Liberty Encounters

03/19/2025

Grateful for this opportunity. Vive le roi and the French Allies during our War for Independence!

01/18/2025

Excited to remain a part of this project!

A recent blog post describing the incredibly talented and generous Director of the 1620 Experience, Mr. Stuart Peck! :-)

11/28/2024

A joyous Thanksgiving to you! The United States of America is the only country that has a national holiday to give thanks to God. Today, our country remembers the legacy of the Pilgrims and their example of peace and friendship with the Pokanokets of the Wampanoag. The legacy of Plymouth includes the faithful honoring of a 54 year long peace treaty between the Wampanoags and Plymouth Colony.

It also includes the example of the men and heads of households freely signing a covenant, or combination, into a civil body politick. Known as the Mayflower Compact, this set the example of representative, self government. This was unheard of at the time! Just as the Pilgrims formed a covenant and elected their church leaders in England and then Holland before sailing on the Mayflower, they followed the advice of their Pastor John Robinson in forming their government for Plymouth Colony.

In this video, 12th generation descendant from William Bradford, David Bradford, recites a description from Of Plimoth Plantation.

A joyous Thanksgiving to you!

11/20/2024

As we look forward to Thanksgiving, it was a tremendous joy to be joined by my father, David Bradford, and to share the words from America's First Historian, Governor William Bradford. Teaching at Dayspring Christian Academy remains a great challenge and blessing!

Governor Bradford endeavored to write an accurate account from a Providential understanding of history regarding the events and motivations of those who founded Plymouth Colony.

The following quote is inscribed on the National Forefathers Monument and summarizes the significance of the 102 men, women, and children who embodied the American ideals of faith, virtue, and freedom:

“Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand that made all things of nothing and gives being to all things that are; and as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone unto many, yea in some sort to our whole nation; let the glorious name of Jehovah have all praise.”

09/25/2024

Here is the presentation! 🇺🇸😀

09/24/2024

Grateful to join colleagues and share the remarkable, yet little known life of James Jackson!

Tonight we're kicking off our 2024 Revolutionary Perspectives Series with a talk from Public Historian Aaron Bradford, founder of Historical Tour Company. Many Savannahians may recognize Mr. Bradford from his many years with Coastal Heritage Society and as a tour guide downtown. Now a history teacher in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Mr. Bradford will present on the life of Revolutionary War hero James Jackson (namesake of Old Fort Jackson here in Savannah) both here in Georgia and in neighboring South Carolina! Tune in to Coastal Heritage Society's page tonight at 7pm to watch live or catch the replay at your convenience! 🌟

This project is supported by Georgia Humanities, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, through appropriations made by the Georgia General Assembly.

09/14/2024

Huzza for some fine recruits who stepped forward and shouldered wooden muskets and the 13 Star US Flag at a recent Dayspring Christian Academy retreat at Refreshing Mountain! As a final activity to a few hours of many wonderful games, a number of lads stepped forward while everyone was entertained with the spectacle of a militia muster. In the Colonial Era, a muster of the militia was a festive occasion. These recruits looks rather playful indeed. Huzza for American Liberty!

09/13/2024

Joining the ranks of the faculty at Dayspring Christian Academy has been one of the most challenging and rewarding adventures in my life. I am amazed at the dedication and wisdom of the faculty and staff as we strive to partner with parents and guardians to raise up the next generation with a love for God and His Word. The warm, welcoming, and supportive atmosphere is a tremendous blessing indeed!

It was a joy to bring experiential learning to World History Class today while studying the Napoleonic Era!

Dayspring's website describes their mission as providing, "biblical education [that] places the Bible at the center of all learning, creating a truly Christ-centered education. Biblical principles, worldview, and character development are intentionally present in the Dayspring learning environment, with students learning to think and reason directly from the Word of God. This method of Christian education was championed by America’s Founders who believed education “comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations.” (Noah Webster, 1828)

08/14/2024

A salute to Artificer Extraordinaire Indeed, John P. Roberson, and most of the gorgeous guns of Old Fort Jackson. John Roberson forged and built most of the gates, shutters, carriages, guns, and more of what stands at the oldest brick fort in Georgia; Fort James Jackson.

The first pictured is a remarkable original 24 Pounder discovered in the early 21st Century by historic Fort Wayne. Artificer Roberson meticulously designed a carriage based off a French Officer named De Tousard. The gun perfectly matches the description of eight 24 Pounders that defended Savannah from the whitewashed ramparts of Fort Jackson during the War of 1812.

The Model 1821 Sea Coast Gun is a Columbiad style that is a 32 Pounder. She was cast in 1824, served on the frigate U.S.S. Potomac and besieged Vera Cruz during the Mexican War, and was captured by Virginia Militia at the Gosport Naval Yard in Norfolk. The piece defended Savannah against Sherman in the western landward fortifications.

The reproduction of a Model 1841 12 Pounder Mountain Howitzer is just like the one posted at Fort Jackson during most of the Civil War. The piece was designed to be disassembled, loaded on two mules, carried over mountains, and could be reassembled and firing in two minutes! Altogether, she weighed 600 pounds, compared with the 7,000 and 8,000 pound ship killer guns above! Her rapid rate of fire of 3 to 4 shots a minute is quite impressive.

Though I miss my pards and fellow Coastal Heritage Society Resource Educators, I highly recommend their dynamic daily history presentations, replete with musket and cannon firings. I salute their dedication to sharing our country’s history in such an engaging and unforgettable fashion.

08/05/2024

What an honor! This event relived the Pilgrims marching to church after the first winter, when half their number died.

07/27/2024

What a joy to share a passion and love for history with my father, David!

It is a dream come true to study and prepare for a miniature conference in Plymouth, Massachusetts entitled, “Preserving Unity.” This two day event includes a driving tour on Friday, August 2nd, a reenactment of the Pilgrims marching to hold a worship service which has been held annually since the 300th year anniversary called “Pilgrim Progress,” an evening presentation tracing the role of self defense from the Pilgrims to Patriots, presentation on 1624 Plymouth, and singing from the Ainsworth Psalter. On Saturday, there will be more tours and a 135th anniversary celebration of the National Forefather’s Monument!

It will be an honor to present with an array of historians of the Plymouth Rock Foundation, including Dr. Paul Jehle, Dr. Bill Potter, Colonel John Eidsmoe, my father David Bradford, and more who share a love for our country. Coral Ridge Ministries and Dr. Jerry Newcombe is another extraordinary organization and individual supporting this event!

The first image of the Monument is from https://cocwp.org/2016/07/31/national-monument-forefathers/, which also contains a great description.

The second incredible image of the Monument and a wonderful article may be found at https://400th.org/blog/americas-covenant-of-liberty-and-the-forefathers-monument.

Please visit https://plymrock.org/events/ to learn more about the event. May all Americans be inspired by examples of faith, virtue, a peace treaty between Englishmen and Wampanoag that lasted over 50 years and the lives of the leaders who signed, and freedom of enterprise and conscience that laid the foundation for the Patriots of our founding generation!