Monday, April 30, 2012

Rob Lowe - Proud Rob Lowe Invited To Become A Son Of The American Revolution

From Contact Music: Rob Lowe - Proud Rob Lowe Invited To Become A Son Of The American Revolution
Actor Rob Lowe was brought to proud tears while researching his family history for a new U.S. TV show after learning his five-times great-grandfather fought on both sides of the American Revolutionary War.

Lowe's ancestor, Christoph Oest, was part of a fleet of German soldiers who sailed to the Americas to help British forces battle George Washington and his patriots in the late 1700s.

Oest was captured during the Battle of Trenton and given the opportunity to return home to Germany in disgrace or stay and fight for the new America.

Records Lowe researched for the filming of his Who Do You Think You Are? episode, which debuted in America on Friday (27Apr12), showed Oest chose to stay and become an American.

Thanks to the actor's investigation, which led him to his ancestor's home town of Marburg, Germany, Oest has now been recognised as a patriot and Lowe and his brother Chad have been invited to become members of the exclusive National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Lowe says, "I really did want my five-times great-grandfather to be an American patriot, but I think the way he came to be authenticated is much more powerful, I think, than I was expecting. In spite of having fought against the Revolutionaries he chose America. To choose that ideal is heroic.

"So much of what I am about - my love of politics, my patriotism - I can't help but think that some of his dreams and aspirations were passed down and I feel them."

Saturday, April 28, 2012

The Postal Service Is a Civic Institution, Not a Business

From the Atlantic: The Postal Service Is a Civic Institution, Not a Business

This week the U.S. Senate is debating the 21st Century Postal Act of 2011, a proposal to reform the U.S. Postal Service and change the way the USPS does business in order to make it more profitable. In December, the Postal Service proposed to cut Saturday delivery, close half of its 500 processing centers around the country and dozens of local post offices, and lay off thousands of workers. The bill under consideration this week would delay closures and require studies to determine how best to proceed with any reductions in delivery. Although those are laudable goals, they will not solve the fundamental problem: Congress assumes that this vital government service will somehow become profitable.

In the midst of a long decline in the volume of mail, the demise of the Postal Service -- at least as a public institution with universal service throughout the United States -- often seems inevitable. Yet the critiques and suggestions offered as solutions for what ails the Postal Service see the problem only in terms of commercial and financial concerns. The circumstances of the Post Office's founding suggest a far broader and more important mission: guaranteeing the sanctity of civic participation and political debate.

During the American Revolution, the post was a crucial point of contention between colonists and the Crown because it was the means for circulating not only correspondence but also newspapers, the lifeblood of intercolonial political cooperation. When British officials threatened the free circulation of news, newspaper publishers led the charge in 1774 to replace the British imperial system with a "Constitutional Post." Without a government structure, the post would be privately funded, but newspaper publishers and allies like the Boston Committee of Correspondence made sure that reliable, safe, and secure circulation of political intelligence was a primary function.

Shortly after Lexington and Concord in April 1775, the Continental Congress took up a post office as one of the earliest institutions of national reach -- making the U.S. Post Office older than the Navy, the Marines, and the Declaration of Independence. Congressional delegates therefore believed that ensuring safe communication throughout the colonies was vital to the colonies' efforts for military, political, and commercial unity.

The delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 saw the operation of information channels as a core function of government: the power "to establish post offices and post roads" is one of the explicitly named grants included among the enumerated powers of Congress. At the same time, new political cleavages within the United States caused tension about the Post Office's role as an impartial circulation mechanism. During the debates over ratification in 1787 and 1788, some antifederalist printers accused the Post Office of suppressing their publications and arguments against the Constitution. William Goddard, the mastermind of the 1774 "Constitutional Post," ominously suggested he would once again start his own postal system. The complaints of Goddard and other printers forced Congress to re-assert that the Post Office would circulate all news and information equally. In 1792, the new Federal Congress confirmed that promise in the first Post Office Act, setting the stage for a massive explosion in the newspaper industry and providing for the circulation of information to the far reaches of the country.

