Passion for the Past

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Independence Day at Mill Race Village: A Spirit of '76 Celebration

I have loaded up the photographs for this week's posting to show our 4th of July celebration at Historic Mill Race Village in Northville, Michigan. Yes, there is a small history lesson here as well, but it's mainly a visual tour - a depiction of life for the common people who lived during the period that produced the Declaration of Independence. It is an article about patriotism and how we, as an ever-growing group of living historians, help to bring the past to life on this Independence Day holiday in such a celebratory manner as to bring excitement about our country's past to the forefront.

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BOOM! The cannons leaped backward, the air was full of flying grass and weeds. Everybody was exclaiming about what a loud noise they had made.

"That's the noise that made the Redcoats run!" Mr. Paddock said to Father.

"...it was muskets that won the Revolution."

B&K Photography took this amazing photo.

"Maybe," Father said, tugging his beard. "But it was muskets that won the Revolution. And don't forget it was axes and plows that made this country."

"That's so, come to think of it," Mr. Paddock said.

That night when they were going to the house with milk, Almanzo asked Father: "Father, how was it axes and plows that made this country? Didn't we fight England for it?"

"We fought for Independence, son," Father said. "It was farmers that took that country and made it America."

"How?" Almanzo asked.

"Spaniards were soldiers that only wanted gold. The French were fur traders, wanting to make quick money. And England was busy fighting wars. But we were farmers, son; we wanted the land. It was farmers that went over the mountains, and cleared the land, and settled it, and farmed it, and hung on to their farms. It's the biggest country in the world, and it was farmers who took all that country and made it America. Don't you ever forget that." ~

(taken from Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder as the Wilder family celebrated the 4th of July in the 1870s)

I really like this explanation. It is, more or less, what I taught my kids when they were tiny tots, and now they, too, love and appreciate history and America in their own right.

And that makes me proud!

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The spirits of '76 live on!
Though there's no great history lesson in today's post, there are quite a few - over 50! - pictures showing 1776 as best as we can, with a few explanations showing how we, as colonial/RevWar reenactors, celebrated the 4th of July this year.
I hope you enjoy 'em.

Members of the Citizens of the American Colonies (and friends) who gathered together to celebrate the 243rd birthday of the
United States of America.
(Another great B&K photo.
Check out their link at the bottom of this post)

This is my third year celebrating Independence Day at Mill Race Village, located in Northville, Michigan, and it just keeps getting bigger and better. Back in 2017, a few of us reenactors - only five of us - just kind of showed up on our own to Mill Race and began to mix and mingle with the guests. The good folks who run the historic village really enjoyed what we did and formally invited us back the following year. We certainly did return---in full-force, for nearly two-dozen joined in on the fun!
So...here we are back in 2019. If you take a quick count of the reenactors in the above picture, you will find 25 of us in the group. And that's not counting the dozen or so who did not make it down for the picture.

The young man holding the flag, once again, did an amazing job as
our "liberty boy" (as he did during our Patriot's Day reenactment in April), and he spent much of his time walking up and down the road carrying the Taunton flag and letting everyone know he was a true patriot.

We certainly passed last year's count!
I'm not sure if the numbers will continue growing in this manner every year, but for now I am as pleased as the proverbial punch! And we all had an amazingly fine time indeed!

Yeah...that's me on the right.
In this portion of the picture I spy six of us who also reenact the Civil War era. And we're not the only ones - there's a few more who travel between the two time periods in our group, another way to keep reenacting fresh and interesting.

In fact, I've found quite a few reenactors who, stemming from Civil War, have found themselves in a couple of different eras of the past, including Revolutionary War or War of 1812 or French & Indian War or WWII, and even beyond that. To me it's only natural, for one can only reenact a four year period for so long before boredom can set in. And for those who joined me in the 18th century, I am very grateful. In fact, I believe they are enjoying themselves much more than they anticipated!

I also feel that this 4th of July event at Mill Race was a catalyst for many who were on the fence, for I can think of no better way to celebrate Independence Day than to be in 18th century clothing, strolling down a country lane from a time long past...

Mill Race is actually a Victorian village, but I believe we did a fine job converting it into an east coast town from the good old colony days for this Independence Day.
This could be a lane in any 1776 town or village of America...
from colony to state...this is part of what we hoped to recreate.

The visitors were not yet inside the Village, so I was able to capture a period scene without having to use photoshop to keep it more accurate.

I do a lot of thinking as a reenactor. Oh, not always just strict scholarly historical thoughts - sometimes quite the opposite - - and this time I found myself in this little fantasy world of how I might handle a sudden time-space continuum, where I am hurled into the past. There are many different aspects of such an unlikely happening. One speculation I had was...how well would I like the people of the past? I mean, let's face it, we here in the 21st century are a very different sort than those who lived in the 18th century. We are much more open. Our morals and values - as much as we may like to think are traditional - are very different from our ancestors in nearly every way.

We speak much faster...mostly without giving a second thought of our verbiage.

We are a different breed - not better nor worse. Just in a different time.

Neighbors Meg and Rae enjoying a conversation.
Knowing these two ladies the way I do, I am willing to bet they
were talking about sewing and fashion.
They are both amazing seamstresses.

