Experience the American dream with today’s Patriot of the Past interview. I’m your host, John Gillespie.
It’s June 4, 1813. I’m on the USS Chesapeake with Captain James Lawrence. We’re in battle with a British frigate, the HMS Shannon, which has been blockading Boston Harbor.
JG: “Captain Lawrence, your ship is surrounded, and it’s being hit on all sides. Captain Lawrence, you’re hit!”
JL: “John, tell my boys don’t give up the ship!”
Captain Lawrence’s famous last words epitomized the fighting American spirit. The Chesapeake was defeated and captured, but the Americans never did give up as the British lost the War of 1812, never to fight us again.
Read more about Captain James Lawrence and the USS Chesapeake.
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.