Understanding the core mission of the Post Office -- as part of a communications infrastructure for political debate and civic participation -- should lead us to reframe the questions we ask about the future of the USPS. Making changes to the USPS's structure are clearly necessary in order to ensure its ability to meet its obligations. But the historical context should lead us to ask much larger questions about government's role in protecting the free circulation of information.

In the 18th century, the government committed itself to guaranteeing the free flow of information throughout the nation as part of a project to ensure mass participation in civic life, linking the Post Office with the protection of a free press. The decline in mail volume points to a certain inevitability about the commercial success of the USPS. But more broadly we must carefully consider the value of publicly owned, freely available channels of communication. Should the Post Office cease to exist, we will lose the last public guarantor of free communication in the United States.

Friday, April 27, 2012

VA: Weekend re-enactment takes Petersburg back to the Revolutionary War

From Progress-Index.com: Weekend re-enactment takes Petersburg back to the Revolutionary War

PETERSBURG - With a steady hand, 4-year-old Benjamin Owen braced himself against a tree trunk and lifted his rifle toward the line of troops assembled on the Battersea lawn.

"Fire," he shouted, shaking the gun with enough verve to knock his Colonial-era hat and blonde locks askew. Rings of smoke drifted across the field as British troops advanced towards the Virginia militia.

"They are the king's army, they have not been defeated in 800 years and today will not be an exception," Dennis Farmer's voice boomed over the crack of musket fire. Resplendent in Colonial garb and a five-animal hat, Farmer and his megaphone looped around the yard of the 18th-century Neo-Palladian style home, interpreting the re-enactment of the 1781 Battle of Petersburg.

Bystanders shuffled their Big-Gulp sized lemonades and bags of popcorn to clap for the 100 American, British and German forces participating in the 21st annual Revolutionary War re-enactment at Battersea, commemorating the 231st anniversary of British Brig. Gen. William Phillips' victory over Maj. Gen. Baron von Steuben's militia.

The two-day event draws hundreds of tourists into the city every year that come to tour the Battersea home, watch the battle unfold and interact with historical interpreters. This year featured a 1781 edition of Battle Barn War Gamers, a play-by-play account of the Petersburg conflict using hand-painted 28mm miniatures.

Petersburg's location placed it in the forefront of many of the most critical engagements in American history, which is a source of pride and financial success for the city. Heritage tourism brings in visitors from across the state and the nation, although most have been drawn to Civil War attractions in recent years, according to Kevin Kirby, the city's director of Tourism, Museum and Visitor Services.

"The tapestry of stories from [the Siege of Petersburg] is so rich, that by virtue of that, alone, the Civil War has often out-shined some of our other very significant historical moments here," Kirby said.

"It's an honor to be able to showcase one of the city's preeminent historic sites today," he continued. "Our mission is to showcase and educate the visitor, both local resident visitor and international visitor and everyone in between, to understand the story of Petersburg's history and how relevant it is to world history."

Mission accomplished, said Banning, Calif., residents Ron Willcoxon and Royce Newman, who had traveled to Virginia with their partners before embarking on a cruise to the Panama Canal. The couples had some spare time before they made their way up to the departure point in New York, and decided to take a whirlwind heritage tour of Jamestown, Yorktown, Williamsburg and Petersburg.

"We stopped at a tourism center near Fredericksburg and picked up some literature that led us here," Newman said. "It's been a lot of fun, so far."

Fun is the operative word for Farmer, the battle's narrator, who began a life-long passion for historical interpretation as a child, playing the role of a drummer in Civil War re-enactments. The Michigan native, who has embodied Capt. John Smith and has participated in historical performances ranging from the American Revolution to the War of 1812, said that he finds joy in bringing history to life.

"I go by the adage, 'You don't understand someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes,' and it's an old one but I find it to be really true," he said.

Re-living the Battle of Petersburg literally places Farmer in a family member's shoes.

"Mine was a British ancestor who fought in this battle, but that's not really why I'm here - I only live eight miles away," he said.

Margaret Owen, 30, mother of 4-year-old Benjamin and wife of Jonathan, who participated in the re-enactment, said that many people dip their toes into the water doing family research before becoming full-blown historical re-enactors.