Photo taken by Lynn Anderson

So I was very recently reading about the language usage of days gone by, and I learned of a few examples of the differences in our speech patterns from 18th century til today. Robert Burchfield, who studied the English language extensively in the 20th century, said that George Washington probably sounded as British as Lord North, England's Prime Minister from 1770 to 1782, and Lord North probably sounded more American than any British minister today.

Lovely ladies of the 18th century~
They, too, may have spoken the same as
Washington and North.

Just a small example in the older pronunciation: the words bath and path would have sounded very much in the American way as we say them today. Burchfield also feels that the late 18th century folk would have given r's their full value in words such as cart and horse.

Lynn portrayed Betsy Ross last year and returned again this year. Considering the news events of late about this historic flag known as the "Betsy Ross" flag, she had quite a bit to say indeed.

Another interesting finding of Burchfield's is that the words tea and speak would have been pronounced as "tay" and "spake." He also says that certain and merchant were pronounced as "sartin" and "marchant."

"Ladies, I am sartin I must go purchase tay at the marchant.
I look forward to joining you presently thereafter."

An interesting bit to our language is that we Americans still use certain terminology today that was common in the Revolutionary period, though has since died in England, such as gotten (for got), fall (for autumn), mad for angry, and even trash for rubbish (among other words).

It would be interesting to hear a conversation spoken (spaken?) in the dialect of Revolutionary America.

Meanwhile, whatever the dialect, all the talk on the street was about the colonies declaring independence from the tyrant king, George.

"I heard the Patriots had declared independence!
Oh, I am not certain how that should be for us."

All along the road there were multiple scenes and
scenarios for the visiting public to witness.

Ken, there, on the right, has been reenacting since
the 1960s and has been in numerous movies
including the great Last of the Mohicans with
Daniel Day-Lewis.

Jackie & Charlotte - both are Civil War reenactors as well.
We're glad they've joined us four score and seven years earlier.

As you can see, it did not take very long for the guests to come a-visiting and a-celebrating the Independence Day holiday.

And the variety of people that show up never cease to amaze me. Many are foreign-born U.S. citizens, of whom I love to speak with. Their knowledge and excitement of American history is very admirable. If only our own natural-born citizens could get as excited.
I also loved seeing all the folks wearing the red, white, and blue shirts, pants. dresses, hats, and even shoes. And the American flag abounded. Aside from Christmas, I can't think of another holiday where so many folks decorate and dress in such a festive manner.
Okay...Hallowe'en...but the 4th of July is right up there!

See that mountain over there?
One of these days I'm gonna climb that mountain!

That's me with Susan in the above picture. She is wearing her newly made dress for the first time on this day. Just a few days later she found herself in Colonial Williamsburg - a long-time dream that came true! Guess what she wore? Believe me, if you ever want to have an immersion experience in the good old colony days, Williamsburg is the place to visit...while wearing period-correct attire.

You know, reenacting has changed my perspective on many things, including holiday celebrations. Memorial Day Weekend is one good example; I now spend this "first weekend of summer" holiday at historic Greenfield Village, not eating hotdogs and hamburgers, but remembering those who had given (and those who are still willing to give) their last full measure of devotion for the protection of our country by serving in the military. Not that celebrating with burgers and dogs and beaches isn't a good thing, but taking a moment - only a moment - to remember why we have the Memorial Day Holiday should always play a part as well.
Which brings me to the 4th of July - Independence Day:

Mingling with Benjamin Franklin.

For most of my life I've celebrated the 4th of July up north at our family cottage, with fireworks, good food, bonfires at night, and going to the beach. It was absolutely wonderful.
For the past decade I celebrated this holiday by visiting historic Greenfield Village. One complete decade. And, per what had become my usual routine, I enhanced my patriotic experience by wearing appropriate period attire, and oftentimes a few living historian friends - sometimes more than a few - would join me in this time-travel adventure.
However, this year of 2019 was different.
Due to the overwhelmingly large amount of participants who planned to take part in the Mill Race Village celebration, I did not make it to Greenfield Village for July 4th, for, as the so-called overseer of the reenactors here, I needed to be at Mill Race earlier to ensure everyone knew the schedule and placement of events.
So, for now, Greenfield would have to wait a bit.
I have to say that I can't explain the feeling I get when I dress the part in period clothing on Independence Day. I almost feel like I blend into the era, especially when I have so many others join me, as they did once again this year at Mill Race.
The spirits of '76 indeed!

My good friend Jackie has been a Civil War reenactor
longer than she cares to admit, and she enjoys it
immensely, but she is also enjoying her foray into the
era of our Nation's founding as well.
So glad she joined us!
This picture was taken by Lynn Anderson

The one thing I attempt to do with my photography
(or when I use other's pictures) is to take or use
as many with more 'natural scenes' as I can in my
attempt to give the viewer a sort of past-times vision.

Visiting with Betsy Ross and Susan.
This picture is from the Northville Historical Society

We may not always stay in 1st person, but you won't catch us in modern speak either, for our conversations generally stay in the vein of history.
Picture taken by Richard Reaume

Eyeing Miss Stanard in her clothing, which was a bit on the unusual side, I asked her if she could give me a little background, for what she was wearing was quite different from what the other ladies were wearing:
A Richard Reaume photograph

"It is transitional. The original is French 1790 and is pictured the book, "Revolution in Fashion." It was also worn by the Maria Cosway character in the movie, "Jefferson in Paris."
The hat is a Lunardi. The Lunardi Brothers sent up some of the first hot air balloons (circa 1785). It set off a fashion trend of clothing with the hot air motif. The hat is supposed to look not so much like a balloon as a fallen soufflé.
There are numerous plates of this time in "Eighteen Century French Fashion Plates."

