Who Said Blows Must Decide

What is your favorite quote past a Revolutionary?

"I come across one head turning into thirteen." Washington said this several times in the endmost years of the state of war. After independence, it was THE crucial issue.

–Thomas Fleming

"But what is government itself, simply the greatest of all reflections on human being nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary." —James Madison, "The Federalist, No. 51"

"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot change the state of facts and evidence." —John Adams, closing argument, trial of the soldiers for the Boston Massacre

–J. L. Bell

"A newspaper in S Carolina in the present state of their affairs would exist equal to at least two regiments," wrote Benjamin Blitz to Nathanael Greene, September 4, 1781.

"The ancient Roman and Greek orators could simply speak to the number of citizens capable of being assembled within the accomplish of their phonation. Their writings had piddling effect, considering the majority of the people could not read. Now past the printing we can speak to nations… the facility, with which the same truths may be repeatedly enforced by placing them daily in different lights in newspapers, which are everywhere read, gives a great chance of establishing them. And nosotros now find, that it is not only right to strike while the iron is hot, but that it may be very practicable to heat it by continually hit," wrote Benjamin Franklin to Richard Price, June 13, 1782.

–Todd Andrlik

On Nov 15, 1775 – before the publication of Mutual Sense, and long before Congress would declare independence – Mercy Otis Warren told John Adams that the Congress "should no longer piddle at the threshold. Information technology is time to leap into the theatre, to unlock the bars, and open up every gate that impedes the rise and growth of the American republic, and and so let the empty-headed potentate ship forth his puerile proclamations to France, to Spain and all the commercial world who may exist united in building upwards an Empire which he can't prevent." She then composed some poesy, "extempore":

At leisure then may M[eor]ge his reign review,
And bid to empire and to crown adieu.
For lordly mandates and despotic kings
Are obsolete like other onetime things.

–Ray Raphael

Having recently returned from Quebec where he assisted in the defeat of the Continental Army's early landings at Fort St. John's, Sir William Johnson'due south mixed-blood son, William Johnson Jr., aggressively confronted Colonel Jacob Klock, commander of the two^nd Tryon County Militia regiment and a Palatine District commission member. William was "accoutered with ii pistols, a gun and a Broadsword on his side." He alleged – "I am a Rex's Homo, who cartel say anything aginst it…" William was known variously as Tagawirunta, William Johnson Jr., or William of Canajoharie. The quote is constitute in Klock's report to the County Commission on 07Nov75. William'due south expostulations continued , "I have Killed and so many Yankies at Fort St. John's with this Sword of my Father, they are no Soldiers at all. I kill'd and scalp'd, and kick-d their arses, etc… etc…" Penrose, Maryly B., ed., Mohawk Valley in the Revolution, Committee of Rubber Papers & Genealogical Compendium (Franklin Park, NJ: Liberty Bong Assembly, 1978).

–Gavin Chiliad. Watt

From Thomas Paine: "These are the times that try men'southward souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, compress from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny similar hell is not easily conquered all the same nosotros have this consolation with us, the harder the disharmonize, the more glorious the triumph. What nosotros obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value."

–Steven Paul Mark

MG William Phillips: "Where a goat can go, a homo can go. And where a man tin can go, he can elevate a gun." referring to taking high basis prior to the recapture of Ft. Ticonderoga.

–Steven M. Baule

"The Troops I had the Laurels to control have been so fortunate as to obtain a compleat Victory over a Detachment from the British Army commanded past Lt. Colonel Tarlton. The Activeness happened on the 17th Instant about Sunrise at the Cowpens. It maybe would be well to remark, for the Award of the American Artillery, that altho' the progress of this Corps was marked with Burnings and Devastations & altho' they accept waged the most fell Warfare, not a human being was killed, wounded or even insulted afterward he surrendered. Had not Britons during this contest received so many Lessons of Humanity, I should flatter myself that this might teach them a piddling, only I fear they are incorrigible." -Daniel Morgan to Nathaniel Greene, 19 January 1781

–Wayne Lynch

"We fight, get beat, rise, and fight again. The whole country is one continuous scene of claret and slaughter."—Nathanael Greene in letter of the alphabet to Chevalier de la Luzerne, April 28, 1781