"It's so human to be interested in your own personal story, but when you go back far enough, it becomes everyone's story - they are all our collective ancestors," she said, gesturing towards the costumed men and women heading off to do battle.

Dressed in period garb and posted up on a blanket on Battersea's lawn with her three children, Benjamin, Charlotte, 2½, and 6-month-old Daniel, Owen said that the stories of history are worth repeating, if only to prevent us from re-living the past.

"If we don't appreciate what people have done, and what they've had to give up to get us where we are today, then who knows where we would be," she said.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Where the past meets the future

From Asbury Park Place: Where the past meets the future
Kids will have an opportunity to travel back to the American Revolution this weekend at Jockey Hollow on Tempe Wick Road in Morristown as the National Park Service presents National Junior Ranger Day.

The family-oriented event will offer special programs and activities for children and adults at parks across the United States.

All activities offered during National Junior Ranger Day in Morristown are free.

“It’s a great opportunity for families to get outdoors this spring, and experience everything we have to offer a Jockey Hollow,” said Andy Danneker, park ranger for Morristown National Historical Park.

The event at Jockey Hollow begins at 10 a.m. with a Junior Ranger Hike. Led by a park ranger, the 2.25 mile round-trip hike will include a scavenger hunt that encourages families to search for objects that will help them gain a better understanding of the park and its history.

The Junior Ranger Hike will be offered again at 1p.m.

“Some of my best childhood memories are from when my parents would take me to events like this at Gettysburg or local museums,” Danneker said.

From 10 a.m. until noon, children will be invited to play with a variety of 18th-century toys. “What kid doesn’t like playing with toys?” he said. “It’s our way of giving them a hands-on lesson in what it was like to grow up during that time period.”

At noon, kids can become new recruits and try their hand at Kid’s Drill, using wooden muskets under the direction of the drill sergeant at the park’s Wick House.

“It’s always a really popular event, and has become something people look forward to,” he said.

From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., families are invited to partake in old-fashioned fun by participating in some of the games played by soldiers and the Wick family, including nine-pins, quoits, trap-ball, nine-man morris, fox and geese, and other popular 18th century games.

“Visitors will see that some of the games people played during the American Revolution aren’t so different from the ones kids play today,” Danneker said.

From 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., a park ranger will lead a hands-on activity to teach participants how gloves and socks were made during the American Revolution. The Spin History program invites families to learn how to spin yarn from a drop spindle.

“It gives visitors a very interesting insight into how people lived their lives on a day-to-day basis back then,” Danneker said.

Children will also have an opportunity to complete the park’s brand-new Junior Ranger booklet, and earn their official Morristown Junior Ranger badge.

National Junior Ranger Day kicks off National Park Week, which offers residents an opportunity to visit local sites like the Ford Mansion and Jockey Hollow with free admission.

“We want people to have a good time, but we also hope to help enlighten our visitors and give them a sense of stewardship so they can develop a deeper appreciation for national parks,” Danneker said

Friday, April 20, 2012

Sudbury reenactors to honor heroes of the American Revolution

From the Metrowest Daily News: Sudbury reenactors to honor heroes of the American Revolution

SUDBURY — If residents of Sudbury awaken tomorrow, April 19, to the sound of gunfire, there’s no need to fear. There’s not a war raging, it’s just the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute, honoring the heroes of the American Revolution as they have done for almost half a century.

The group will begin their activities in Wayland at 3:45 a.m., assembling at the First Parish Church on Cochituate Road. Their march will take them to the Grout-Heard House, the First Town Cemetery and the East Companies Training Field. At these areas, the reenactors will fire salutes.

At 5:20 a.m., they will travel to Sudbury Town Hall and begin the majority of their activities. From 5:45 a.m. to 7 a.m., they will march through Sudbury, visiting and firing salutes at the Old Town Cemetery, the New North Cemetery and the Sudbury/Concord town line. After reaching these areas, the group will march through Concord, visiting the farm of Lt. James Barrett. Barrett’s rumored cache of gunpowder and weaponry was the objective of the British troops when they encountered American soldiers in Lexington and Concord.