As I was researching the information for my July 4, 2019 posting about the contemporary reactions to the first readings of the Declaration of Independence, I found a common thread that ran the gamut of the towns and villages in the American colonies, from north to south; after the citizens heard the Declaration read for the very first time, they all seemed to react in the same manner, no matter which village they lived: they cheered, bells were rung, muskets were fired, illuminations were set off, candles were lit at night...
And that's what we tried to replicate here at Mill Race Village.

To begin with, Richard alerted the townsfolk of
Mill Race Village of the very special reading.

And gather they did! It's not often one can hear the Declaration read by a member of the five who helped to write it: Dr. Benjamin Franklin.

But before the 'headliner' came on, I got to be the warm-up act:

I gave a quick history of the Declaration and the reaction of the founding generation upon hearing it for the first time.
To be honest, I had a feeling there were many in the audience who had never read or heard the entire document.

Then the guest of honor took center stage and opened the broadside and began to read...

"In Congress, July 4, 1776.
A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America
In General Congress Assembled.
When in the Course of Human Events..."

But then, something happened as he read it;
he began to roll the broadside up...but he continued
to say the words that were written upon it!
He had it memorized!

It is over 1300 words long!
Some of those in the modern clothes noticed his memorization and wondered if he was reciting the Declaration or simply just talking about it. I let them know every word he was saying came directly from the document.

For many of us, great attention was given to every word.

And, just as what occurred when the Declaration was read for the first time nearly two and a half centuries earlier...

...muskets were fired...and the church and school bells were rung...

Three cheers for:
The new United States of America,
for Benjamin Franklin,
for Thomas Jefferson,
for George Washington,
for John Adams
all came from the crowd, whether dressed in period attire or in modern clothes, helping to stir patriotism to all.

It was a wonderful scenario to reenact and to be a part of, because we all were truly celebrating being a part of the greatest country in the world!

At some point in the reenacting world, the three of us here in this
picture portray a known person from the past. I think it's pretty
obvious that Bob, on the left, does a pretty amazing job as
Benjamin Franklin. Lynn in the middle speaks as Betsy Ross.
And then there's the guy on the right - me - who comes out every-
so-often as Paul Revere.

There were concerns of the Redcoats rising up once they hear of this independence thing, so some of the local militia were prepared.

But with Benjamin Franklin in our midst, we were

certain the uncertainty of declaring independence, which weighed
heavily on the minds of the townsfolk, was the right thing to do.

A Lynn Anderson production

Some of the men gave a loading and firing demonstration to the visitors, who enjoyed the sights and sounds of musket fire.

A few members of the ever-growing 1st Pennsylvania.
These guys are making all of their clothing and sewing by hand.
That's dedication!

Members of the 1st Pennsylvania had a set up of guns and accoutrements, and were able to give a bit of history of their unit to an interested public.

Included in this collection was a specially scrolled powder horn done for Master Gerring:

Note the powder horn.

Marty and Chris.
Marty, is in the 1st Pennsylvania, did some leather
work for his presentation.
Chris, here, is in Roger's Rangers of Michigan.
It was good to have both come out with us.

Members of the British 49th Regiment of Foote portraying members of the Continental Army. It was difficult for them to do this, but they did!
Seriously, I love these guys - they have supported me and I appreciate that.

It was a special treat to have a few of the
Voyageurs come out and participate with us,
for they, too, had a historical tale to tell.

The Lac Ste. Claire Voyageurs have been taking part in more of our events, and we have been joining in on a few of their events as well. It has made for more of a well-rounded presentation and history lesson.
I look forward to more of this!

Visiting the 1st Pennsylvania.
Tony Gerring heads up this American Rev War group and I
appreciate that he and the guys have also been there for me and
my time-travel excursions as well.
My son Rob is a member.
A Lynn Anderson photo

So, the second reading of the Declaration turned out to be a little, um, wet.
Yes, the very last half hour of the event a sudden downpouring of rain enveloped our area, and the entire region was flooded. Luckily, it only lasted about 30 minutes - but unfortunately, that was also the length of time it took to do the Declaration presentation and reading.
But would our founding fathers have let a little rain stop them?
No!

When the rain came most ran to hide their heads. But the die-hards remained, and all came up onto the large gazebo, safe from the drenching,
to hear Dr. Franklin give his reading one more time.

The rains came...

And I wonder, still I wonder, who'll stop the rain...
No radio, tv, computer, phones (cell or otherwise). Just a good
opportunity to spend a rainy moment together inside as friends.
This is a Rae Bucher picture

Some of the reenactors were on the small porch of a house right
near the gazebo.

And since part of this scenario presentation was to replicate the "pomp and parade" of nearly 250 years ago when the Declaration was first read, why would we let a little rain prevent us from playing that out?

"Boom! That's the noise that made the Redcoats run!"

