A Woman and Her Unenviable Task: Elizabeth Thorn

On July 1st, 1863 the Battle of Gettysburg began. By July 4th the battle was over, the Southern Army in retreat; and a victorious Northern Army taking care of their wounded, their prisoners, and celebrating the defeat of the South at Gettysburg and Vicksburg. But what about the people of Gettysburg? The fields surrounding the hamlet were covered with dead soldiers and horses. Crops had been destroyed and homes from which the owners had fled were found to have been looted. One of these homeowners was Elizabeth Thorn. She and her husband were the caretakers of Evergreen Cemetery and lived in the gatehouse with her parents and their three sons. Her husband was with the 138th Pennsylvania and was at Harper's Ferry and Washington,D.C. when the Battle of Gettysburg took place unable to help defend his home and town. Instead, Elizabeth, her parents, and her three young sons were forced to flee their homes as rebels flooded the area. By the way, Elizabeth was six months pregnant at the time. Here is her actual account of what occurred on those chaotic and horrifying days
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The battle was on Wednesday, the 1st of July, and it was on the Friday before (June 26) that I first saw the rebels. As the rebels came to Gettysburg, we were all scared and wished for them to go. Six of them came up the Baltimore Pike. Before they came into the Cemetery they fired off their revolvers to scare the people. They chased the people out and the men ran and jumped over fences...I was a piece away from the house...When they rode into the Cemetery I was scared, as I was afraid they had fired after my mother. I fainted from fright, but finally reached the house...They said we should not be afraid of them, they were not going to hurt us like the yankeys did their ladies. They rode around the house on the pavement to the window, and asked for bread and butter and buttermilk...My mother went and got them all she had for them and just then a rebel rode up the pike and had another horse beside his. The ones who were eating said to him: "Oh, you have another one." and the one who came up the pike said: "yes, the -- -- shot at me, but he did not hit me, and I shot at him and blowed him down like nothing, and here I got his horse and he lays down the pike." (The man whom the rebel had killed was Sandoe, who had composed a company in Gettysburg.) He turned around to me (and) asked me: Is that a good horse over there?" It was our neighbor's horse, and I said "No, it ain't. It is a healthy enough horse, but he is very slow in his motions." Well, it would not suit. I knew if the horse was gone the people could not do anything, so I helped them. Soon they sent to different places where they destroyed the telegraph and the railroads. Evening came on and they had destroyed a good many of the cars, and burned the bridge and seven cars on it. This was the Rock Creek Bridge. We could see the cars drop down from Cemetery Hill. Next morning we heard that there was a small battle at York. Everywhere they destroyed all they could. We were trying to feed them all we could. I had baked in the morning and had the bread in the oven. They were hungry and smelled the bread. I took a butcher knife and stood before the oven and cut this hot bread for them as fast as I could. When I had six loaves cut up I said I would have to keep one loaf for my family, but as they still begged for more I cut up every loaf for them. We had all the glasses and tins and cups and tubs and every- thing outside filled with water. All the time our little boys were pumping and carrying water to fill the tubs. They handed water to the soldiers and worked and helped this way until their poor little hands were blistered, and their bread I had given away on Friday. Nobody felt like work any more, and on Wednesday morning they came with big forces, and the battle begun above Gettys- burg, near the Springs Hotel in the morning early on Wednesday. (On July 1) As I went upstairs so often I saw them come in on the ridge near McMillan's house, near where the Springs Hotel now is they came and got more help. While they were fighting on the ridge the Union soldiers came from all directions. When our men lost and the rebels had driven them more this way, they put their cannons on Cemetery Hill and throw some shells over toward Coon Town. And as they fired towards the direction of the Poor House they were firing at our own men, but they did not know it, and I heard them say this amongst themselves, that they did not know it.
 So at last they came to the Cemetery House and wanted a man to go along out with them (a young boy was there about thirteen years, and I thought he was too young, and my father was too old) I offered myself to go along. He refused at first, but I thought there was danger all around, and said I wasn't afraid so he said "Come on." We walked through flax, and then through a piece of oats, and then we stood in a wheat field. They all held against me coming through the field, but as he said I was all right, and it did not matter, why they gave three cheers and the band played a little piece, and then I walked a little past a tree to where I could see the two roads. I showed him the Harrisburg Road, the York Pike, and the Hunterstown Road. It was with one of General Howard's men that I went. Then he took me back home. He said, "They will commence very heavy firing now, walk on the other side of my horse." And so as soon as I jumped on our porch he went back again. I wanted to go upstairs once more to see if our men gained, but when I came on the stairway a shell had cut in the window frame, then jumped a little, then went through the ceiling, so I would not go up any more... Soon one of General Howard's men came and ordered me to have supper for Gen. Howard. I complained I had no bread, for I had given it all away in the morning. But I said I could make cakes, and he said they were good enough for war times. They did not come for so long, it was near twelve o'clock. It was Gen. Howard, Gen. Sickles, and Gen. Slocum. The house was so full of soldiers that the boys had to lay on the floor in the kitchen, on feather beds. And as they saw the children lying there, they said it was very sad. After they had had some supper and I found they were going to leave I asked them if they thought I should leave the house in the night. Gen. Howard rubbed his forehead and said: "Leave the house? Leave the house?" Then he looked towards the others and said: "Comrades, I say stay." Then he said we should take our best things and pack them up and in two hours he would send two men to carry them to the cellar. Then he smiled and said: "I guess you call all best." But I said: "Some I call better than others." He said they would begin hard fighting about day-break, near four o'clock, and then we should go to the cellar. About two hours after they left the men came and took the things to the cellar. Gen. Howard said: "When I give you orders to leave the house, don't study about it, but go right away." About four o'clock we went to the cellar. There were seventeen of us (other civilians)...We were in the cellar about two or three hours. The noise of the cannonading was terrible. At last the door flew open and someone said: "This family is commanded by Gen. Howard to leave this house and get as far in ten minutes as possible. Take nothing up but the children and go." 