The final site that the group will visit and fire a salute at before returning to the Wayside Inn in Sudbury is the North Bridge in Concord. At noontime, the group will end their festivities by taking down a British flag at Wayside Inn and raising the first national flag, called the Grand Union.

The Sudbury Militia was resurrected in the early ‘60s by a group of men who spent a lot of time at Longfellow’s Wayside Inn in Sudbury and thought it would be a good idea to pay respect to the veterans of America’s first war with a march. Since then, the group has marched year after year through both Sudbury and Wayland, firing volleys and visiting local cemeteries where patriots are buried.

Col.Carl Hutchinson of the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute has been involved with the group for ten years. Hutchinson started out reenacting historical events, specifically Civil War infantry and artillery. It was through this hobby that he met members of the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute, and later joined the Companies. Hutchinson has found that his interests primarily lie with the American Revolution, because “some important events actually took place here in Massachusetts whereas there was no direct Civil War involvement [in Massachusetts].”

Though Patriots’ Day is typically celebrated on the third Monday in April, the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute celebrate on the actual date of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which marked the first shots of the war. Hutchinson feels that celebrating on the actual anniversary shows more respect for it.

“The American Revolution [was] pretty inconvenient for the participants and if [the holiday] is a little inconvenient to celebrate, it makes us pay a little more respect to it and less likely to turn it into a party... Surveys show that there are many people who think that Patriots Day has something to do with football and long distance running.” By dressing in official uniform and firing salutes throughout the day, one goal of the group is to raise awareness of April 19’s historical significance.

When asked why he has stuck with the organization for as long as he has, Hutchinson said, “I feel it is important to call attention to and honor the people who founded our country.” As colonel, Hutchinson’s duties include leading and constructing all meetings of the group, which typically include some period-related entertainment, organizing the balls that the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute are involved in, and leading parades such as the one on Memorial Day.

Next year, Hutchinson looks forward to being a private again, and remaining an active member of the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Ceremony honors warships named Lexington

From the MetroWest: Ceremony honors warships named Lexington
LEXINGTON — Maritime bells sounded on the town common yesterday as residents and visitors honored veterans of the five Navy vessels named USS Lexington.

Several speakers made note of the impressive ships and their history, and members of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps laid wreaths at each of the five monuments. The Lexington Minute Men fired volleys in salute, while the Lexington High School band performed the national anthem and a lone trumpeter played Taps.

Standing beside a row of plaques, Selectman Peter Kelley said Lexington is a name synonymous with freedom and democracy.

“On such a glorious day for America,” he said, “this is a tribute to the name Lexington, which is not just a ship, but a name that means so much more all over the world.”

Ed McGlew, 90, a Navy veteran from Springfield, Vt., thanked the crowd for remembering his comrades.

“CV-2 and CV-16 guys, we’re dwindling,” said McGlew, who was an aerial photographer for the USS Lexington CV-2 (1927-1942) and CV-16 (1943-1962). “We appreciate you coming out very much. It’s a special thing for us.”

He also showed the crowd a diary from his Navy days, noting that the most intense entries — about battles at sea — were stained with seawater. He declined to read the entries, saying that he will read them at the 25th annual event next year.

State Sen. Ken Donnelly, D-Arlington, noted the heroism of the servicemen aboard all the ships named Lexington since the first one launched in 1776.

“Even great ships don’t steer themselves. As recognized by the 13 battle stars … these ships were manned by America’s finest,” Donnelly said. “Today, we acknowledge the many men and women who served on the USS Lexington since our revolution. These five ships have carried not only the names of our great town but the resilience, brilliance and pride of Lexington as well.”

Guest speaker Lt. Albert Sharlow, the operations officer for the USS Constitution, the longest-serving American warship, encouraged the crowd to give back to their country.

“Find a way to serve, no matter how big or small an undertaking,” Sharlow said. “We will seek to make a better tomorrow if we can start today.”

