Experience the American dream with today’s Patriots of the Past interview. I’m your host, John Gillespie.
It’s June 17, 1776. I’m with Patriot Daniel McCurtin, who lives near the New York Harbor.
JG: “Daniel, what do you see?”
DM: “Look, Mr. Gillespie! It looks like a thousand floating pine trees. I can’t believe my eyes. The whole bay is full of ships. I do believe that all of London is afloat. What will we do?”
British General Howe brought 34,000 troops and 10,000 sailors to conquer New York. 1,400 Americans were killed or wounded in the Battle of Long Island.
Read the full text of John Adams’ letter concerning the event, which he wrote on August 29, 1776, to William Tudor.
John and Jan Gillespie are the founders of the Rawhide Boys’ Ranch; they have fostered 351 teenagers and wrote the book Our 351 Sons; they have also assisted numerous churches in developing youth programs and expanding their total church ministries. After running for U.S. Senate, John founded 1776 American Dream, which exists to demonstrate the vision of our founding fathers and help our generation of youth passionately embrace those values.