And with that, along with the flooding puddles that covered the historic village, our Independence Day celebration at Mill Race Village was over.
But wait---what's this?

We always enjoy going out to eat at the local Big Boy restaurant afterward. And both patrons and employees alike get a kick out of seeing all of us in our 18th century finery in their modern establishment.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable day. My thanks to all of the reenactors who came out to take part, for it's because of everyone's participation that we could make 1776 come alive in a way that I hope our founding generation would be proud.

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Wait---one more quick thing:
I very rarely politicize here, but coming on the heels of a football player who cannot play very well and is therefore not wanted by any major team but seems to feel the need to find a way to keep his name in the news, I felt I had to say something.
I just can't let it go.
To begin with, this was a glorious 4th of July. Numerous visitors of different races thanked us for being there and made sure to let us know that they loved our nation's history, through good and bad, and made it a point to comment on how they were not offended by the so-named "Betsy Ross flag." In fact, most said they were tired of having our country's past either seemingly erased, maligned, or vilified - some felt the need to state whether they leaned liberal or conservative.
Wow---opposite sides of the political spectrum on the same side here - - !!
How such a large international company can bow to one person....did you get that? One person.
I believe Americans in general, be they liberal or conservative - Democrat or Republican - are simply fed up with protests that are going way too far. I believe this situation will backfire to an extent that those very few who are perpetrating it will find themselves alone on the proverbial desert island.
I, myself, have had enough of this divisiveness that's been going on for well over a decade. Through my Passion for the Past blog I try to keep the pre-20th century generations, including my ancestors, in their time, not our time, as I write and publish each post. They need to placed in their own environment - their surroundings and influences - to do them justice and to be fair. There is enough negativity about America's past being taught in our colleges, and sometimes our high schools - and, of course, we must always remember the atrocities that occurred, but these atrocities are not our entire history. And that's why I choose to keep my postings on the more positive as well as informative side of everyday life in early America. And if my writing can stimulate emulation of the prouder virtues of our founding generation and maybe lead to real patriotism and caring for our country, then I have achieved my goal.
Not a Democrat. Not a Republican.
But an American.

God shed His grace on thee, America.

In fact, that's the way most of us are:

Three cheers for the United States of America!!

Until next time, see you in time.

Many thanks must go to the 1st Pennsylvania, the 49th Regiment Of Foot, the Lac Ste. Claire Voyageurs, Rogers Rangers of Michigan, and any of the independent walk-ons for joining Citizens of the American Colonies in making this 4th of July celebration such a success.
Also thank you to the good folks at Historic Mill Race Village and the Northville Historical Society in Northville, Michigan for allowing us to bring the colonial past to life. We certainly enjoyed it!

And, yes, though I took many photographs with my "stealth camera," there were other photographers there who did an amazing job in capturing the day for all of us. Especially B & K Photography, who tend to come out to our events and, between the two of them (Beth and Kevin) leave no stone unturned. My heartfelt gratitude and thanks to these two amazing people. In fact, if the pictures have the B&K Photography watermark in the lower right corner, it's theirs, and if you are ever interested in posting any of their pictures on your page, please do not hide the watermark.
Then there are the pictures taken by the following, also of top-notch quality:
Lynn Anderson
Rae Bucher
Sam Goldwater
Northville Historical Society
Richard Reaume
Thank you all.
(By the way, if no name is underneath the photo, it was taken with my camera so I get the credit! Ha!)

Hear ye!
Hear ye!
To learn more about our Patriot's Day reenactment at Mill Race Village, click HERE
To learn more about the writing of the Declaration of Independence, click HERE
To learn more about the printing and delivery of the Declaration, please click HERE
To learn more about the reaction from those who were there when it was first read, click HERE
To learn a bit on the everyday lives of those who lived during the time of the Declaration, click HERE
To learn a bit more about the road to liberty, please click HERE

Sources:

The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson

~ ~ ~

Thursday, July 4, 2019

The Great Declaration of July 4th, 1776: Reactions From Those Who Were There

Often we remember seeing or hearing important events when they occurred for the first time; the moon landing, Kennedy's death, 9-11, or, for our elderly, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, etc. Maybe even something lighter like when the Beatles first came to America or when Woodstock happened. So, I would imagine hearing something as important and newsworthy as Britain's American colonies declaring Independence would have to had been the ultimate news item, as far as America is concerned, right?
Now, naturally, all from that era of 1776 are far gone - 200 years gone for most - so to hear their stories would be impossible.
Or is it?

~ ~ ~

~ ~

We in our modern day have venerated the Declaration of Independence to a level of mythical proportions; we hold it in the highest regard of any of our historical documents. It is sort of the Alpha & Omega of the United States of America, followed closely by our Constitution.
Let's explore this a bit further and maybe understand why...

Here is the first time we see
"The United States of America!"