SHIPS TO BEAR THE NAME 'USS LEXINGTON'
THE FIRST LEXINGTON Originally the “Wild Duck,” the 16-gun brigantine was purchased by the Continental Congress in March 1776 and renamed in honor of Lexington’s Minutemen. The ship took many British vessels before being captured by the British off the coast of France on Sept. 29, 1777.

THE SECOND LEXINGTON
An 18-gun sloop-of-war commissioned on June 11, 1826. After serving in various capacities, the ship joined Commodore Matthew Perry’s expedition to Japan in 1852. It was decommissioned in 1855.

THE THIRD LEXINGTON
This steamship was purchased in 1861 and converted into a gunboat for the Union army during the Civil War. It was decommissioned in 1865.

THE FOURTH LEXINGTON
This aircraft carrier (CV-2), also known as “Lady Lex,” was the namesake ship of her class. She was built in Quincy and commissioned on Dec. 14, 1927. The 36,000-ton vessel was the first ship to average more than 30 knots on an ocean voyage. Pilots from “Lady Lex” sank the first Japanese carrier of World War II during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. The carrier was severely crippled by Japanese airstrike in the same battle. A gas explosion later mortally wounded the vessel, which was abandoned and then scuttled by a Navy destroyer to prevent its capture.

THE FIFTH LEXINGTON
This Essex-class aircraft carrier (CV-16), also known as “The Blue Ghost,” was built in Quincy and commissioned on Feb. 17, 1943. The vessel participated in 35 engagements during World War II. When it was decommissioned in 1991, the Lexington was the oldest Navy carrier in service. The ship is now a naval aviation museum in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

A Look At Lynnfield In The American Revolution

From the Lynnfield Patch: A Look At Lynnfield In The American Revolution Many Lynnfielders with an interest in local history know that Daniel Townsend gave his life at the Battle of Menotomy, and that the abandoned Danforth House was once home to the captain of local Minutemen. But, these details barely scratch the surface of the story - so for Patriot's Day 2012, let's take a closer look at the role Lynnfield played in this momentous time in our nation's history.

Using the book "Lynn In The Revolution," which is available at the Lynnfield Library geneaology room as well as on Google Books in its entirety, we find a number of interesting details that help color the story of Lynnfield.

For example - did you know that the first military casualty of the American Revolution was technically a Lynnfielder? The term is admittedly used rather loosely in this case. After all, Crispus Attucks, an African-American civilian bystander shot down by British soldiers in the Boston Massacre (March 5, 1770), is credited by history as the first man to die in the Revolution. Still, flash back to late February, 1775, some two months before the Battles of Lexington and Concord. A British party led by Colonel Alexander Leslie landed at Marblehead intending to capture weapons hidden in Salem. Minutemen from around the region were dispatched to Salem that day, and the ensuing tensions could have easily made that day mark the opening point of hostilities. Not a single shot was fired that day of "Leslie's Retreat," - but, town church records indicate Mr. Joseph Newhall died on March 9, 1775 "by a violent seizure after a few days illness suppos'd to be occasioned by a cold taken when he went out upon an alarm, in the 52nd year of his age."

So there you have it. Newhall Park is named after Donald Newhall, an active and highly regarded town official who died in a car crash in the 1950s. However, Mr. Newhall's ancestors were among the most highly represented of any family in the region in the Minuteman era. In fact, the Lynn-based (including Lynnfield) Minuteman squads consisted of five companies with 247 men. The Newhall family reportedly sent 42 of its men from the area to this effort, along with 17 members of the Mansfield family and seven from the Bancroft family. Another member of the Newhall family, Calley Newhall, is mentioned as having made powder for General George Washington.

At the time of the Revolution, Lynn reportedly had as many as 90 homes, while Lynnfield and Saugus had about 25 (widely scattered) each.

Speaking of the Bancroft family, the home of Captain Nathaniel Bancroft now sits abandoned and boarded up next to the Reedy Meadow golf course in Lynnfield, awaiting either a massive infusion of renovation resources or a final death by the elements. From history, we learn that Captain Bancroft commanded the smallest of the five Minuteman companies, with 38 men (a separate reference uses the number 58).

