Killing England

Dear Editor,

Curious readers and history buffs are enthusiastic about “Killing England” by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard, Henry Holt and Co. published it in 2017.

It describes the struggle for our American Independence. Unpleasing experiences and limited opportunity were commonplace in 1776.

Those who protested their treatment by the British crown had to deal with George III. Unfortunately, he suffered from bouts of mental illness and dementia.

This was caused by arsenic absorbed from his powdered wigs and arsenic in a medication he took for physical ailments.

Thomas Jefferson spent three weeks carefully writing and wording the Declaration of Independence.

Finally, at 5 p.m in Philadelphia, he met on July 2, 1776, with representatives of the American colonies. Several of them requested a change of wording.

Some of the delegates from New York, Pennsylvania and South Carolina did not want to break away from England. Then, on July 4, 1776, enough signatures were obtained.

The holidays of Christmas and New Years were celebrated in December and January in 1776 and 1777. George Washington and his ragged army crossed the Delaware River. At 3 a.m., they surprised Hessian soldiers hired by the British.

The Hessians staggered out of their quarters. They had been toasting in the New Year.

Gen. Charles Cornwallis was waiting for them with his troops at Trenton, New Jersey. Washington and his men were no match for them (many of them had no boots or warm clothes).

By the time France agreed to help the American patriots, the British had invaded the southern U.S.

Loyalists helped England. In South Carolina, Charleston was under British control.

The American Revolution ended in 1789, but some of the participants didn’t live happily ever after.

Ben Franklin died at age 84 in 1790 from pleurisy, an inflammation of the lining of the chest.

Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton fought a duel over a woman. Hamilton died from his gunshot wound.

Marquis de Lafayette, who defended the American cause, returned to France. He was jailed and hanged in effigy because he didn’t support Napolean.

Helen Ruth Arnold,

Trenton, Neb.