In an unexpected twist, a woman’s exploration of her family’s ancestry during the American Revolution has led to a significant breakthrough that redefines the historical significance of Florida’s involvement in the conflict.

For many years, the prevailing belief was that Florida played a relatively minor role in securing American independence compared to heavyweights like New York, South Carolina, or Massachusetts.

However, two years ago, Carol Garner, a resident of Florida, made a serendipitous discovery that challenges this long-held perspective.

While delving into her genealogy at a library in Raleigh, North Carolina, Garner was encouraged by a helpful reference librarian to connect with a man who was painstakingly transcribing and digitizing Revolutionary War soldiers’ pension records.

To her surprise, she and the archivist discovered they were both descendants of John Scott, a soldier whose detailed verbal testimonials, along with those of fellow soldier David Walden, provided fresh insights into the contributions of Florida patriots during the war as they sought pensions post-conflict.

Scott and Walden did not know how to read or write, but another individual had faithfully recorded their stories, which recounted patriots’ guerrilla tactics that forced the British to travel by sea, eventually contributing to England’s devastating naval loss which essentially ended the war.

‘I don’t think we should have an inferiority complex of not being as patriotic as Massachusetts or Charleston or any of those other places that had battles,’ Garner told First Coast News. 

‘The patriots here were so persistent that it forced the British to go by sea up the coast,’ she added.

The reason it has taken 250 years to set the record straight on Florida’s contribution to the Revolution is that historians have long relied on letters and documents left behind by literate British officers. 

Those officers were inclined to highlight Britain’s victories in formal battles that occurred in the state while ignoring skirmishes and smaller losses.

But Scott and Walden’s accounts show that the records left behind by British officers were biased and did not tell the full story. 

During the Revolution, the northeastern Florida city of Jacksonville was called Cowford, and it was a critical crossing point over the St Johns River. 

When the British took control of Florida in 1763, they built Kings Road connecting St Augustine to the Georgia border, and they operated a ferry in Cowford that connected the two sides of the road separated by the river.

Kings Road was a critical supply line through which the British moved artillery, supplies and men, so it was a target for the patriots.

Between 1776 and 1779, patriots constantly ambushed British forces in Cowford and on Kings Road. They hid in swamps and bushes, waiting for the redcoats to come by in their bright uniforms, then attacked. 

Garner told First Coast News that one of her favorite stories from those ambushes was when Americans pounced on a regiment of redcoats, stripped them of their uniforms and sent them back to their fort naked. 

‘But they didn’t kill them. They still felt enough brotherhood with other British, because they were colonists; they all came from England. They just wanted to keep them from pestering,’ she told the outlet. 

The patriots then disguised themselves with the uniforms to raid loyalist plantations, stealing livestock and supplies.

The three official American campaigns to take St Augustine all failed, which is the story that has been told in history books for centuries, but Garner’s discovery has revealed that patriots’ smaller victories were a major strategic success.

Kings Road was a vital artery for the British meant to allow troops to travel by land all the way from St Augustine to Savannah, Georgia, but the constant harassment by patriots made the road unusable for the crown. 

The British were thus forced to move soldiers by sea, making them vulnerable to Spanish and French ships along the coast.

Ultimately, the movement of troops by sea led to Britain’s defeat. The crown had sailed to Savannah, then to Charleston and continued north before they were flanked by a French fleet positioned at Yorktown. 

General Cornwallis marched his troops into the port city and found himself surrounded by George Washington’s forces on land and the French ships at his back, forcing him to surrender.

Cornwallis’s surrender in Yorktown marked the end of the final major campaign in the Revolution and essentially guaranteed America’s official victory in the war less than two years later.

Florida’s contribution to that legendary moment in American history is now commemorated in a plaque that was recently erected in Jacksonville. 

Garner spent two years getting the marker approved, as she had to verify every claim three different ways. She submitted 25 different versions of the plaque’s text before one was finally approved. 

Although the effort was lengthy and arduous, she told First Coast News that the timing with America’s 250th anniversary made it all worth it. 

Malte Gustafsson hasn’t allowed himself the luxury of dreaming about a future on the Islanders’ blue line alongside Matthew Schaefer. Both young talents, drafted in the first round and sharing left-handedness and the age of 18, are poised for significant roles.