When the alarm came for Bancroft and the Minutemen to march toward Lexington/Concord, they assembled at the Joseph Gowing Tavern in Lynnfield Centre, which burned down in June, 1896. Gowing himself was apparently the original leader of these Minutemen.

There was also another "minit company" of Lynnfield-based soldiers led by Captain Ezra Newhall, who was a veteran of the French and Indian War. This group consisted of 49 men and had its headquarters on the Lynn Common.

On a side note, in a separate article several weeks ago, this website noted in passing that the father of longtime Lynnfield resident John C. Smith, the 1902 founder of the Pocahontas Spring Water company, happened to be the grandson of a Revolutionary War veteran. A look at this list of all Lynnfield soldiers to serve in the American Revolution suggests that it was Sergeant Amos Smith, born in 1748 and later lost at sea at an unknown age.

But back to Captain Bancroft. He was a well-established Patriot by the time the war actually broke out, having also voted at the 1772 town meeting in favor of setting up committees of correspondence to discuss grievances against the British with other nearby towns.

When the Minutemen marched out of Lynnfield, they would not have had time to make it to Lexington and Concord while hostilities were still underway. Instead, they made it to the town of Arlington for the Battle of Menotomy, essentially an extension of Lexington/Concord as the British continued their march back to the safety of Boston.

According to the book, Private Zerubbabel Hart, another French and Indian War veteran, advised the younger commanding officer Bancroft to not be afraid, but to be highly wary of British flanking movements. Bancroft's soldiers indeed soon found themselves under attack from the flanks and sought refuge in a nearby farmhouse that was quickly the scene of vicious hand to hand combat. Lynnfielder Daniel Townsend was among the soldiers killed at that point, while another prominent town resident, Timothy Munroe, escaped the scene with multiple wounds. Lynnfield Private Andrew Mansfield recalled stumbling over the body of Townsend in the fight and seeing him go down right next to him. For his part, Munroe came home and later served as a Lynnfield selectman in the 1780s. Incredibly, a detail from the book says that "during (Munroe's) absence on the 19th of April, it is said that his house was entered by marauders and a sum of money stolen."

In another section, Lynn In The Revolution reports that the Lynnfield (Old Burying Ground) grave of Daniel Townsend, who died at age 36, is inscribed with the following: "Lie valient, Townsend, in the peaceful shades; we trust, immortal honors mingle with thy dust. What though thy body struggled in thy gore? So did thy Saviour's body, long before. And as he raised his own, by power divine, so the same power shall also quicken thine, and in eternal glory mayst thou shine." The entire town of Lynnfield reportedly attended his funeral.

Townsend's widow, Zeruiah, reportedly never recovered from the shock of his death and herself passed away a year or so later. A May 2, 1775 report in the Essex Gazette was quoted as saying that Townsend "was a constant and ready friend to the poor and afflicted; a good advisor in cases of difficulty; a mild and sincere reprover. In short, he was a friend to his country, a blessing to society, and an ornament to the church of which he was a member." Townsend was born in Lynnfield Centre in 1738 and a separate biography about him was apparently published sometime before the start of the 20th Century.

The musket used by Daniel Townsend when he fell was apparently still in the family at the start of the 20th Century, at that point owned by his grandson William H. Townsend of Lynn.

A total of 12 soldiers reportedly died in the farmhouse, and after that incident, the Lynn Minutemen are thought to have mostly scattered in pursuit of the British. The report also noted that Bancroft's division may have taken some prisoners and sent them to the Ipswich Jail the next day.

From this point in history, the local Minutemen, including many from Lynnfield, were soon absorbed into the newly-formed Continental Army. One of the early tasks for many would have likely involved duty during the Siege of Boston.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Charleston military museum faces closure

From the State: Charleston military museum faces closure
CHARLESTON — The personal effects of a man killed on D-Day. The uniform of a Buffalo soldier who roamed the midwestern plains. A rare floppy cap from the Spanish-American war.

These and thousands of other objects from America’s military past could soon disappear from view, possibly forever.

