The seal of Union County, New Jersey depicts the homicide of Hannah Caldwell during the Revolutionary War, said to be an assassination by a British solider.
"Few occurrences in the history of ancient or modern warfare have so strongly influenced the public feeling -have excited so universal a sentiment of horror, or such deep resentment towards the authors of the crime- as the deliberate and barbarous murder of Mrs. Caldwell. It was perpetrated not only as an act of vengeance upon an individual, but with the design of striking terror into the country, and compelling the inhabitants to submission. So far, however, from producing this effect, it but roused the indignation of the whole community, filling all with one spirit-one desire to avenge the deed, and drive the invaders from their soil. It animated the brave with new energy, inspired the timid to feats of heroism, and determined the irresolute to throng to the standard of liberty." -Elizabeth F. Ellet, The Women of the American Revolution (1848–50), Volume II |
"Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement: and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
- George Santayana, The Life of Reason (1905-1906) |