We Always Had Been Free

In 1843, a twenty-one-year-old Massachusetts scholar was doing research on the American Revolution and what led up to it. Among those he interviewed was Captain Levi Preston, a Yankee who was seventy years his senior and had fought at both Lexington and Concord.“Captain Preston,” the young man began, “what made you go to the Concord Fight on April 19, 1775?”“What did I go for?”

The old soldier, every bit his ninety-one years, was very bowed, so he raised himself to his full height, taken aback that anyone should ask a question about anything so obvious.The young man tried again.…