Independence Day is my 2nd favorite holiday. Christmas is the toppermost for me, but our country's birthday is a close second. I've always loved this most celebrated summer holiday - it is the epitome of birthday parties. I remember the Bicentennial of 1976 when everything you saw or heard had something to do with the Revolutionary War. I was in my glory! The 4th of July fireworks that year were the best ever, without question. But then it soon all faded away, and by the early-1980s, the excitement was hardly a ripple.
But I never lost my passion for the Revolutionary era. And I never lost my love for our country - my patriotism has always stood strong, even through adversity.
So now I reenact the time of the founding generation, and with the coming of the sestercentennial (250th anniversary), it is the perfect time to reinvigorate and re-familiarize ourselves with this most important period in our history.
Each July 4th since 2015 I have made a special effort to publish a blog post celebrating, in some way or another, a story about our fight for independence. And this is the 3rd year in a row that my Independence Day post has something to do with the Great Declaration. I have tried to do each from a little bit of a different angle...with a more personal you are there feel, to help garner excitement and understanding for our rich past.
Oh---and since 2011, I have celebrated our country's birthday by wearing period clothing and attempting to 'live' history for the short moment.
So let's take you back to that hot summer of '76 - 1776 - so you, too, can experience what it was like to hear of this declaration that seemed to be on everyone's lips:

The Pennsylvania Evening Post
July 6, 1776

As you should hopefully know, the 2nd Continental Congress had voted for independence on July 2. Two days later, on July 4, this declaration, explaining the reasons for this separation from England, and was largely written by Thomas Jefferson (with help and suggestions from Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman), was finally adopted. Hence, the date of July 4 and not July 2.
The colonies are claiming INDEPENDENCE!
Immediately, the words of the document were typeset and printed onto broadsides where they were delivered by couriers throughout the British colonies and set on ships to be seen in far-off France and...England.
Besides being distributed as a broadside, the Declaration of Independence was published on the front page of the Pennsylvania Evening Post on July 6, 1776 - the first newspaper to do so. Other newspapers picked up the story and printers elsewhere produced additional broadsides.
This was news; just imagine these backwoods country folk declaring independence from the world's greatest super power!
And it certainly did cause a stir throughout the land, as you shall soon see.
Now place yourself into the mindset of those who were around in July of 1776; your awareness of the future is gone...this is the best way to understand the excitement (by 18th century definition) that it caused.

Evening has come to pass...

time to write a letter.

You may recall the famous letter John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, dated July 3rd, noting his exuberance upon the approval of this resolution for independence from Britain when it was passed on July 2. This took place at the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia with no opposing vote cast. In the letter Adams wrote, "The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Act of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade with shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of the Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."
On Sunday, July 14, Abigail Adams replied to her husband in this manner:
"By yesterdays post I received two Letters dated 3 and 4 of July and tho your Letters never fail to give me pleasure, be the subject what it will, yet it was greatly heightened by the prospect of the future happiness and glory of our Country; nor am I a little Gratified when I reflect that a person so nearly connected with me has had the Honour of being a principal actor, in laying a foundation for its future Greatness. May the foundation of our new constitution, be justice, Truth and Righteousness. Like the wise Mans house may it be founded upon those Rocks and then neither storms or temptests will overthrow it."
How exciting for Mrs. Adams to bear witness to what her husband had helped to accomplish (with her help, I have no doubt).

Now, we have been told that the first public reading of the Declaration occurred on July 8 of that grand year of '76. However, it seems there was an earlier public reading. The following comes from Chris Coelho in his article published in the Journal of the American Revolution site:

Broadside announcement.

In 1992, the legal scholar Wilfred J. Ritz presented evidence of a public reading on July 4, 1776. Although Ritz originally thought that a “leaked” copy was read that day, it was, in fact, an official copy in the hands of a staff member. One eyewitness was Charles Biddle, later Vice President of Pennsylvania’s Supreme Executive Council. He wrote, “On the memorable Fourth of July, 1776, I was at the Old State-House yard when the Declaration of Independence was read. There were very few respectable citizens present.”

Another spectator, Quaker Deborah Norris Logan, was fourteen in the summer of 1776. In a diary she started many years later, she described what she saw and heard on July 4:

It is now a matter of doubt as what hour, or how, the Declaration was given to the people. Perhaps few now remain that heard it read on that day. But of the few I am one: being in the lot adjoining to our old mansion house in Chestnut Street, that then extended to 5th Street, I distinctly heard the words of that Instrument read to the people (I believe from the State House steps, for I did not see the reader) a low building on 5th Street (later the location of City Hall) which prevented my sight and I think it was Charles Thomson’s voice. It took place a little after twelve at noon and they then proceeded down the street, (I understood) to read it at the Court House. It was a time of fearful doubt and great anxiety with the people, many of whom were appalled at the boldness of the measure, and the first audience was neither very numerous, nor composed of the most respectable class of citizens.

As Logan orients us, the Norris property bordered the State House on the south side of Chestnut Street. Standing in her own yard, she could see the crowd on the street and hear the speaker, but due to an obstructed view, she could not see him.

You gotta love deeper research!

Now let's imagine being at the very first, what we might say, "official" public reading of the Declaration, which took place in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776 to a much larger crowd than read to on the 4th. Word of the Declaration by that point had gotten out and, I would venture to guess, there were some mighty interested folk who wanted to hear it "official."

Most of what you are about to read comes directly from the book, The Declaration of Independence by Rod Gragg (see link at the bottom of this post):
At noon on July 8, 1776 - a hot day in Philadelphia - several hundred people crowded onto the State House courtyard to hear a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Colonel John Nixon, of the Philadelphia Committee of safety, climbed atop an odd makeshift stage---a circular platform used for astronomy studies...

