Evening journal., 1900-02-14
OUR EARLY HEROES
LIVES OF THE PATRIOTS OF THE
REVOLUTION.
Men More Highly Gifted and En-
dowed Than Is DiscoverabIe In Any
Other Body Of Men Known in Any
Age.

Modern history records no more
marvellous adventure, no noblor sacri-
fee, no finer deeds of heroism than
the lives Of the patriots of the Revolu-
ton. Their biographies involve the
history of our national evolution; the
chronicle OF their lives is the history
Of our national deliverance. More
even can be said; they wrought the
pivotal events of the latter and more
important half Of the eighteenth cen
fury.
AS one goes through the list of the
first American patriots there at once
stands out, besides Washington, the
brave figure Of Gen. Warren. who
gave his life at Bunker Hill, and such
men as Knox and Madison and G. G.
Pinckney.
Who can hear unmoved the story
of the brave Warren, from his early
address on the second anniversary of
the Boston massacre, then to utter
ones opinion was to incur the danger
Of DEATH until ibis gallant fight at
Bunker Hill, where, though offered
the command by Putnam and Colonel
Prescott, he fought only as a volun-
teer. He was one of the last TO retire
from the field and 1t is said that Ma
jor Small, of the British army, called
him by name from the redoubt. and
begged him to surrender, at the same
time commanding his men to cease
their fire.
As he turned around at the voice a
ball struck him In the forehead kill
ing him instantly. His words on start
ing out for Bunker Hill, after being
warmed nf ho crrao4 Ionoarc lo rr4nc
incurring, are still preserved. II
know that | may fall" he said, "but
where is the man who does not think
It glorious to die for his country?'
Few men did more than Gen. Henry
Knox to establish the superiority OF
the American gunnery. The story is
told Of his efforts to raise cannon and
ordnance stores during the first win
ter of the war. Leaving his regiment.
he appeared after many days with
long train of sledges, bearing more
than fifty cannon, mortars and how
tiers. Where he got them was never
fully told, but the hope that the
achievement inspired in the army was
never forgotten, and when Boston was
finally besieged and then bombarded
"Knox's ordnance" was always said
to have had more than anything else
10 do with the British evacuation.
Afterward, when he had charge of
the artillery of New York, he was al.
most the last officer to leave the city.
remaining so late that he escaped cap
ture only by selling a boat and max
ing his way by water.
Il was Knox's well-directed cannon
ade that repulsed CORVALLIS in re.
peated attempts to pass the Assum-
pink in New Jersey, and he shared in
the brilliant action at Princeton the
following day.
During the heaviest part of the
cannonade at Yorktown, Knox was in
the grand battery by the side Of Wash.
ington. and Il was after that brilliant
victory, which ended the patriots
struggle, that Knox was made a Ma
jor General and placed in command
at West Point.
OF the naval commanders few had
such brilliant careers or won such
theatrical victories as John Paul
Jones. II is said that Jones hoisted
on the Alfred (of which he was First
Lieutenant) the flagship of the little
squadron OF eight vessels. the first
American flag ever displayed. The
device IL bore Is believed to be a pine
tree with a rattlesnake coiled at the
root.
His fame rests mainly on the fight
between the Bonhomme Richard and
the Scraps. The Bonhomme Richard
was an old lndiaman. the Duras. con.
verified into a ship-of-war, and Jones
changed its name IN compliment TO
DR.. Franklin.
This battle, fought OIL the coast Of
England, has always been considered
one OF the greatest naval ENGAGEMENTS
In history. The ships lashed together.
poured broadside after broadside into
each other until the ships were huIks.
The Serapis was the first to succumb
to the terrific onslaught, and as night
closed in she pulled down her colors
and was taken possession of by Dale.
the First Lieutenant of the Richard.
; When morning broke the Richard
was found to be on fire in two places,
. and she had seven feet of water. in
b her hold The whole of her main bat
terry was dismounted, and she was cut
) 70 pieces in the most extraordinary
manner. II was at once seen to be i'm
possible to carry her into port and
hastily removing the wounded. the
, vessel was allowed to burn and she
soon afterward sank. The Serapis.
strange TO say, suffered much less.
She was a new ship, In excellent con-
dltion, and was much superior in force
to the Richard.
On his arrival in France Jones was
received with the most distinguished
honors. A sword was presented to
him by Louis XVI, who also request.
ed the permission of Congress to dec
crate him with a military order OF
merit. Later on his arrival in Phila-
delphia, Congress voted him a gold
medal and Washington addressed him
. a highly complimentary letter.
Foremost among the great pioneers
Of the west, as it was then known,
was. of course, the Kentuckian. Dan.
Tel Boone Twice was he captured by
the Indians and as often escaped Az.
ter erecting a stockade fort on the
Kentuckian River. which he called
Boonesborough, he went to the Blue
! Licks In 1878 to obtain salt for tie
/, settlement. On this trip his second
b capture by the Indians occurred. He
was taken to Detroit. His knowledge
OF the Indian enabled him to gain fa.
vor with his captors, and he was
adopted into one of their families.
Discovering a plan laid by the ENGLISH