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fatlazyless · 06-07-2007, 02:45 PM

Someone, please correct me on this, the 'live free or die, death is not the worst of evils' phrase was said by NH Revolutionary War General John Stark in 1809 on the anniversary of the Revolutionary War battle of Bennington Vermont. As a pipe smoker, cancer of the mouth kept Stark from making the trip from New Hampshire to Vermont, so he probably already had his impending death on his mind and was thinking how things could not be worse. When faced with an uncurable problem, he had found his own way to rationalize it and in responding to the battle git-together with his war buddies, sent the message; Sorry guys, am too sick to travel even if it is just to Vermont, and oh yeah, fellow soldiers, live free or die, death is not the worst of evils!

So, NH's motto was thought up while he was suffering the cancerous effects of smoking. Chalk one up for smoking!

My point is that General John Stark was sick and dying and he knew it, and thought up this reply knowing he's soon to be dead.

06-07-2007, 02:45 PM	#46
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,858 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 303 Thanked 1,039 Times in 758 Posts	Someone, please correct me on this, the 'live free or die, death is not the worst of evils' phrase was said by NH Revolutionary War General John Stark in 1809 on the anniversary of the Revolutionary War battle of Bennington Vermont. As a pipe smoker, cancer of the mouth kept Stark from making the trip from New Hampshire to Vermont, so he probably already had his impending death on his mind and was thinking how things could not be worse. When faced with an uncurable problem, he had found his own way to rationalize it and in responding to the battle git-together with his war buddies, sent the message; Sorry guys, am too sick to travel even if it is just to Vermont, and oh yeah, fellow soldiers, live free or die, death is not the worst of evils! So, NH's motto was thought up while he was suffering the cancerous effects of smoking. Chalk one up for smoking! My point is that General John Stark was sick and dying and he knew it, and thought up this reply knowing he's soon to be dead. Last edited by fatlazyless; 06-07-2007 at 03:31 PM.