Experience the American dream with today’s Patriots of the Past interview. I’m your host, John Gillespie.
It’s April 20, 1775. I’m in Lexington, Massachusetts, at the home of Billy Diamond, drummer boy for the Lexington minutemen.
Yesterday, Billy and thirty-seven brave patriots fought for freedom. Eight Americans gave their lives for liberty. I’m visiting with Ashley diamond, Billy’s eight-year-old sister.
JG: “Are you happy Billy is home safe?”
AD: “Oh, yes, I was so scared. Billy says his drum helps soldiers to fight harder. I help clean my brother’s drum so he’s ready to fight, too.”
A historical marker for “Revolutionary War Drummer William Diamond” reads, “Born in Boston on July 21, 1755. Diamond was a wheelwright by trade. He learned the art of drumming from a British soldier. April 19, 1755, he was part of the guard of Rev. Jonas Clarke’s Lexington, MA, house where John Hancock and Samuel Adams were meeting. Paul Revere’s alert that British troops were coming prompted Capt. John Parker to have Diamond beat the call to arms, sounding the start to the American Revolution. Diamond died in 1828 and is buried here in Peterborough’s Second Cemetery with many Revolutionary War vets.”
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.
