found online by Raymond
From Dorian de Wind at The Moderate Voice:
While on July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies proclaimed their independence from Great Britain, the war to cement their independence had already been fought for a year and would continue for another seven years, claiming the lives of approximately 25,000 Patriots.
Sadly, the War of Independence would be just the first of a score of wars and major conflicts that would follow to maintain the independence, unity and security of the new nation at a cost of more than 1,300,000 patriot lives.
Today, 240 years after that first Independence Day, our patriots are still serving in every corner of the globe and still dying for us.