–Don Glickstein

My favorite snarky quote is from John Adams (of course) suspecting Britain's attempts to get the European monarchies and aristocracy to mobilize confronting the American colonies' cause of liberty: "By Intelligence hourly arriving from abroad We are more and more confirmed, that a Kind of Confederation will be formed among the Crowned Skulls, and numbskulls of Europe, against Human being Nature." -From John Adams to John Trumbull, xiii February 1776

My favorite awesome quote is from George Washington at state of war'due south end, and guessing that the hardships of the Continental Army volition never be remembered in history: "… for it will not be believed that such a force as Cracking Britain has employed for eight years in this Country could be baffled… past numbers infinitely less, composed of men oftentimes half starved, ever in Rags, without pay, and experiencing, at times, every species of distress which human nature is capable of undergoing." -From George Washington to Nathanael Greene, eight July 1783From George Washington to Nathanael Greene, 8 July 1783

–John Fifty. Smith, Jr.

Earlier the Boxing of Bennington Vermont, Brigadier General John Stark reportedly said: "There are your enemies, the Reddish Coats and Tories. They are ours or this night Molly Stark sleeps a widow"

Later at age 81, Stark wrote to veterans returning to Bennington to celebrate the boxing in a letter, which ended: "Live free or dice: Expiry is not the worst of evils"

Live free or die is now the New Hampshire state motto memorialized on residents car license plates.

–Gene Procknow

Aside from the egalitarian and natural rights portions of Jefferson's Declaration of Independence, I accept two favorite quotations from revolutionaries. I is that of Captain Levi Preston of Danvers, Massachusetts. When asked why he had soldiered on the first mean solar day of the war, he responded: "[Westward]hat we meant in going for those Redcoats was this: nosotros always had governed ourselves and we e'er meant to. They didn't mean nosotros should." My 2d favorite is Washington's remark on learning of Lexington and Concord: a "Brother's Sword has been sheathed in a Brother's chest."

–John Ferling

Scowling, determined John Stark at Bennington, "We'll shell them earlier night or Molly Stark'southward a widow."

Nathaneal Greene describing his own troops only could be describing American fortunes throughout the war: "Nosotros fight, get beaten, rise, and fight again."

–Jeff Dacus

Greene once complained of injury received when he was thrown by "a very vitious Horse with tory principles."

–Curtis F. Morgan, Jr.

"I have non yet begun to fight" John Paul Jones. Did he actually say that or not? Either manner information technology is a cracking quote.

–Jimmy Dick

There are so many. Here's one of my favorites, from Rex George Iii to Lord North (in November, 1774):

"I am not distressing that the line of conduct seems at present chalked out… the New England Governments are in a country of rebellion, blows must make up one's mind whether they are to exist subject to this country or independent." Blows indeed did decide. But the quote too encapsulates the ignorance of the British aristocracy, for in 1774, the Americans did not want independence, they only wanted good and off-white government, represented past Americans. Had George III acted differently, America might accept ended up a Commonwealth state.

–Derek W. Beck

George Washington to Nathanael Greene, 6 Feb. 1783: "If Historiographers should exist hardy enough to make full the page of History with the advantages that have been gained with diff numbers (on the part of America) in the course of this contest, & try to chronicle the distressing circumstances under which they have been obtained, it is more than probable that Posterity volition bestow on their labors the epithet & marks of fiction for it will non be believed that such a strength equally Uk has employed for 8 years in this State could be baffled in their programme of Subjugating it by numbers infinitely less—equanimous of Men oftentimes times half starved—always in Rags—without pay—& experiencing, at times, every Species of distress which man nature is capable of undergoing."

-Benjamin L. Huggins

This one isn't well known, nor is it a long statement, but I love Full general Sir Henry Clinton's sarcastic references to Lord Cornwallis as "the noble earl." Clinton ofttimes resorted to that phrase when Cornwallis did something that Clinton didn't similar. The effect is all-time when the phrase appears in context, and it gives smashing insight into the acrimony arising from the feud between the two.

–Jim Piecuch

"…the harder the conflict, the more than glorious the triumph" – Thomas Paine in The American Crisis

–Daniel Tortora

What well-nigh yous? What's your favorite quote by a Revolutionary?