Visiting Capt. Samuel Whittemore’s Grave! 

Capt. Whittemore in my opinion was the first and greatest American hero. When his comrades came to collect his body they found him propped up attempting to reload his musket and lived to die a free man in a free country. His story tells me it is not Liberty or Death but rather Liberty till Death.

I completely agree that Clint Eastwood would be the perfect actor to portray Samuel Whittemore in a film adaptation of the battle.

Ol' Sam is smiling down at the beautiful young lady kneeling by his grave ❤

As a veteran, Samuel Whittemore's story always chokes me up. I wish that I had the same sort of courage as he exhibited. Unfortunately, my pick is of a man who passed. Gary Cooper, I think would have been the best choice. Today, maybe Sam Elliot.

We as Americans should ALL know this revolutions causes and reasons.....history repeats if not learned from.....mr. Whitmore is one of my heros....we need MEN LIKE HIM TODAY!

5:35 As I'm hearing this story of Capt. Whittemore’s ordeal, I thought for sure he was a goner. Then you mentioned that he actually survived his encounter with the British and their barbarous conduct. This is such a fascinating story! Captain Samuel Whittemore is a true American hero, and his tale is a testament to the human spirit; he defied the odds, to be sure. I can't believe he was 78 years old when this happened! To think that he survived such a brutal attack is nothing short of a miracle. And then to live another 18 years? That's incredible. Thank you for sharing these stories with us. Your videos are always so informative and engaging, and they help me connect with the past in a way I never thought possible (it's almost like I am there in 1775 with the way you tell it). I'll never forget Captain Samuel Whittemore's story, and I'm so grateful to know more about this amazing man. You got a subscriber and a thumbs-up! Keep up the great work! 9:35 Who would I cast in a movie about Whittemore? That's a good one. Michael Douglas? Clint Eastwood? Tough pick. If picking from those who have passed on, some may suggest John Wayne Henry Fonda, or Lee Marvin.

Dangerous old men. Back when I coached Project Appleseed this was one of my favorite stories to tell. Clint Eastwood 100%!

As soon as you asked the question, I thought Clint Eastwood would be a great actor to portray Samuel Whittemore!

Hi Katie, I was just finishing up watching an interview of Erik Prince who wanted to end his interview on a high note. He related a short version of the story of Samuel Whittemore: "When the patriots found him an hour later, he was trying to reload." Absolutely amazing. I thought of you and your channel right away. Thanks for sharing these stories of our past!

Wow, what a story. I would agree, Clint Eastwood.

I don't know who would be best to play him. From what I've heard he was some Carrecter. He and his wife had a lot of children, and they had a farm he worked when he wasn't at war for his country. I think of him as a strong determined man. A great American. He armed himself and stood alone against the Kings army. And lived to tell the story. :) Thank you for helping to keep this history alive.

Very moving. They did this all for us. We must Never Forget their bravery and sacrifice!

Very informative and such a cool story about Samuel Whittemore. What a Patriot!

Late actor James Whitmore kinda entered my mind.

Luv the channel great job Katie!!!

Robert Duval . great video

Looking forward to more great stories!

I used to live in east Lexington and walk around the Arlington Res and catch the bus at the bus depot to Harvard Square where I worked. I rode past the stone commemorating the Old Men of Menotomy every day. I'm sure I visited the area on foot at least once. I've definitely been up on Arlington Heights and enjoyed the view of Boston many times.

Another great presentation. Thank you.

Excellent video. Loved it. My area geographically and #1 interest, is Washington Crossing. I've visited your area only very briefly. Thank you.

2:43 lol, you know you don’t HAVE to be in picture if you really wanted us to see headstone 😂😂 I am enjoying your series on revolutionary war , thank you for all you doing 😉

Great job with the video. Looks like you're making good use of the new video equipment. Great story of a tough old guy. I have been a New England history buff for years. Your channel is exactly the kind of content I enjoy. If you are looking for other ideas for more field trips, I would be happy to suggest a few. Clint would be my choice also.

Captain Whittemore is the American Pinnacle of FAFO.

Lee Marvin

Huzzah! Nice job on Samuel's service on the first day of the war for independence!

This is great stuff, Katy.

great work!

Thanks for sharing. I didn’t know much about him . I grew up not far from there as a child. My aunt lived not far there in Arlington. I lived just off of Mass ave on Blake Street. Lots of memories from the area.

You should also be aware that two of the British who fought and were killed at the Jason Russell house are buried near the stone wall in the rear of the burial ground.

Just discovered your channel and I love it. Great enthusiasm, great presentation, great knowledge and great accent!

Love your accent and your videos. I like the old name of the town better. They should change it back.

