An American Family History

"[L]iberty must at all hazards be supported.
We have a right to it, derived from our Maker.
But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us,
at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood."

From Journal of the American Revolution, "Drunk and Disorderly: The Dreadful Havoc of Spirituous Liquors" by Joshua Spepherd.

.... October 16, 1781 ... a fully armed company of Philadelphia County militia which was slated for discharge that day. The men were brandishing fixed bayonets, drumming the Rogue’s March [usually played when someone was being drummed out], and looking very thirsty.

At the head of the troops were Capt. Andrew van Buskirk and Ens. Jacob Stiner, who abruptly demanded that [Commissary-General William] Crispin fill the officers’ canteens with liquor in order to "carry them home. . ." Cutting lose with a storm of "indecent language," Buskirk and Stiner "swore they would have their Canteens filld, "and threatened to seize liquor by force if necessary. The scrappy commissary, who clearly took his job pretty seriously, stood his ground.  "I forbid them at their Peril to touch the Magizi"

While Crispin readied himself for an epic standoff, the confrontation was diffused by a quick-thinking Col. Benjamin McVeagh. Rather than order the mutinous rabble to disperse, McVeagh came up with the idea "of giving Money out of his Pocket to purchase Rum for them. . ."