The Original American Patriots

Everyone's heard of Thanksgiving. Pilgrims & Indians, turkey, yada-yada. While the holiday stands as a wonderful sentiment, a day to give thanks to everything we have, there's another holiday that has all but been forgotten. November 25th was the holiday Evacuation Day, a day for America's original patriots.

Evacuation Day marks the day that the last of the British Authority of the revolutionary war left America. On November 25, 1783, the last remaining ship of British troops that had been occupying New York left the harbor and the very last shot of the Revolutionary war was fired.

The story of the last shot is a little funny. A British gunner on the ship fired a cannon at the Americans booing them away on Staten Island, but the shot was much too short to hit anyone.

Before the British left, however, they had detained revolutionary war prisoners on their ships in the harbor. Over 10,000 soldiers died on those ships, more than in all the other battles of that war combined.

While we are all being thankful tomorrow for food and family, it is also important to be thankful for ALL of America's troops. Our service men and women of all generations have contributed to the many things we enjoy as Americans. All we ask is that you remember their sacrifice and honor their service.