The reading of the Great Declaration at the
State House in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776
(from the John Adams HBO mini-series)

There, elevated above the crowd, he began to read.
In Congress, July 4, 1776.
A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America
In General Congress Assembled.
When in the Course of Human Events...
When he finished, resounding cheers rose from the courtyard. Nine men selected for the honor then proceeded to the front of the State House, where the king's coat of arms was mounted above the entrance. Every day of both sessions of the Continental Congress, the delegates had walked under this symbol of Royal authority on the way to deliberations. Now it was pried from the wall and carried triumphantly to the London Coffee House. In the street outside that evening---after a parade and thirteen gun salute---it was ceremoniously tossed onto a bonfire. Church bells rang into the night, and Philadelphians everywhere lit candles in their windows.

Bells, cannon, and musketry all commemorated the new United States of America!
(from the John Adams HBO miniseries)

And John Adams, in a letter to Samuel Chase from Philadelphia dated 9 July, 1776, wrote:
"You will see by this post that the river is passed, and the bridge cut away. The Declaration was yesterday published and proclaimed from that awful stage in the State-house yard, by whom, do you think? By the Committee of Safety, the Committee of Inspection, and a great crowd of people. Three cheers rended the welkin. The battalions paraded on the Commons, and gave us the feu de joie (bonfire), notwithstanding the scarcity of powder. The bells rang all day and almost all night. Even the chimers chimed away. The election for the city was carried on, amidst all this flurry, with the utmost decency and order."

General George Washington received official notification when a letter dated July 6 arrived from John Hancock, the president of the Continental Congress, along with a copy of the declaration. Hancock explained that Congress had struggled with American independence for some time, and even after making this momentous decision many members were worried about its consequences. He concluded that Americans would have to rely on the "Being who controls both Causes and Events to bring about his own determination," a sentiment which Washington shared. For the commander-in-chief, who needed to lead his untrained army against Great Britain, the decision for independence came as welcome news, especially since his men would now fight not merely in defense of their colonies but for the birth of a new nation. The Revolutionaries were intently aware of this immediate value of the Declaration. As the report that appeared in the London Chronicle of September 26, 1776, makes clear, when the Declaration was officially read on July 9, it had the desired effect.
The following is a combination of different source material that I had spliced together to give a more cohesive reading of the occurrences when George Washington had gathered his troops to hear this Declaration for the first time (my sources are listed at the bottom of this post):

A Mort Kunstler painting of the reading of
the Declaration of Independence to
Washington's men.

On the evening of July 9, 1776, thousands of Continental soldiers who had come from Boston to defend New York City from the British marched to the parade grounds in Lower Manhattan. General George Washington had ordered them to assemble promptly at six o'clock to hear a declaration approved by the Continental Congress calling for American independence from Great Britain.
Washington, like many others in the army, had been waiting for this declaration for some time. He had grown impatient with representatives who hoped for reconciliation with the mother country. To those who believed peace commissioners were on their way to the colonies to effect this reconciliation, Washington responded that the only people heading to the colonies were Hessian mercenaries. Even as his men waited to hear the proclamation read aloud to them, Washington knew that thousands of Hessians and even more redcoats were landing on Staten Island, preparing for an attack on New York.

An actual newspaper/broadside
write up. It says it was extracted
from a letter written on July 6, but
history tells us it was first read
on July 8th.
I don't understand...but here is the
write up.

Washington rode into the middle of a hollow square formed by New York and Connecticut regiments while a chirp throng of civilians ringed the greensward. As Washington's soldiers stood ready for the brigadiers and colonels of their regiments to read the Declaration of Independence, they first heard words written by their commander. Washington explained that Congress had "dissolved the connection" between "this country" and Great Britain and declared the "United Colonies of North America" to be "free and independent states." A uniformed aid spurred his horse forward; the crowd hushed as he unfolded his script and began to read: "In Congress, July 4, 1776." Even the most unlettered private recognized that something majestic was in the air.
Next came Jefferson's stirring words explaining that all men were created equal and endowed by their Creator with the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Since George III had trampled on these rights, as Jefferson argued in a long list of complaints against him, the people of the United States of America had the right to break the political bands that tied them to Great Britain and form a new government where the people would rule themselves.

The reader finished his oration, a bit hoarse now, by proclaiming all political ties with Britain "to be totally dissolved" and the colonies to be "free and independent states." A chaplain recited Psalm 80 v3: "Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved." Loud cheers washed over the commons, and Thomas Mifflin, the adjutant general reportedly climbed onto a cannon and shouted, "My lads, the Rubicon is crossed!"
Washington trotted back to his headquarters. "The whole choir of our officers went to a public house to testify our joy at the happy news of Independence. We spent the afternoon merrily," recorded Isaac Bangs. The rambunctious crowd of listeners meandered south on Broadway. Here, George III, identified that very evening in the Declaration as a tyrant "unfit to be the ruler of a free people," sat atop his gilt horse on Bowling Green. Whooping vandals broke through the iron fence surrounding the statue, clambered onto the marble pedestal, and lassoed the equestrian figure. Scores of soldiers and civilians tugged on the ropes until the two-ton statue capsized with a tremendous crash---"leveled with ye dust," a witness reported. The baying crowd decapitated the king, whacked off his nose, and clipped the laurels from his brow. Someone fired a musket ball into the head, and more balls punctured the torso. Others scraped away the ten ounces of gold leaf that covered rider and mount. With fife and drums playing "The Rogues March," the severed head was first wheeled in a barrow to the Mortier house, then impaled on a spike outside the Blue Bell Tavern. To one spectator the scene evoked the fallen angel Lucifer, as described by poet John Milton: "O how fallen! How changed!"