Tom Jankovic, who coaches the HV71 under-20 team and assists Sweden’s under-18 national team, shared, “He’s remarkably down-to-earth and modest about his path.”

In Buffalo, during the introduction of Gustafsson as the Islanders’ 13th pick in the recent NHL draft, Schaefer’s presence by his side felt symbolic of their intertwined journeys.

It was a moment where one future cornerstone welcomed another, who could swiftly establish his presence.

Enthused about the prospect of skating with Schaefer, Gustafsson has made a name for himself in Sweden as a vital defenseman. He is set to continue with HV71 for the next season.

After that, though, the Islanders might have a decision to make with the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder who “came as advertised” to development camp last week, Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer said.

“I think he will be a top Swedish defenseman in the NHL someday,” Jankovic told The Post. “If it’s when he’s 24 or when he’s 28, I don’t know, but I think he will be there because he has all the tools. He has the right mindset.”

There’s no rush, either. Gustafsson planned to improve his offensive game and add muscle next season in the Swedish Hockey League.

Niklas Eriksson, his HV71 head coach who took over near the end of last season, said that he can use the larger rinks in Sweden to prepare for the smaller ones in North America.

It’ll force Gustafsson to simplify his game and to make first passes quickly, something on which he’ll get to work while likely logging 20-plus minutes a game and filling roles on both the power play and penalty kill.

Jankovic thought Gustafsson, a self-described “annoying” defenseman, would get picked earlier in the draft.

He can skate alongside both defensive and offensive defensemen, seamlessly complementing both and able to pick up either role when needed.

He constructed a two-way game where size, reach and an ability to carry the puck became his defining traits, and his movement near the blue line and passing ability could make him an option to quarterback a power-play unit in the NHL — perhaps the Islanders’ second one behind Schaefer, Jankovic said.

“He has so many tools when it comes to what he can do,” Jankovic said, “so I think that’s his biggest strength, and as a coach, you want that on the ice.”

Even before the draft, Gustafsson appeared in plenty of games with stakes attached.

He collected 12 points in 19 games with the under-20 team last season and added another three points in 27 regular-season games in the SHL.

He helped Sweden earn a gold medal at the U18 World Championship, skating over 28 minutes against Canada in the quarterfinals, over 29 against Czechia in the semifinals and another 26:39 against Slovakia in the gold-medal game.

Gustafsson helped HV71’s men’s team avoid relegation in the SHL, too, by contributing to their sweep in a best-of-seven series between the 13th- and 14th-place teams — with massive financial ramifications at stake if HV71 lost.

He quarterbacked the second power-play unit and impressed general manager Johan Hult with how he handled the pressure of those games.

“How I use my size and length to shut down players, play physical, really being annoying on the ice, showing that I’m there,” Gustafsson told The Post after the Islanders’ development camp scrimmage last week, “I think that’s the biggest part of my game.”

And if Gustafsson adds strength in his legs to become more explosive, Hult said, he’ll “be even more annoying, that’s for sure.”

Hult found it difficult to describe a ceiling for him because, in his eyes, “the ceiling is not set.”

Gustafsson could represent Sweden in the Olympics.

He could live up to Jankovic’s prediction as one of the best Swedish defensemen in the NHL.

He could make the five other teams who took other defensemen ahead of the Islanders in the first round look foolish.

That would all unfold years in the future.

That takes more than an initial introduction at development camp to actually achieve.

This — the draft, the HV71 games, the final SHL season before taking the leap to what’s next — has been just the start for Gustafsson.

“I think the sky’s the limit for this kid,” Jankovic said.

In response to widespread protests against illegal immigration, authorities in South Africa mobilized thousands of police officers on Tuesday. The demonstrations resulted in violent confrontations that rippled through several major cities.

The civil unrest, which involved numerous protestors, occurred just before a deadline set by certain organizers. These groups have called for the expulsion of all undocumented migrants by June 30, as reported by Reuters.

The protests attracted large crowds, predominantly made up of South Africans facing economic hardship. They argue that foreign migrants are accepting lower wages, securing jobs they need, and are contributing to the rising crime levels.

As chaos spread across the nation, at least four fatalities were reported amidst the ongoing violence and looting, according to Reuters.

The clashes mark the largest migration-related protests since anti-migrant violence erupted in South Africa in 2008.

