Oliver Wolcott
This signer of the Declaration was in NYC in 1776 when a mob toppled and shattered a 4000-pound-statue of King George III on a horse. It was made of lead. The King's Head was sent to London as a taunt.
Wolcott made practical use of the shattered statue. He gathered up as much of the statue as he could, and had it shipped to his home in Norwich, Conn. The Wolcott family and their neighbors melted the lead, and made 42,088 bullets. Wolcott took the bullets to Saratoga. They were used to help win the battle that turned the tide in the Revolutionary War.
That pesky statue continues to be a part of American folklore. Wolcott wasn't the only one snatching souvenirs that day.
Pieces of it were never melted down, and have continued to be found as late as 20 years ago. Pieces of the saddle, parts of an arm, saddle straps, and pieces of the horse's tail have been unearthed. Some pieces are still passed on from generation to generation in families.
By the way, Wolcott did a lot of other things, many of them heroic. I found this story too fascinating not to tell.
www.john316marshall.com
Wolcott made practical use of the shattered statue. He gathered up as much of the statue as he could, and had it shipped to his home in Norwich, Conn. The Wolcott family and their neighbors melted the lead, and made 42,088 bullets. Wolcott took the bullets to Saratoga. They were used to help win the battle that turned the tide in the Revolutionary War.
That pesky statue continues to be a part of American folklore. Wolcott wasn't the only one snatching souvenirs that day.
Pieces of it were never melted down, and have continued to be found as late as 20 years ago. Pieces of the saddle, parts of an arm, saddle straps, and pieces of the horse's tail have been unearthed. Some pieces are still passed on from generation to generation in families.
By the way, Wolcott did a lot of other things, many of them heroic. I found this story too fascinating not to tell.
www.john316marshall.com