brave
and good soldier, and a man who, take him ail in all, it is not an
exaggeration to call "Great."
THE PRIMARY CAUSES OF THE
BORDER WARS
* * * * *
By Francis W. Halsey.
* * * * *
General Sullivan's expedition of 1779 was an immediate outcome of the
massacres of Wyoming and Cherry Valley in the summer and autumn of
1778--not to mention those minor incidents of the Border Wars, which,
beginning in the summer of 1777, had converted the valley of the upper
Susquehanna into a land of desolation. It was a most drastic punishment
that Sullivan inflicted, and such it was intended by Congress that his
work should be. "The immediate objects," said Washington, in his letter
of instruction to Sullivan, "are the total destruction and devastation
of the Indian settlements," He added that the Indian country was "not
to be merely overrun, but destroyed." If we have regard for proportions,
greater losses were inflicted upon the Indians by Sullivan than were
ever inflicted upon the settlements of New York by the Indians.
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