The American Experiement

The American Experiment to form a republic of states, not a democracy, where people are free to grow and have a say in Life, Liberty, and pursue happiness as long as the people can earn it.

That was the unique declaration of independence from English rule, which was simple someone else telling you what was right and wrong and their opinion didn’t have to be earned or proved effective.

Even then there was conflict in the struggle for power, the separation of that power, and the effort of the people to live up to the burden of maintaining a republic.

Some universal truths were known then and are still trying to wrestle with power and politicians seeking power for all the right reasons at the expense of the people.  Leadership in a republic always struggle with power, struggle with the demands of people, and struggle with conflict with other nations.  We have had every generation since independence go to war because politicians have an issue with power and people. 

Families in a republic are always torn with right and wrong and surviving the rules that restrict rights in the name of rights.  Oh the irony.  The final truth is the citizen has to adjust and survive and pursue life, have liberty, and Be Happy.

Yet in America there exists a fundamental human phenomenon:  from darkness comes light.  In this country, light grows no matter how dark the times.  Our early country, Light is fundamentally what the constitution sets up.

This reality of the American experiment was a revolution.  The story is best told during one of the darkest times in American history.  The battle of king’s mountain in the Carolinas is the story of a light out of darkness.

The light is the man of a republic building life, liberty, and pursuing happiness while often being called to serve his republic at the risk of life in order to cause liberty and happiness for the people.  Maybe that is why our founding fathers set aside a guaranteed military, because they knew the darkness will always be at the gates.

What was written out of history was the warrior of the republic who rises during darkness to bring light.  I like the battle of king’s mountain because it was really the story of a few warriors who rose and trained 900 others unconventional skills in a short time and kicked the British’s ass so soundly the whole nation rose up.  The real genesis of unconventional warriors grew from that battle.  And this has been systematically written out of history so that the people do realize the power a few can have over the many. 

The first light of the American people is a life earned from hard work and useful skills.  The second light of our republic is the liberty to make choices that are important to the individual not the leaders and tyrants.  The third light is the willingness to pursue a meaningful life and willingness to give their life for others to have life.  This light rare in the world and shown through during the darkest of times at king’s mountain. 

These original small group of warriors had acquired a unique set of unconventional fighting skills during the French and Indian wars but had lost favor with the British and had taken the liberty to escape the tyranny and move over the mountains and away from rule and pursue a life for their families.  These skills were and still are the most useful combat skills but never fall into rank and file of conventional military.  Thus, the beginnings of Special Operations both in mindset and abilities.

The overthemountain boys were real americans.  They were independent and different, fiercely loyal to friends and family; highly skilled in practical life skills; and well versed in unconventional combat skills.  They dressed differently.  They carried their muskets very differently but very practically:  butt stock up.  And the conventional units laughed at them.  They carried their powder horn in the perfect tactical spot but opposite of the british way.  They pre-wrapped the shot in cloth for rapid reloading.  They practiced loading in a very different way than conventional forces and practice shooting and moving in pairs not in big groups and not to a leaders command.   They carried both a hatchet and knife on the same side due to necessity and convenience and were scoffed at by conventional forces.  God I like them already.

They moved in pairs firing and reloading and firing in 5 seconds while coordinating with their shooting buddies.  That is roughly a bullet every 2-3 seconds while able to move forward or backward or laterally a distance of 3-5 steps in between each shooting sequence and I can tell you this tactic is lethal on an enemy not in a fort or one that is in a huge group. 

They were capable of moving long distances and live off the land and make their own gear.  They also knew really well how to train others rather rapidly how to use their tactics effectively.  And they brought this light into the darkness at king’s mountain.