Ned Hector
The Revolutionary War is revolutionary in more ways than one. It is way ahead of its time in social standings. This is the first war that African Americans fight shoulder to shoulder alongside their Caucasian counterpart. This is not seen again until the Korean War in 1948 during the Truman administration.
African Americans play a bigger part in our revolution than most people are aware of. Crispus Attucks (1723-1770) is a dock worker from Framingham, MA. When the Boston Massacre breaks out in 1770. Attucks becomes the first casualty in the cause of independence.
Locally, Edward “Ned” Hector (1744- 1834) is a wagon driver and bombardier as part of an artillery crew with Proctor’s Third Pennsylvania Artillery, later known as the Fourth Continental Artillery. Ned is present at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. During the Battle of Brandywine, the order is given to abandon artillery wagons in order for the soldiers to save themselves. Ned Hector disobeys the orders and shouts: "The enemy shall not have my team; I will save my horses and myself!" In 1850, the city of Conshohocken, just outside of Philadelphia, will rename one of its streets, Hector Street. Then in 1967 the city erectes a Historical Marker in his honor. Ned gets to see the benefits of his sacrifices and his bravery as he watches the country he fought for grow all around him. According to his obituary, he “died on Friday the 3rd of January 1834, aged about 90 years.” While reading his obituary, I found this little anecdote remarkable.
“It is a circumstance somewhat remarkable that his wife, to whom he was married upward of fifty years, and who attended his funeral in perfect health, suddenly expired about an hour after returning from his grave.”
Noah Lewis has been portraying Ned Hector since 1996. He brings this historical hero to life in schools and various historical locations in and around the Philadelphia Area.
** Special thanks to Noah Lewis, himself for being a contributing editor on this small essay. **
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Camera: Cannon Rebel T6
Aperture: F6.3
Shutter Speed: 1/1000
ISO: 100
Exposure Bias: -1.3 step
Focal Length: 41mm
Mode: Shutter Priority
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All content by
Keith J. Fisher
©2020
Grazie Santangelo.
All Rights Reserved.
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