They said we should keep (to) the pike, where the soldiers could see us, and that would save us. When we were a little way down the pike a shell bursted back of us, and none of us were killed, but we commenced to walk faster. We went down the pike one and one half miles when we began to feel weak and sick, we were so hungry, for we had eaten nothing that day before we were so scared when the battle commenced. So we went into a farm house to buy bread...but the bread was doughey and we could not eat it. Later we stopped at a farm house, -Musser's. We did not feel like going farther as it was full of soldiers and army wagons and provision wagons. Near midnight (July 2), when everything was quiet, my father and I undertook to walk home to the Cemetery house. As we left the (Musser) house we had to pass through a room where the Union soldiers were sleeping, lying in two rows, with only one candle to light the whole room. About the middle of one row a man raised himself on his elbow and motioned me to come to him, my father signaled I should go to him, and he took a picture out of his pocket and on it was three little boys, and he said they were his, and they were just little boys like mine, and would I please let him have my little boys sleep near him, and could he have the little one close to him, and the others near him? And so, he took them and had them lying by him. When we got on the pike we had an awful lot of trouble to get up, because the guard was not going to let us through. But as they listened to what I had to say-- that we wanted to look after our things in the cemetery house--they let us pass. We had fat hogs and we wanted to look after them. When we got to the stable we could hear the wounded men holler and go on, laying around the house,--in the cellar too, and there is where we had carried our good things, that Gen. Howard had told us to leave there. We could not get near the house for wounded and dead. They had been brought there from the first day's fight. My father went to the pig pen and said: "The pigs are gone." My father got a man to take us into the cellar where six wounded men were, and they had our bed clothes all around. We went to the cellar thinking we could get a pillow and quilt, but all I could find was my mother's shawl and no pillow. The poor wounded men were crying and goin on so that we did not want anything then. They called their wives and children to come and wet their tongues. Then we went down the pike again. We had no trouble with the guards going back. And when we came again to the farmhouse we picked up our little boys out of the soldier's arms, and got ourselves ready, and about three o'clock in the morning we started on another journey, and went down the pike to the White church, and then it was daylight, and we stopped a little bit there and saw some of our neighbors; then we went into a big farmhouse. 
We wanted water but there was none to be got, the pumps were all broken, and we were tired and hungry again, and still had nothing to eat. They had there a big wagon shed where they brought the wounded and took off their limbs, and threw them into the corn crib, and when they had a two horse load they hauled them away. Another lady and myself went upstairs in the house to where our officers were. We rapped at the balcony door and an officer came out and asked us what we wished. I told him I lived in the Cemetery House and we were driven away from home and had nothing to eat or drink, and we thought we would lay in complaint. He laughed and said: "You want to live on the army then?" Then he asked me if I knew Jenny Wade. I told him I did, and he said she was killed, and he asked me if I knew Maria Bennet, and he said she was killed (but that was not true). Then he wrote an order on the----to go to the provision wagon a mile away. We went over and we got our aprons full of coffee, sugar, and hard-tack. (I have some of that coffee and sugar yet.) When we got back we hunted for milk in the cellar and we found two crocks full. I opened a crock. The woman with me could not see, so she got her hand in the soft soap. We took one crock of milk up to our sick people and we hid the other one. But they wanted it soon, and when we came in the cellar again somebody else had found it and we had none. But we found the woman's yeast and we bought flour and we baked bread that night. The woman had gone away and had taken the family to Littletown. (Hen. Beitler lived there.) Then he came home and asked us what we were going to do. And he said he had a barrel of flour nailed in a closet and he would take this barrel out and give it to us on the garret where we were, and so he did. He got a man to help and rolled the barrel upstairs. We were to watch this part and he to give us a dollars worth. So when we had bread in the morning the soldiers found it out. Some came and threw down a dollar for a loaf, and another three dollars. Monday (July 6) we had no bread to give them and they were so hungry they could not wait. We hid two loaves, but we baked the next night again.
 The house was full of soldiers. In daytime we were watching the sick and wounded, and they were calling for water and screaming all the time. We saw some of our furniture going on some of our wagons down the pike, and my boys wanted me to go out and stop it. We stayed at this farmhouse, I believe three nights and then we went home. We were down the country four days and the fifth (July 7) we went home. On the way home we met Mr. McConaughy. He was the president of the Cemetery at that time and he said to me: "Hurry on home, there is more work for you than you are able to do." 

