ISRA Members: To view the Illinois Shooter - Spring 2026, click HERE.
Super Tidbit
It's July, 1776, and we have just adopted the Declaration of Independence, but we have a few problems. The biggest one is how to finance the Revolutionary War. We were facing Great Britain who had the
largest, best trained army and navy the world had ever had, as well as the mightiest industrial base in the world at that time. We had no navy, an army made up of bumpkins, and no money. What could possibly go wrong?
It is true that Spain and France were supplying vast amounts of war material but it was going to take more than that. The Colonies were under no real obligation to supply money to the military
efforts. The colonists were in mortal fear of a centralized government, and the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union had no provision to lay and collect taxes. The only answer was private financing and fund-raising. Fortunately, several people stepped forward, but the three primary ones were Robert Morris, Haym Salomon and John Hancock.
Robert Morris, Haym Salomon, and even John Hancock, have been mostly overlooked
because they were not the enlightened idealists like Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, John Adams and George Washington. They were businessmen. But, without them, the Revolutionary War would have collapsed in short order.
Robert Morris was a Philadelphia merchant and one of only two delegates that signed all three of the founding documents; the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the
United States Constitution. Robert Morris contributed and raised money to support George Washington and the Revolutionary War. He worked closely with Haym Salomon, a Jewish businessman who had immigrated from Poland. Haym Salomon also donated heavily to the Revolutionary War and raised money also. Both
Robert Morris and Haym Salomon were experts at handling all kinds of money. They converted English Pounds, Dutch
Gilders, Spanish Pesos, French Franks, German Marks and other currencies into Dollars... a monumental job.
As I have mentioned before, much aid for the revolution came though New Orleans. Oliver Pollock , a Philadelphia Merchant who settled in New Orleans, facilitated Spanish contributions up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Oliver Pollock is also the inventor of the dollar sign ( $ ).
John Hancock donated ships to the navy and bought gunpowder and other supplies and simply donated them to the cause of freedom.
The Revolutionary War had money problems even up until the last battle at Yorktown. George Washington was out of money and the last battle wasn’t over yet. Washington called on his longtime friend, Haym Salomon, who sent him $20,000. The “Ladies of New Orleans”
also sent money, facilitated by Oliver Pollock. Had these two sources of money never happened, British General Cornwallis would have escaped to New York. Fortunately it didn’t happen, but it was a close one to say the least.
None of these men were ever paid back. Both Robert Morris and Haym Salomon died penniless. The cost of freedom has always been high and that is still true
today.
Tidbits
July 2, 1776 – The Continental Congress votes for independence from Britain. Richard Henry Lee, a delegate from Virginia, read a resolution before the Continental Congress "that
these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." The Lee Resolution was adopted by 12 of the 13 colonies (New York did not vote). Immediately afterward, Congress began to consider the Declaration of Independence. Congress made some alterations and deletions to
it on July 2, 3, and the morning of the 4th.
July 2, 1863 – The 15th Alabama, under the command of Colonel William Oates, attacks the left flank of the Union Army at Gettysburg. The left flank of the Union Army was protected by a few dozen troops of the Second U.S. Sharpshooters. The Second U.S. Sharpshooters were equipped with new breech-loading Sharps rifles but
were out-numbered 10 to 1. To be in the Second U.S. Sharpshooters, you had to shoot 10 shots within a 7 inch circle at 200 yards. They had superior firepower and marksmanship skills.
The 644 men of the 15th Alabama were up against withering fire from the Sharpshooters. The 15th Alabama suffered 343 casualties out of 644 men. The Sharpshooters were out of ammunition when they were reinforced by a regiment from the
Abraham Lincoln brigade. July 2, 1863, is the date that the United States was saved by superior marksmanship.
July 2, 1937 – American aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan are reported missing near Howland Island in the Pacific. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Itasca received sporadic radio contact with Earhart. She said she was running low on fuel and that
they had lost their way. No trace of Earhart or her plane has ever been found.
July 3, 1775 – George Washington takes command of the Continental Army. Some oppose the appointment of Washington as General of the Army, but he was eventually chosen because his leadership would bind together the Southern Colonies, the New England Colonies and the
rebellion.
July 3, 1863 – The Battle of Gettysburg ends when Confederate General George Pickett is commanded by General Robert E. Lee to attack the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. This was known as “Pickett's Charge”. Union artillery, as well as rifle fire, cut down the army of Northern Virginia. In less than an hour, more than 7,000 troops had been killed. A few
reached the Union lines and were dead almost immediately. General Lee and his exhausted troops withdraw.
