In honor of this week's Patriots’ Day, some of us celebrate the beginnings of the American Revolution when American patriots stood up against British tyranny by defending themselves at Concord and Lexington Green. The British were coming for stores of guns, cannon, and ammunition and it was up to citizen soldiers to prevent their success. The Minutemen, as they were known, had none of it; and in the ensuing battle, fired what would become known as “the shot heard round the world.”
Every American should know the story from the ride of Paul Revere to the lesser known riders, Samuel Prescott, Israel Bissell, William Dawes, and Sybil Ludington. They should know the meaning of “One if by land, two if by sea.” They should know why the British were pursuing the colonials and what led the colonial to revolt. They should know about the Stamp Act, the Intolerable Acts and many more.
In all the rich history that surrounds our country’s founding, one name always stands out and is rarely mentioned in history books: Captain Samuel Whittemore.
Samuel Whittemore was an American legend who makes the character Rambo look like a sissy and Chuck Norris seem weak in comparison. Born in 1696, Whittemore served many years in the British Army until late in his sixties. That fact, by itself, was a small miracle considering the nature of warfare in those days, as well as survivability rates for the time period.
Captain Whitemore lived on a farm around modern day Arlington, Massachusetts. According to historical records, at around age eighty, he was in his field when he learned of advancing British troops sent to provide cover for retreating units from the Battles at Concord and Lexington. There, he most purely defined the meaning of “stand your ground” in what likely was, in his mind, to be his last act of courage. He grabbed his rifle, a sword, and a set of dueling pistols and sought cover behind a stone wall. The last three items were taken off men in previous battles. Whittemore is said to have stated that they “died suddenly.”
Behind the wall, he fired his rifle killing one British regular. History claims that he then fired his pistols killing a second British soldier and mortally wounding a third. Next, he drew his sword to make his final stand, when he was shot in the face knocking him to the ground. He was overwhelmed by British troops and bayonetted over a dozen times and left for dead.
However, it was not Whittemore’s day to die. He was taken to the home of Doctor Cotton Tufts, where he was treated for his wounds. Although given little hope for survival, Whittemore lived another 18 years or so and died around the age of 96.
Let us all reflect on what it means to be an American and consider the rich history handed to us by such brave men as Captain Samuel Whittemore.