I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts.
John Locke
Actions do indeed speak louder than words! As I reflect on the rebels who fought the soldiers of King George III in the American Revolution, I am struck by the fact that talk and debate only took them so far. At some point, powder, shot, bayonet, etc. was required. Oliver Wolcott was a patriot who understood this. Not only did he sign the Declaration of Independence, but he also fought in the pivotal Battle of Saratoga!
But long before he stepped foot on the field of battle, he found a way to contribute to the victory. His story, as told by Denise Kiernan in the book “Signing Their Lives Away,” is one of the most interesting episodes of the Revolution. When the residents of New York toppled a 4,000 lb statue of King George III, Wolcott had an idea of how all that iron could be used. He hauled the statue to his home in Connecticut, and with the assistance of his family melted it down, converting it into 42,088 bullets. Those very bullets were taken to Saratoga where Brigadier General Wolcott used them to help defeat General Burgoyne’s army with “hot blasts of ‘His Melted Majesty’.”
Wolcott did much more than talk about independence and revolution. He was an active participant on a number of levels whose actions made a huge impact!
For more information on Wolcott and the other signers of the Declaration of Independence, see Signing Their Lives Away by Denise Kiernan.
