The Revolution

I've been doing some work for a natural life science website that does a weekly webcast about the pharmacutial industry, I know it sounds hella awesome. Since the owner of the site has moved to Raleigh and the web presenter (I use that loosely) is a friend, we have been featuring different cities in each episode. This week being having Independence Day we thought it would be a great idea to do it at a Revolutionary war site.

Growing up in Ohio, I always thought of the Revolutionary War as happening in land far away, even the Civil War to an extent. As a few locations to shoot was mentioned, it finally dawned on me. The Revolutionary War happened close to where I live. Wake Forest is within an hour and a half of three locations that are registered sites.

We picked the Alston House or as it is known, the House in the Horseshoe. In the grand scheme of things it was not a major battle, it was barely a skirmish, but the house still has holes in it from the battle. Let me help you sink that in, these bullet holes are 227 years old. I'm not talking little paux marks I'm talking holes that go through a wall that then lead to another hole on the other side of the room.

What happened was this Alston guy had a group of patriots and they were attacked by a group of loyalist called the Tories. Alston's group thought they were going to lose and ended up retreating into his house. After a few days Alston surrendered and that was that. Your never going to see a major motion picture made of this incident, but for me it was the greatest thing. I was walking around in a house during the founding of our nation. These guys fought to become what we are today. Did these guys push us over the edge and made us free? No, but at least they tried. If I were alive I probably would have had the same thing happen to me, it's just my luck (or I would have died of dysentery).

So for me this Independence Day weekend, I feel I have learned a little and feel a little closer to our founding fathers. It's not every day that you can stick your finger into a hole made from enemy fire that's over 200 years old.

If you are wondering why I did not post a picture of the holes... I forgot to take a picture, I have video of them so that my get posted later.