Dark History

The Rabbis tell us that some of the most important parts of the scriptures are the stories that we do not like. The tales of failures and embarrassing happenings that don’t seem to fit the overall narrative of a loving G-d reaching out to his people. The stories of death and murder and assault and war and strife that often leave us wondering, “Why is this here?” At the end of the day, there are – more often than not – important lessons in these chapters that if we are willing to put in the effort, will prove instructive. We have this idea that the American Revolutionary war was a series of great events that usually saw the Continentals getting the best of the British or the Hessians or the spies sent to find out our plans. We love to read and hear about the magnificent and inspiring victories and the mighty leaders who stood resolutely against tyranny. Those are the takes we enjoy and from which we take our motivation. But on this day in 1780, one of the darkest events of the entire war took place on the field in Camden, SC.