So we hurried on home. When we looked at the house I could only say "O my!" There were no window glass in the whole house. Some of the frames were knocked beside the pump shed. I went to the cellar to look for the good things I had put there on the first night. One chest was packed with good German linen, others packed with other good things,--everything was gone, but three featherbeds and they were full of blood and mud. After I had dragged them out of the cellar I asked an officer who was riding by, if I would ever get any pay for things spoiled like this. He asked me what it was, and I told him bed clothes that were in the cellar, and he said in a very short way: "No!" So as soon as the pump was fixed I sent for three women and we washed for four days before we got them clean. 
Then I got a note from the president of the Cemetery, and he said: "Mrs. Thorn, it is made out that we will bury the the soldiers in our Cemetery for a while, so you go for that piece of ground and commence sticking off lots and graves as fast as you can make them." Well, you may know how I felt, my husband in the army, my father an aged man. Yet for all the foul air we two started in. I stuck off the graves and while my father finished one, I had another one started. This lasted for days, until the boys sent word, if I couldn't get help at all I should telegraph to some of my friends to come and help me. Two came, but one only stayed two days, then got deathly sick and left. The other stayed five days, then he went away very sick, and I had to pay their fare here and very good wages for their work. By that time we had forty graves done. And then father and I had to dig on harder again. They kept on burying the soldiers until they had the National Cemetery ready, and in that time we buried one hundred five soldiers. In front of this house there were fifteen dead horses and beside the Cemetery there were nineteen in that field. So you may know it was only excitement that helped me to do all the work, with all that stench. And in three months after I had a dear little baby. But it was not very strong, and from that time on my health failed and for years I was a very sickly woman. In my older days my health has been better, but those hard days have always told on my life. "   
 By the way, Elizabeth buried 102 soldiers by herself and her aged father; receiving nothing more than the amount her husband would have been paid for not even a month of work. And this statue was just put in place in honor of Elizabeth Thorn and the other women who helped and did all they could during the Battle of Gettysburg in November, 2002. That's right 140 years later! Wow! Something is sure wrong about that! 

Why do I care? Simple, this is an example of what individuals do when they step up to the plate and begin to rebuild. It has been done through out all of American history; the simple actions of one or two persons can make a difference. In this case it is a 6 month pregnant woman whom the detail of burying dead soldiers was her job. How many Americans of the past few decades and even today would say that that was not a woman's work? Elizabeth Thorn didn't stop. It had to be done and she did it. How about us 150 years later? Would we care about whether it is a man or a woman burying the dead? Or any other job which has to be done? For some the answer will be yes. For others, it is who is available to get the work done. Hey, it's better for all if someone just does the job than worrying about which gender should do it! Just something to think about....

 Work Cited
 www.americancivilwar.50megs.com/stories

FIREWORKS and the 4th of JULY

Ahhh! Tomorrow Americans will be celebrating with hot dogs and hamburgers; barbecued chicken and ribs; apple pies and ice cream sundaes; and yes, FIREWORKS! It is truly a day of fun! Baseball games, parades, decorated bicycles, and in some towns carnival rides. Patriotism reigns supreme and everybody jumps on the bandwagon. We know how to celebrate the most important day in the history of the United States. "Always have and always will"! We shout. Actually, we haven't always celebrated the 4th of July. As a matter of fact for the first 15 years or so, citizens of the United States didn't celebrate it at all. Instead, in true American fashion, we argued about the Declaration of Independence. Yes, argued. The two party system in the 1790s fought bitterly over it. The Democratic Republicans (yes, that was what they were called) loved Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration which he wrote. In contrast, the Federalists felt it was too French and way too anti-British. As a matter of fact, second President of the United States, John Adams, wrote in a letter bemoaning the fact that Americans were not interested in their history; this is after he wrote of the Declaration when it was first signed that the citizens of this new country would celebrate with fireworks! Wow! What a difference! Here in the 21st century, we enjoy the 4th of July; but, in the beginning period of the country it was controversial and ignored. Then something happened. On July 4th, 1826, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died within hours of each other. Copies of the Declaration of Independence were printed and circulated during the 1820s and 1830s. The Federalist political party fall apart and the people of this nation began to pay attention to their history. Finally, in 1870 Congress declared the 4th of July a national holiday. The parties and celebrations became more fully evolved and now it is an American standard for grilling, watermelon eating contests, and fireworks. It's a shame that John Adams didn't see this in his life time, but I have no doubt that he, Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and the other members of the Continental Congress who voted that day to declare independence from Great Britain are celebrating with us as well and the fireworks they watch are ours as we remember the men and women of the Revolutionary War and the sacrifices they made in pursuit of the freedoms we take for granted today.

With a "Rebel Yell" the Battle was Won - By the North

An important battle occurred today. It took place in a sleepy little hamlet in the hills of Pennsylvania. The fighting was fierce and when it was finished after 3 days, it was the most costly one to ever be fought on United States soil. From July 1 - 3, 1863 the small community of Gettysburg with a population of 2400 would play host to a carnage which resulted in as many as 51.000 casualties. This includes almost 8,000 dead; over 27,000 wounded; and over 11,000 missing. This astronomical figure is amazing for only 1 person from Gettysburg itself was killed. A woman named, Jennie Wade, killed by a stray bullet while baking bread, according to legend. The Civil War of the United States had been in full force since 1861, but now, this battle would be a proving ground. A decision was going to made with the outcome of this one battle and it was going to be fought on Northern soil for the first time since the war began. This was important and the combatants knew it. Along the roads from the South marched the Southern Army with General Robert E. Lee in command. Between the Confederates and Washington prowled the Northern Army, commanded by George Meade,when suddenly they met in a wheat field just outside of Gettysburg. Here skirmishes were fought and suddenly 25,000 men from the South and 20,000 from the North met to begin a fight lasting 3 days. The men of New York and Vermont were a part of this first collision. This would include ancestors of mine and the great- great- great grandfather of my husband. By July 2nd, the fighting had spread across Little Round Top through Devil's Den while escalating at Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill. The cannons laid down heavy fire, thundering across the rolling hills which surrounded the town. Infantryman screamed and shouted as cannon fire burst around them. Horses screamed from the punishing barrage as they were struck and all around were the cries of the wounded and dying. Barns were confiscated and turned into makeshift surgeries. Outside of them a growing pile of limbs were tossed as the wounded were brought in and legs and arms were amputated. The stench of burnt flesh spread across the fields and the townspeople remained hidden inside their homes. On July 3rd, Lee attacked again. The Confederate fired between 150 and 175 cannons at Cemetery Ridge where the Union forces lined up against them. After a short time, Union cannons started firing back and thunder rolled across the valley as the two forces used whatever means they had to intimidate the other. Suddenly, 12,000 Confederate infantrymen rose under the command of Major General George Pickett and screaming their "Rebel Yell" began a charge toward Union lines which was over a mile away. Union cannon barrages and snipers began picking away the Rebels. Heat exhaustion and obstacles such as fences slowed the Confederate advance. Again, the sounds of horses and men screaming from this filled the air and when the infantrymen finally began hand to hand combat the fighting was fierce for the outcome would prove who the eventual winner of the war would be. As the battle ended, Lee was forced to retreat with a medical wagon train filled with wounded that was 17 miles long. Although, the North fell back at times from the force of the Confederates, they persevered and "Held the line" and finally drove the Confederates back. July 4th, 1863 fell on the sounds of screams, moans, and cries from the wounded and dying. An informal truce occurred between the two sides as they gathered their wounded and buried as many men as they could. In the end, over 8000 men were quickly buried and over 3000 horse carcasses burnt outside Gettysburg due to the heat of the summer. However, the townspeople became very ill due to the stench which filled their air. General Lee began his retreat to Virginia, along with a medical wagon train filled with wounded which stretched for 17 miles. In a campaign which was suppose to be his finest hour, Lee was handed his most devastating loss. One third of his officers were dead, wounded, missing, or prisoners. The Army of Virginia would never regain its former glory. On top of this, word was received that General Ulysses S. Grant of the Union had defeated the Confederates at Vicksburg. The war would last another two years, but the North had found victories and confidence in their Army. The hamlet of Gettysburg would never be the same. Nor would the Union when it was finally reunited; but the government which began as an experiment was now known as the "government by the people, for the people, of the people" by President Abraham Lincoln. This is why these first three days of July are so important. This country endured a civil war of catastrophic events and the Battle of Gettysburg was its most devastating. Yet, the United States endured, learned, and grew to become the country it is today. A land of freedoms for ALL and a democracy which instills the hopes of indentured people everywhere; and though we have our problems and different ideals when that day of truce, July 4th, arrives, with it comes the importance of that day from our Revolutionary forefathers that freedom shall ring across this nation and the people of the United States of America will endure all obstacles which try to remove our liberties from us.

Grey Skies and Silver Linings: Go Forth and Discover

Another day of rain. Another day of grey skies, thunder, and watching the roads in the community flood. Yes, it's raining again. I can look at it from the point of view that is depressing and be filled with cabin fever; or I can enjoy the time the rain is giving me for stopping and well, smelling the roses. Today has been a great day. I've cleaned out a closet and rid myself and my husband of junk we haven't looked at or used in years. It was a wonderful feeling to be gone with it! Yet, getting rid of it allowed us to find other things. Like the photo albums my husband's mother put together. My daughter and husband enjoyed looking at this treasure of childhood memories for him and seeing her dad and grandmother young and full of happiness. A grandmother who died from cancer when my daughter was only 12 years old. A great day, indeed! I found a photo of my sister with her 6 month old daughter. Her first born child. The smiles were contagious! And the outfits and hairstyles....oh yes, outrageous! I had to call my sister and tell her what I found! We wound up talking about our Grandmother Peak and how she always told my sister to put the dates on photos. You've got it! The picture didn't have a date on it! We joked about how we should have listened to Gram and do what she said; but we were young and thought "We'll never forget". Guess what? We did! Yes, it's another day of rain. A day of finding memories and enjoying laughing about the photos. Grey skies and thunder; the telling of stories and robust bursts of guffaws as we shared the tales of our childhood and youth with our grown daughter. Depressing and cabin fever or finding treasures and sharing them. It's our pick in the journey we tread. I think I'll go get rid of some more junk and discover the joys of life as well! Have fun with the rain and grey skies and remember to look for the silver lining! It's there waiting for us to find! Be safe all!

Moon Trance - Lindsey Stirling (Original Song)

Speaking One's MInd: It's Really the Right Thing to Do

The other day a friend asked if anyone had ever spoken their mind? She received a number of answers which for the most part were all negative; from "What's the sense? to Would anyone care?". A couple of hours later another friend spoke of how she had been speaking her mind and was rather ashamed about it for she said, "It's just not me". These two conversations were so similar that I began thinking quite seriously about the ramifications concerning "speaking one's mind". Certainly there are many outcomes of doing this. From injurious and degrading of individuals to supporting and uplifting thought, individuals, and ideals the ramifications are numerous. First of all can one speak one's mind without being confrontational or demeaning others? Of course! Yet, in many cases anger is the overriding emotion which controls the encounter. For instance, let's look at the Paula Deen controversy: if I were to say "I believe Paula Deen is a racist and a hypocrite"; quite a number of people would be upset at me and react in many ways. I can almost bet there would be a few who might talk to others or to me that "I need to shut the fuck up." Yep, can hear it now. Speaking one's mind can literally end friendships and damage relations over something as trivial as this. However, what would happen if instead of using words which are confrontational do? Here is my real thought on the Paula Deen issue; (yep speaking my mind now) "You know I have never been a big fan of Paula Deen. I've watched a few of her shows, but I just don't care for her. Now, maybe she said something 30 years ago, maybe she said something yesterday. The thing of it is this, admit it! Do your little apology and then move on. Is the World going to end do to her being sued about it? NO. Is she going to suffer from it? Yes, but hey, don't we all suffer from things we've said? Move on and learn from your fall and be real. Stop hiding and whimpering. Heck, if it had been me, I would have been ticked off. So, in other words, Paula Deen can come back from this and most likely make even more money ($17 million) than before. I foresee some books, maybe a movie...but it isn't the end of the world. There are more important issues going on which trivializes her problem which was brought on by her own fault." Yes, I know there are some who still won't like my thought; but the wonderful thing is, you might not like what I think, but I will pay attention to what you think as well. Hey! It's okay to disagree! After all, it sure would be a boring world if we all had the same opinions. Okay, so I know I'm far from perfect, I've done and said lots of things and regretted it after words; but it's part of the journey of life to learn from our mistakes or in some cases stubbornness. Moving on to number two, which is all I am going to think on is just how much more meaningful it is to speak one's mind in an encouraging way. Since I've talked about Paula Deen, I might just as well continue. "Paula has become an icon in the cooking world. She is a true account of how one can achieve the American Dream through hard work, faith, and confidence in one's self. Unfortunately, Ms Deen became caught up in a lawsuit deeming her to be a racist and an instigator of racial hate. Hopefully, this class action will be over with quickly and the ramifications it has created will be overcome due to her abilities as an icon, leadership, and friendly mannerisms. Plus, others should learn from her, as well as herself, that one should always be mindful and respectful to all people regardless of race, religion, gender,or handicaps". Yep, speaking one's mind can be difficult or it can be helpful. Just two things, never in anger and never in order to degrade others. So do speak your mind, after all, how will we ever know what you really think if you don't? That's what too many people who want to control you would like and speak up for yourself, for in the long run, who else will do this if you don't. Thanks for reading and helping me learn in my journey through life.