Artist Johannes A. S. Oertel, working in the mid-nineteenth century, provides an imagined depiction of the destruction of George III's statue in Bowling Green, the first victim of New Yorkers' reaction to hearing news of the Declaration of Independence. Oertel places women, children, and Native Americans among what eyewitnesses recorded as a rowdy crowd of soldiers and civilians

The head would be recovered by British Army engineer John Montresor and shipped to England to further illustrate the "disposition of the ungrateful people." The headless rider and horse were carted in fragments to a Connecticut foundry, where patriot women melted the lead, ladled it into molds, and soon sent the army 42,088 bullets. "It is hoped," the surgeon Isaac Bangs told his journal, "that the emanations of the leaden George will make as deep impressions in the bodies of some of his red-coated and Tory subjects."
Exuberant demonstrations erupted throughout the thirteen new states as word of the Declaration spread. Savanna held a sham burial of King George, accompanied by muffled drums. Other towns staged mock trials and executions. A Long Island village fashioned an effigy of the king with a wooden crown and feathers, wrapped it in a union jack packed with gun powder, then blew it up on a gallows. In Dover, Delaware, rebels tossed George's portrait into a bonfire. "Thus," they announced, "we destroy even the shadow of that king who refused to reign over a free people." In New Hampshire, mobs smashed tavern signs depicting a crown or the king's arms; some merchants refused coins with the king's likeness.

When a courier arrived in Boston around July 15 with one of the John Dunlap copies of the Declaration, local printer John Gill, a patriot and publisher who was also a leading advocate of American colonial independence from Britain, set it in type the following day and had it ready for distribution on the 18th, where it was read from the balcony of that city's Old State House for the first time. Large crowds gathered to hear the address.

A sketch of the Declaration being read at the State House
in Boston on July 18, 1776.
Abigail Adams was among the crowd, as you shall read:

In my opinion, one of the most descriptive accounts of the reading of the Declaration comes from Abigail Adams. As she wrote her husband, John, on July 21, 1776 in Boston:

~Laura Linney as Abigail Adams
from the HBO miniseries "John Adams."

Yes, she not only very much looks the part,

but presents herself as I would imagine
the real Mrs. Adams might have.

"Last Thursday after hearing a very good sermon I went with the Multitude into Kings Street to hear the proclamation for independence read and proclaimed. Some Field pieces with the Train were brought there. The troops appeared under Arms and all the inhabitants assembled there (the small pox prevented many thousand from the Country). When Col Crafts read from the Belcona of the State House the Proclamation, great attention was given to every word. As soon as he ended, the cry from the Belcona, was God save our American States and then 3 cheers which rended the air. The Bells rang the privateers fired the forts and Batteries, the cannon were discharged the platoons followed and every face appeared joyfull. Mr. Bowdoin then gave a Sentiment, Stability and perpetuity to American independence. After dinner the kings arms were taken down from the State House and every vestage of him from every place in which it appeared and burnt in king street. Thus ends royall Authority in this state, and all the people shall say Amen."

In the south:

~A reading of the Declaration of Independence at the
Capitol at Colonial Williamsburg~

"Yesterday afternoon," Williamsburg's Virginia Gazette reported on July 26, 1776, "agreeable to an order of the Hon. Privy Council, the Declaration of Independence was solemnly proclaimed at the Capitol, the Courthouse, and the palace, amidst the acclamation of the people, accompanied by firing of cannon and musketry, the several regiments of continental troops having been paraded on that solemnity."

Photo courtesy of David M from the Colonial Williamsburg web site

One of my proudest moments was reading the Declaration at Old Fort Wayne in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

It wasn't until August of 1776 that the Declaration finally made it to England and was published on the front page of the London Chronicle. The news reinforced King George's determination to subdue the Americans by warfare. "Blows must decide if they are to be subjects to this Country or independent."
However, I would imagine it was a bit of an understatement when the London Chronicle wrote that, "everywhere (the Declaration) was received with loud huzzas, and the utmost demonstrations of joy."

Not since the spring of 1775 had spirits been so high, though the exuberance of the moment would soon be dashed, for the Regular Army would quickly create what would be the lowest point in George Washington's military career during the entire War. Through a series of American defeats, the British would soon overtake New York. According to the Mount Vernon site:

"The results were catastrophic for the American forces whose defense rapidly evaporated in the face of the swiftly moving British forces. The Americans had retreated to their defensive works on the Brooklyn heights." (For more information on this campaign, please click HERE)
By the end of August, Washington decided to leave Long Island and focus on the defense of Manhattan. The British planned to attack Manhattan by landing at Kip’s Bay. On September 15, the British opened fire from their ships and proceeded to land ashore. Many of the Continental soldiers and militiamen panicked and deserted their posts. Washington managed to galvanize troops the next day on Harlem Heights, forcing back three battalions of British light infantry. The small victory was tactically unimportant, but went a long way towards reinvigorating the Continental Army’s morale."

