Unsung American Revolutionaries - "Too Old to Fight!"

 

Unsung American Revolutionary Veterans

Too Old to Fight!

I forget what the conversation was with someone the other day, but it was about standing up for something to the point of physical violence and I said, "Nay, I'm too old to fight." In this particular instance, I was really thinking the benefit wasn't worth the risk. But it got me to thinking about "old" people and patriotic causes. Even despite the movies that too often cast soldiers with men who have reached ages where they are less likely to fight, we still think of war as a young man's venture. War is fueled with the passions and passion fades with age.

Of course, there have always been a few Calebs (Joshua 14:10-12) among the ranks of soldiers.  Today's tribute to unsung American Revolutionary veterans looks at three of them.

Samuel Whittemore was nearly 80 when the British Regulars on 19 April 1775 arrived in Menotomy, MA (now Arlington). The Regulars, in retreat from Concord, were filled with a lust for revenge by the time they had arrived. Samuel did not let his age dissuade him. He had been in French and Indian Wars. After hearing the sounds of war, he collected a musket, two dueling pistols, and a French sword and awaited the arrival of the Regulars. He killed three British soldiers that day before he was shot and bayonetted and left for dead. But not Samuel - he recovered and lived to see Freedom ring!

Josiah Haynes also answered the Lexington Alarm. David Fischer's in Paul Revere's Ride says, "Sudsbury's Deacon Josiah Haynes was eighty years old, but turned out with the militia and set a rapid pace on the road that left the young minutemen panting behind him." (p. 158) It may be that Josiah had no one he would listen to tell him he was too old.  His wife, Persis, had died five years prior. Josiah joined her that day in his quest for America's freedom.

Hezekiah Wyman was a little younger than I am when the alarm sounded that day. Nonetheless he brought a steady and relentless terror and effect on the retreating British that day. A man of long gray locks with a long flintlock rode his white mare through the woods along the road of retreat.  He would stop in front of them beyond the rage of their muskets and fire a shot from over the saddle of his mare with accurate effect. Hezekiah survived the day but died in 1779 before America's freedom was won. The circumstances of his death are not documented.

I guess the message is: 

When it's worth fighting for, even the old go to war! And when they do, pity them not; pity their opposition.