Very good information! Enjoyed your wisdom. Clint Eastwood would be a great actor for playing his character!!

That is an amazing story

What a great story!

very informative, well done and I look forward to more of your wonderful video’s.

Hi, Katie! RU-vid recommended me your video and it is awesome. I hadn't heard of Capt. Samuel Whittemore's story. I was amazed he survived being shot, bayoneted, and bludgeoned. It's an incredible story. He was so strong and courageous. Great question. I'm thinking of Josh Brolin (yes, he'd be a bit young to play an older Samuel Whittemore, but with CGI and/or makeup, he could look like him), Charles Bronson, or Tom Selleck to play Whittemore. Have a wonderful week :)!

Just stumbled upon one of your shorts and checked out your channel! Your local knowledge is invaluable, thanks for sharing, love it!! Oh and the man with the same first name to represent Capt. Whittemore ...Sam Elliot of course!!!

Wonderful research and presentation. Thank you so much

Samuel Whittemore always seemed like a guy I could hang out with. 100 percent Clint Eastwood for casting of this legend.

Love your historical talks and attention to detail. My pick…..Robert Duvall.

Yep Clint Eastwood....tell the British....get off my lawn

Wonderful video, thank you! And yes, I completely agree, Clint Eastwood would be my choice to portray this stalwart figure. Cheers!

Richard Harris would have been great. I was unaware of Whittemore. Great episode!

Holy smokes! Old guy gets shot in face, then bayoneted several times, and not only survives, but lives another 18 years?! Just wow.... And my pick to play him would be James Stewart, but his accent wouldn't fit the part.

Also I hope you can cover Hezekiah Wyman " Death was a white haired man who rode a pale horse"

I really like your accent. 😃 Keep up the great work! Please visit NYC when you have time too 🙏

Katie It might be fun to visit that gravesite around Halloween. See who pays a visit. I was thinking Clint Eastwood or George C Scott. I could name a few more tough guys that could play the Capt very well. Great video! Can't wait for the next one. Thank you

Thanks for this story Katie. (Love your accent BTW). I would cast an aging James Whitmore or maybe Walter Brennan. Thanks again for the bringing the Captain to us!

Interesting question. I'm thinking James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Warren Oates ... classic tough-as-nails cowboy stereotype. Enjoyed this video. Hadn't heard of Whittemore (the shame!) until now. Looking forward to more about him. 🙂

Beautiful and informative thank you

Katy, you've gotten so much better with the camera than with this first one! But it was fascinating nevertheless. I agree with you for comparisons, Clint Eastwood was my first thought as far as tough old coots go. Not sure he could've surpassed Whittemore though....

Recently found you and my wife and I enjoy your videos!

I’ve been thinking about who could play Samuel Wittemore and I com up with Charles Bronson!!

So interesting! Thank you.

I'm going old school, with James Whitmore playing Samuel Whittemore. He has a revolutionary war period grittiness in his look.

Thank you for this video. I first read about Mr Whittemore in the excellent book "Paul Revere's Ride" by David Hackett FIscher. An incredible story and man. A shame he isn't better known. John Wayne gets my vote - even if he is dead!

I love this spot in town. Its so insane that there is A Smoking Hot History Buff. These videos are beyond great.

Good pick!

good job Katie

Jimmy Stewart. Just seems right to me.

Clint Eastwood is a great pick. But right away I thought of Brad Pitt. I stand by him. He's been really great in many films. But he really shined in Fury and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Clint Eastwood or Sam Elliott would be my pick for portraying Samuel. Talk about being a true patriot.

I love Sam Whittemore. He was the first grandfather to tell the British regulars, "Get off my lawn." Clint Eastwood was actually quoting him in that movie.

Clint Eastwood would be my first choice with John Wayne running a close second

The actor of my choice would be Sam Elliot.

Good question. Victor McLaglen

Great video’

Yep, Clint

I was going to say Clint Eastwood too. Liam Neeson would also be a good choice. I might suggest Sean Connery. Not necessarily James Bond era Connery, but 90s Connery who was in The Rock.

When you said living or dead, my mind went to Charleton Heston. Clint Eastwood is obviously a very good choice. I propose Sam Elliott as a back up.

Rock hard whittemore! A real man. Fat Electrician just did an excellent video about him.

I would cast Sam Waterston. I love your videos.

Clint Eastwood would be my choice to portray Samuel Whittemore

Daniel Day Lewis would make a good Samuel Whittemore. He was good in Last of the Mohegans and Gangs of New York. Since he was in both those period movies I think people would be more likely to associate him with that period. Clint is more associated with the Civil war period.

Robert Duvall could play him.

Great video... and for the movie, let's go with Sam Elliot

Samuel Whittemore played by Charles Bronson.