Not every colonist was pleased, however. On July 9th, recent immigrant diarist Nicholas Cresswell, a young English gentry farmer living in Virginia, wrote: "At Mr. Kirks. News that the Sanhedrim had declared that the thirteen united Colonies, Free and Independent States. That this was intended by the Northern Colonies from the first I am well convinced..."
Cresswell then presents two letters from 1775 (that were written by John Adams) which fell into British hands when the currier was captured in Rhode Island. In them Adams speaks of the military build up of the Continentals to go against the British Army, among other items.

Francis Lewis

New York Declaration signers William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Lewis Morris, and Francis Lewis were proscribed by the British authorities and had a price set upon their heads. Very soon after they were in possession of Long Island, Captain Birtch was sent to the home of Francis Lewis with a troop of light horse "to seize the lady and destroy the property."
Lewis' wife, Elizabeth, remained calm as the soldiers advanced and a British warship opened fire on the house. A soldier tore the glittering buckles from her shoes that looked to him like gold but were really just pinchbeck. “All that glitters is not gold,” she remarked to the disheartened young man. The soldiers destroyed books from Lewis' valuable library, papers, and pictures, and ruthlessly broke up furniture. After thoroughly pillaging the house they took Elizabeth captive and threw her into prison without a bed or a change of clothing, and with scant food. When this was brought to the attention of General Washington, he ordered the arrest of Mrs. Barren, wife of the British Paymaster-General, and Mrs. Kempe, wife of the Attorney-General of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He made it known that his captives would receive the same treatment as Mrs. Lewis unless an exchange was made. The exchange was arranged, but Elizabeth’s health was seriously impaired by her captivity and imprisonment. She joined Francis in Philadelphia in broken health and died in June 1779 with Francis at her side.
But more devastation was to befell other signers:

William Floyd

Philip Livingston and Lewis Morris flee'd their homes, and the home of William Floyd was also looted. Thomas Jefferson and his family were also forced to leave their Virginia plantation. John Hart's house in New Jersey was sacked as he was relentlessly pursued. George Clymer, from Pennsylvania, had his home looted and his family driven away. Thomas McKean of Delaware had to move his family no less than five times. North Carolina's William Hooper suffered severe losses; William Ellery of Rhode Island had his house burned; and Georgia's Lyman Hall lost two houses.

And there were more instances like these. 'Twas a very tough break for many of the signers to now have their names immortalized.

After the "high" of hearing the Declaration of Independence, the rest of 1776 did not go nearly as well as hoped. And the War itself continued on until 1783, ultimately (and fortunately) with the Americans winning. Why the bedraggled farmers continued the fight with the hell they went through, I honestly couldn't say, but I do believe the thought of being a free and independent nation must have played a large role.
If you are like me and are interested in the lives of the common Revolutionary War soldier and civilian, you would do yourself well by checking out the following books:
The Last Muster: Images of the Revolutionary War Generation
and
The Last Muster: Images of the American Revolution Vol. 2
both by Maureen Taylor
(Or, for a quick overview of the above books, click HERE)
Learning about the men who fought to give us a new nation is the best homage we can pay to them

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As I mentioned, this is the third 4th of July that I've posted about the Declaration of Independence, and each from a different angle. If all three postings were read together (see links below), a nice cohesive overview of this most important document can be found and easily understood.
Those that know me know I am a patriotic person. I always have been. And I hope that some of my patriotism might rub off on others, for that seems to be lacking, and has been for over a decade.
Well, time to bring it back!
Happy Independence Day!

Until next time, see you in time.

Now Before you leave, you may want to read two more postings I put together to give you a better understanding of our nation's most famous document.

Begin with THIS one, for it will give you a background on the Declaration itself as well as a list of all 56 signers.

Next, go to THIS post, for it speaks of the printers and the printing of the Declaration and the delivery of this so-important broadside to the colonies.

To read about some of the cool Revolutionary War artifacts that tell the story of our fight for Independence, click HERE
And to read about the everyday lives for people who lived in the time of the signing of the Declaration, please click HERE

A fantastic movie/mini-series about our founding generation - and one particular founding father & mother in general, is the John Adams mini-series. Click HERE to purchase it. And if you don't already have it, you should seriously consider buying it.

Sources:
Lives of the Signers by Benson Lossing
Declaration of Independence by Rod Gragg
Reporting the Revolutionary War by Todd Andrlik
1776: The Illustrated Edition by David McCullough
My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams
The Spirit of Seventy-Six by Henry Steele Commager & Richard B. Morris
The description of George Washington's aid reading the Declaration and the occurrences afterward were taken verbatim as written from the Mount Vernon website as well as from the book by Rick Atkinson, "The British Are Coming," and "The Decraration of Independence" by Rod Gragg. Yes, I do this as sort of a Reader's Digest condensed version every-so-often, for two reasons:
1) because usually the descriptions take the reader right to the spot where it all took place
and
2) in hopes that the snippets will entice the reader to search out the source and dig deeper to expand even further into the subject.

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Now, if you've read this far, then here are a few Independence Day "funnies" for you to enjoy: