Voluntary Argumentative Essay

On the night of the Sunday April 11th 1812, around two hundred and fifty Luddites mustered in Blake’s Farm bottom field. Gledhill and his deputies arranged them in eight platoons of riflemen, three of pikemen, three companies with pistols, one of hammerers, another of hatchet men, and two companies that had only the stones making their deep pockets bulge. The company stood six deep under the trees against the hedge waiting for the command to ‘move off.’ The Luddite Army was prepared to fight and to die. Like the parting of Moses from the Children of Israel, Gledhill knew he might not enter the Promised Land, so his pre-attack oration had an element of farewell that was moving. He looked at his army, nodding his appreciation at the sea of faces.
When they had settled, he reminded them of the fortress they were about to storm, reiterating what he had lately learned about Staithes fortifications and defences. “I am confident that we will force a breach, wreck the mill, and kill Staithes. When we are done, we will melt into the darkness and be home well before dawn. Each of us will play his part in teaching Staithes a lesson that every master will keep in his mind. This will be our greatest battle, and one that will do away with the need to fight further battles. This will be the war to end all wars. We will gain a splendid victory over the forces that curse us. We did not want this fight, but they have ignored our pleas. They have derided us, and ridiculed our aims to achieve peaceful and just solutions. They have enacted laws that make us criminals and say we are fit only for hanging. This battle is forced on us and not of our choosing. God knows we would rather have peace. But here we stand and can do no other. Right is on our side and God knows our cause is just, so none can resist