Capt. Whittemore is my 6th Greatgrandfather.

I think Tommy Lee Jones or Robert Duval would be good choices.

Harrison Ford, Clint Eastwood.

lee marvin of course

Sam was amazing brave. Re: Q. Charlton Heston.

Dean Jagger

Katie, It's my understanding that after that day, John Adams said "the Rubicon has been crossed". Would you give us some historical context on what he meant by that & the significance of that powerful statement made by such a great leader? Thank You. (great video- TY) DId not know this story. So glad I found your channel. I think it had to do with a dictator taking over Rom & Rome ceasing to be a true republic. Is that true? I'm sure you could ad a lot to that incredibly powerful pubic statement.

Well done… and Clint Eastwood😊

Great job beautiful lady!!

Very interesting. It would have been a terrible place to be April 19th 1775.

Just read thru the comments... I thoroughly agree wit Sam Elliott and Richard Harris... don't think you could go wrong wit either but still favor Clint...😊

Charlton Heston

Charelton Heston hands down!

Everyone suggests Clint Eastwood but I think Jimmy Stewart or Audie Murphy (had he lived to an older age) are much better choices.

So was Samuel Whittemore a captain in the French and Indian War and / or at time of April 19? I ask because years ago i read some remarks given in Menotomy / A-town during the Cival War giving FaIW veteran David Lamson as commander of "The Old Men of Menotomy." Perhaps that same text described Samuel's wife urging him to come with her away from the British route, while Samuel was packing powder and shot for the day, saying something like, "I am sticking around to take care of business today." Side note: April 19 Patriots in arms David Lamson and Cuffe ("Kofi") Whittemore did not sport the European looks many might imagine.

I was wondering 'Hmmm i wonder if she has done a presentation on Samuel Whittemore'...Yup! Samuel Whittemore is my favorite Bad-A$$!!

John Wayne

The younger version of its older name is "Menotony". (I used to live there!)

Clint Eastwood

My pick would be Danny Devito playing a more serious role with a little bit of New England sarcasm.

My 4th ggf Caleb Haskell's gravestone is in the Old Burying Ground in Newburyport. He was at the Siege of Boston, Bunker's Hill, and Quebec. He was never wounded, but he did get the smallpox (he lived). His diary has has been quoted and sometimes cited in books on the Revolution (usually concerning smallpox in the army outside Quebec City). In The British are Coming, an author quoted him, but didn't cite him. No need to cite him since he just called him "a soldier". Great book, though. I saw his name connected to another quote but I think it may have been someone else. The quote is from when a general asked a private on the Bunker Hill battlefield which regiment some apparently lollygagging men belonged to, and Caleb supposedly answered "Dolittle's" and the general replied "Dolittle? More like do nothing!" That is suspect to me since Caleb was in Little's Regiment and not Dolittle's and he never mentions that in his diary.. I have another 4th ggf (Dr. Azor Betts) who was arrested in NYC and jailed shortly after Congress passed the Tory Act and the local Committee of Safety closed up his medical practice because of his political views (he thought rebellion against the King was a bad idea). He had the audacity to loudly complain about that and went so far as to curse them, calling them "a bunch of damned rascals". After a couple of months of imprisonment, paying a fine, and apologizing, he was released, but was shortly arrested and locked up again for providing variolation (inoculation for smallpox) to four Continental Army officers after being "over persuaded" by them (General Washington was thinking about him when he wrote his General Orders 26 May 1776 - Washington and Congress were still anti-variolation concerning the Army at that time). After he was released again near the time the British showed up in New York, he was recruited into the Queen's Rangers as Surgeon by Colonel Rogers. He was dismissed along with Rogers, possibly recruited for another Loyalist unit, and spent the last 18 months of the war with Colonel James DeLancey's "Cowboys" (Have you done a video on the "Neutral Ground" of Westchester County, yet?). Dr. Betts has two stones (one has to be a cenotaph); one in Digby, Nova Scotia and another in Saint John, New Brunswick. His daughter Fanny was born in New Brunswick, and she married my 5th ggf (Caleb's son, also named Caleb) from Newburyport.

Charles Bronson is my choice..

What were the Patriots thinking when they spoke of Self- Government and that self who believed in the supreme power of a God(Good) that rules over all mankind? This regards that we believe in that one God and the teachings passed down to this day to a populus that is totally divided comparing to the good intentions of the settlers who gave up on monarchy powered by the church. Where are we now in this divided understanding of principles and equality? The Declaration of Independence is declared in a Godliness striving for a today. All these ideals remains to be observed and can't stand without some kind of redemption in honor to our fore fathers and mothers in good faith respectfully submitted, Doug