While thousands of foreign nationals from other African countries had already fled ahead of Tuesday’s so-called deadline, tensions have remained high, Reuters said.

Multiple businesses and properties were vandalized in several areas, according to reports.

In anticipation of further attacks, many shops reportedly closed, with foreign workers staying home.

Landlords in Durban and Johannesburg also evicted foreign tenants illegally to avoid further trouble, witnesses alleged.

Reuters added that 100 Congolese nationals were reported sleeping on the streets of Durban.  

While many marches were considered peaceful, police reported that they arrested several looters and fired rubber bullets to disperse crowds.

National broadcaster SABC added that protesters looted shacks belonging to foreign nationals in the Soweto township. 

In Thembisa, a suburb of Johannesburg, rioters reportedly threw stones at police and suspected migrants, with witnesses saying sporadic gunfire was heard.

Police deployed tactical vehicles and fired shots in Benoni, east of Johannesburg, after being confronted by a group of roughly 500 protesters, Daily Maverick reported. 

Thousands of police officers have been deployed nationwide, while the military was placed on standby, a defense spokesperson said in a statement. 

“To those who intend to break the law tomorrow, our message is simple: do not test the resolve of the State,” Lt. Gen. Tebello Mosikili said. 

The “March and March” group, one of the more prominent organizations behind the unrest, addressed the violence, saying it cannot be held responsible for spontaneous incidents breaking out during the demonstrations.  

“Unfortunately, we can’t be in every single community telling them … how to behave,” Jacinta Ngobese, leader of the March and March group, told Reuters two weeks ago. 

Ngobese said the group plans to hold weekly marches until its demands are met, despite the government rejecting the deadline and saying only authorities can enforce immigration laws.

“For ​the next six months, we are asking for our national resources to be used to take the illegal immigrants out of this country. From building to building — they ​must go,” Ngobese said, according to ZimLive.

Despite South Africa’s high unemployment rate, the country remains Africa’s largest economy and continues to draw migrants.

The immigrant population stands at about 3 million, or roughly 4% of the total, according to StatsSA.

Critics have taken aim at the guest list for Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s star-studded wedding, but one guest, fortunate enough to score an invitation, has vigorously defended the couple’s choices.

The American power couple curated an impressive guest list, inviting around 1,000 people to commemorate their union at Madison Square Garden, a venue that stands as an iconic centerpiece in New York City. Exclusive images from the Daily Mail showcased the arena’s transformation into a magical setting for the event.

However, some fans observing from a distance expressed surprise over certain names that appeared on Kelce and Swift’s prestigious shortlist, sparking discussions online.

Among the notable attendees was popular NFL analyst Rich Eisen, accompanied by his wife, Suzy Shuster, herself a renowned sportscaster. Eisen shared a cherished memory from the event on Instagram, allowing fans a glimpse into the glittering affair.

“Quite the NYC night,” Eisen captioned the photo. “Storybook doesn’t do the expression of love we witnessed justice,” he added, encapsulating the enchantment felt by many present at the ceremony.

Amid the array of comments on the post complimenting the couple on how they looked for the big day, however, the NFL personality took exception to a critic accusing Kelce of inviting famous names instead of some of his friends.

‘Am I the only one that thinks it’s super weird that outside of Mahomes and Reid, they invited tangential “sports” people like Rich Eisen but less than a handful of Chiefs,’ one comment on Eisen’s post read.

The man himself replied in order to set the record straight, writing: ‘Beyond false. Most Chiefs were there.

‘Both sides of the ball and coaching staff and front office and FORMER teammates of @killatrav (Kelce’s Instagram handle).’

Eisen stating that ‘most’ Chiefs players made it to the big day was intriguing after the Daily Mail reported on Friday that kicker Harrison Butker was not in the Big Apple for teammate Kelce’s wedding.

Butker sparked uproar two years ago when he suggested women should prioritize being stay-at-home mothers over their careers during a commencement speech at Kansas City’s Benedictine College.

Amid the controversy, led by plenty of Swifties, Kelce stood up for his teammate against the cancel culture backlash, describing him as a ‘great person’ – despite admitting he disagreed with almost every opinion he shared in the speech.

‘When it comes down to his views and what he said at the Saint Benedict’s commencement speech, those are his. I can’t say I agree with the majority of it or just about any of it outside of just him loving his family and his kids,’ he said about Butker on his New Heights podcast in May 2024.