July 4, 1776 – America officially becomes a nation! This date commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, by the Second Continental Congress, establishing the United States of America. By
doing this, the Congressional delegates declared that the Thirteen Colonies were no longer subject to the monarch of Britain, King George III, and were now united, free, and independent states.
July 4, 1976 – The United States celebrates it's 200th anniversary. One of my most memorable experiences was a Freedom Train coming to Peoria, Illinois. There were two
Freedom Trains, one east of the Mississippi and one west of the Mississippi. They were rebuilt steam engines and were a sight to see.
July 4, 1884 – France gives the Statue of Liberty to the Unites States as a commemoration of friendship between France and the U.S. The ceremony was held in Paris, France. The statue stands slightly over 150 feet high and
weighs 225 tons. The outside in hammered sheets of copper over a steel framework. The sculptor was Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. The framework was built by Gustave Eiffel, who would later design and build the Eiffel Tower.
July 4, 2026 – Happy 250th birthday, America! The U.S.A. Celebrates it's 250th anniversary. Get out there
and celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime, momentous occasion!
July 5, 1921 – The trial begins for indicted White Sox players “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, Buck Weaver and Eddie Cicotte, who were accused of throwing the 1919 World Series. The scandal came to light when the gamblers didn't pay the players as promised. What brought about the scandal was that the players were
seriously underpaid by White Sox owner, Charles Comiskey. What a shock it is to find out that a professional Chicago sports team would underpay their players.
July 5, 1937 – The Hormel meat company introduces everybody's favorite canned luncheon meat, Spam.
July 6, 1785
– The Continental Congress establishes the dollar as the official standard of currency for the United States. It also established a base-10 monetary system based on ten cents making a dime and ten dimes making a dollar.
July 8, 1950 – The City of Paris, France, celebrates it's 2000th birthday. The city's founders were a Gallic tribe known as the
Parisii.
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Gun Shows
While the gun show information shown in this email is believed to be accurate, sometimes changes occur. This is provided for informational purposes only.
If your club or organization is
holding a gun show, event or class, let us know the details, and we’d be happy to post it in our Weekly Range Schedule.
Sept. 19 – Sept. 20, 2026 Chillicothe Sportsmen's Club Gun & Knife Show, Chillicothe Sportsmen's Club House, Chillicothe, IL.
Sept. 19, 2026 National Civil War, Military, and Collector Arms Show, DuPage County Fairgrounds, Wheaton, IL.
Oct. 3 - 4, 2026
Central Illinois Gun Collectors Association - New Berlin Gun Show, Sangamon County Fairgrounds, New Berlin, IL.
Oct. 24 - 25, 2026 Belleville Gun & Knife Show, Belle-Clair Fairgrounds, Belleville, IL.
Oct. 24 - 25, 2026 Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Gun Show, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton, IL.
Nov. 7 - 8, 2026 Bloomington Gun & Knife Show, Interstate Center, Bloomington,
IL.
Nov. 28 - 29, 2026 Central Illinois Gun Collectors Association - New Berlin Gun Show, Sangamon County Fairgrounds, New Berlin, IL.
Nov. 28 - 29, 2026 Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Gun Show, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton, IL.
Dec. 6 – Dec. 7, 2026 Chillicothe Sportsmen's Club Gun & Knife Show, Chillicothe Sportsmen's Club House, Chillicothe, IL.
Feb. 13 - 14,
2027 Central Illinois Gun Collectors Association - New Berlin Gun Show, Sangamon County Fairgrounds, New Berlin, IL.
ISRA Town Hall Monthly Meetings
Come and meet fellow activists and learn the latest on protecting our Second Amendment Rights!
Livingston
County – 4th Tuesday of the month – South Post Guns, 104 Livingston Rd., Streator, IL; Summer meetings are postponed until August.
Madison County – 1st Wednesday of the month – Piasa Armory, 625 Lewis and Clark Blvd., East Alton, IL; Doors open at 6:15pm; Meeting starts at 6:30pm
Northwest Suburban - 3rd Tuesday of the month
– Algonquin/Dundee area - New Location - GAT Guns, 970 Dundee Ave, East Dundee, IL - Discounted Pistol Range from 4pm to 6pm, Social starts at 5:30pm, Meeting 7pm – 8pm, Catering fee $20
South Suburban/Cook County - 2nd Thursday of the month – New Location: Papa Joe's Italian Restaurant, 14459 LaGrange Rd, Orland Park, IL; Doors open 6:00pm;
Meeting 7pm – 8pm
Will County - 3rd Wednesday of the month – Silver Dollar Restaurant, 422 E. Mississippi Ave., Elwood, IL; Doors open 6pm; Meeting 7pm – 8pm