In Homage of Fuck

There is one word in the English speaking world which is considered extremely offensive. It is also one of the most commonly used words. It is a flexible word being used as a noun, verb, adjective, and adverb. Many of us have used it in each one of those abilities and more precisely as an expletive. You see this word surrounds us in every aspect of life. Plus, it is a word which is evolving and moving from offensive and obscene to normal usage. Yes, it is an amazing word. Fuck is heard in movies, songs, schools, workplaces, military, etc. Anybody who tries to deny this is just not living in reality. Heck, I've heard it in church which is the one place you would think it wouldn't be heard, but I did. However, there are two places where it cannot be heard: television programs and over the air on radio stations. Yep, its too darn offensive. Yet, it is used everyday by millions of individuals. One of the funniest moments that I have ever heard it used is in the film; The King's Speech". Lionel has asked the future King George VI if he knows the F-word. This is what happens next: "George VI: : F... f... fornication? Lionel Logue: Oh, Bertie. King George VI: Fuck. Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck and fuck! Fuck, fuck and bugger! Bugger, bugger, buggerty buggerty buggerty, fuck, fuck, arse! Lionel Logue: Yes... King George VI: Balls, balls... Lionel Logue: ...you see, not a hesitation! King George VI: ...fuckity, shit, shit, fuck and willy. Willy, shit and fuck and... tits." (The King's Speech) To me this is hilarious! Why? Simple, the King is being just like all the rest of us normal everyday people and when he gets mad he uses the word many of us use and it is a natural rant which is conveyed. However, for those who have seen this film realizes the reason for Lionel having asked the king this is due to George's stammer. However, when George is angry he doesn't stutter. A simple lesson in using "obscenity" as a means of discovery. A discovery which shows George that he doesn't always stammer. An important object lesson for a man who must speak in front of the people he rules. Yet, this particular scene would be censored if shone on television and the impact of the words would be lost on everyone, from George VI and Lionel to even the audience. Yes, the F-word is a fascinating word. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary it has multiple listings and definitions. As a verb it was first used in 1503 most likely derived from the Dutch fokken meaning the breeding of cattle. Now the noun usage may have been in 1680; however, there are even earlier variants of this word in French, German, Latin,and Greek among the many words. As a matter of fact one of the first usages recognized in literature is from 1475 in a peom, Flen flyys. There are many other poems and pieces of literature where one can discover the word and even Shakespeare used it in two of his plays. Ahh, what a magnificent history this word has and yet it has been dealt the stigma of being obscene. Yes, there are those who force this delightful four letter into oblivion and pretend that it doesn't exist....guess what censors? The harder you force your views on people; the more this incongruous word evolves and expands within the language of the people. I could continue on and on further about fuck, but I don't have enough time tonight to do so. So, I pay this short and sweet homage to the word which taught a king that he could speak and to the people who use it daily. Continue your love and usage and let's see just what this little word will evolve into....I bet it will become so commonplace that individuals will come up with a new word to use in order to shock and offend others. Work Cited Merriam Webster Dictionary. merriamwebsterdictionary.com. 2013. The King's Speech. Tom Hooper, dir. Colon Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, and Geoffrey Rush, actors. 2010.