‘And I don’t think that I should judge him by his views, especially his religious views, of how to go about life, that’s just not who I am.

‘I grew up in a beautiful upbringing of different social classes, different religions, different races and ethnicities in Cleveland Heights and that’s why I love Cleveland Heights for what it was.’

The three-time Super Bowl champion Butker also appeared to condemn then-President Joe Biden’s pro-abortion stance and the LGBTQ+ community, igniting outrage at the time. 

A petition for Butker to be cut by the Chiefs was signed by more than 260,000 people.

As well as the majority of Chiefs stars making Kelce’s big day, he invited plenty of other notable names from across the world of football.

Tom Brady, Matthew Stafford and Mike Vrabel were there, as well as former teammates such as Trent McDuffie and Juju Smith-Schuster.

Kelce and Swift are expected to attend Smith-Schuster’s wedding in Orange County, California next weekend. 

In a spirited commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, a coalition of well-known Hollywood figures and activists have launched a compelling video campaign. The message, aimed squarely at opposing President Donald Trump’s administration, underscores the urgency the group feels about the current political climate.

This star-studded video premiered on Variety and features an impressive lineup of celebrities. Among the prominent names are Mark Ruffalo, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ted Danson, and Judd Apatow. The nearly 10-minute video showcases these personalities as they articulate key principles from “On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century,” a thought-provoking book by historian Timothy Snyder.

Early in the video, Snyder himself sets the tone by cautioning viewers about the significance of the impending midterm elections. He describes them as a pivotal “turning point” for the nation, stressing that voters’ choices will either guide the country in a positive direction or exacerbate existing challenges.

Snyder reflects on the Republic’s 250-year journey, interweaving his personal connection, as his book “On Tyranny” has coincided with the Republic’s narrative for the past decade, having been penned in November 2016. The sentiment of both reflection and urgency infuses his message.

Looking toward November, Snyder expresses a sense of foreboding and hope. He sees this moment as a critical juncture where the trajectory of the Republic hangs in the balance, capable of veering toward either promising advancements or significant setbacks.

Reading from the book and its suggestions on how a nation turns to tyranny, celebrities recited lines including “Do not obey in advance,” delivered by Leslie Odom Jr., Sheryl Lee Ralph and Holland Taylor. Another, “Beware of the one-party state,” was read by Isabel Allende and Lisa Rinna.

Actor Mark Ruffalo, known for appearing in Marvel’s “Avengers” films, explained his reason for participating in the video when speaking with Variety. Ruffalo has long been an outspoken critic of the Trump administration.

“My hope is that after this very bad and corrupt time we are living through now, we move away from a government that caters to the wealthy and powerful and focuses on the needs, desires and dreams of the children and young people,” Ruffalo told Variety, later adding, “Keep America moving toward its great promise and not the measly mistakes and cruelty of its past.”

Ruffalo also called for closing the wealth gap, cherishing the planet and leaving behind the “colonial mindset of land theft, extractive economies, domination and materialism; embrace the Indigenous wisdom and worldview of circular economies, respect for all things and beings as our relatives and, therefore, worthy of our care and thoughtfulness.”

Snyder also posted his Substack video to X with the caption: “To celebrate a rebellion is to know that, from a flawed world, we can make new things. We can hold on, we can find each other, and not just imagine but create a much better America. It is a special 250th – it is ours.”

Under the description of his video, Snyder directly took aim at the current 250th anniversary celebrations, writing that the leaders behind them represent a “threat to liberty.”

“Sadly, those who lead our official celebration today represent every threat to liberty that the founders named: arbitrary rule; indifference to law; undue accumulation of wealth; corruption of the government to attain that wealth; collusion with foreign powers to attain power,” he wrote.

He also listed the participants, including Isabel Allende, Judd Apatow, Margaret Atwood, Joan Baez, Sophia Bush, Misha Collins, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Ted Danson, Ron Funches, Tony Goldwyn, Eric Holder, Jenifer Lewis, Leslie Odom Jr., Sarah Jessica Parker, Billy Porter, Maria Ressa, Lisa Rinna, Molly Ringwald, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Mark Ruffalo, J. Smith-Cameron, Holland Taylor, Viet Thanh Nguyen and Bradley Whitford.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately receive a response.