One of Charleston’s most enduring museums has lost its lease, leaving its operators with no place to go. The biggest fear now for curators of the American Military Museum is what to do about the thousands of artifacts in a collection dating as far back as the American Revolution.

“Once the doors are closed, there’s no income,” said Randi Meagher, executive director.

Last month, the museum was informed by landlord Rivers Enterprises that their lease for space inside Aquarium Wharf, next to the S.C. Aquarium, will not be renewed. Company President John Rivers gave the group 60 days to vacate, or double the normal 30 days.

Reached Wednesday, Rivers said that for the past 10 years he’s allowed the museum to operate at a reduced rent of $1,000 a month, but that a new client is willing to sign a long-term lease and at a greater price.

“Everything has got a time and a limit and that’s where we are right now,” said Rivers, who served in the Navy.

While Rivers said he appreciates all aspects of the military, the issue now is for another group or local government to step forward and pick up “subsidizing” the museum, like he’s done for the past decade.

The nonprofit museum started out extremely small and has largely stayed that way. Launched by military historian and Citadel graduate George Meagher in 1987, it began in a two-room setup on Church Street. From there, the effort floated around the city looking for a suitable site to attract a steady flow of visitors, settling on Pinckney Street, then John Street.

In 2003, the 7,000-square-foot operation set up in the bowels of what was then an IMAX theater on the Charleston Harbor waterfront, with Rivers as landlord. Off the beaten path and low on dollars for advertising, the museum fought to stay in operation, attracting about 10,000 visitors a year.

“Even though we’re next to the aquarium, people don’t know to come,” Meagher said. She took over the effort after her husband died in 2009.

On Wednesday, Meagher and curator Michael Lussier gave a tour of the museum. There are thousands of items that tell stories of American fighting men since 1776. There are period hats and helmets, guns, knives and bayonets, plus uniforms of all periods.

Among the specialties are Gen. Dwight Eisenhower’s original five stars from his uniform hanging framed on a wall. More recent additions come from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. World Wars I, II, Korea and Vietnam are also heavily featured.

Much of the collection was donated, but when news of the lost lease began to filter out, some of those who lent the museum treasured items have started to take pieces back.

While organizers have recently talked with North Charleston officials about the possibility of moving there, for now there is no location set to go once the doors are shut for good, currently set for May 21.

Meagher said moving in took a whole year. Moving out is expected to be lengthy as well, she said, with only volunteers to help out.

“There’s no way anyone is in a position to drop their lives and come down and move the museum, 24-7,” she said.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The shots less heard

From Boston.com: The shots less heard
It used to bother Alex Cain and other reenactors how little attention was paid to the “second battle of Lexington’’ when Patriots Day came around each year.

In the first battle of April 19, 1775 - replayed at dawn each year before thousands of spectators - British regulars killed eight colonists at Lexington Green before marching on to Concord for the famed standoff at the North Bridge.

But Lexington’s militia wasn’t finished. Rallied by their leader, Captain John Parker, they ambushed the retreating redcoats at around 1:30 that afternoon from a rocky promontory near the Lincoln line.

That battle - which left three more Lexington men and possibly two British soldiers dead - was never given the same poetic treatment as, say, Paul Revere’s ride.

“It was an event that was significantly neglected,’’ said Cain.

This year, however, the historic melee will emerge from the shadows as Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord plays host to a full reenactment of “Parker’s Revenge’’ on Saturday at 2 p.m. near the visitors center. (For a complete listing of Patriots Day events at the park, go to www.nps.gov/mima.)

The story of Captain Parker motivating his militia to take a stand against the British is “an inspiration to military classes today,’’ said Cain, part of a group of reenactors who belong to the Lexington Minute Men. Classes from the US Army regularly visit the site of the battle as part of their training, he said.

The Parker’s Revenge reenactment started two years ago as a small ceremony and wreath-laying as part of the local Patriots Day weekend observances, according to Lou Sideris, spokesman for the National Park Service, but this year, it will be longer and more thorough.

“We were really excited that there would be two events on the same ground where the events took place that day,’’ said Cain. “We won’t just be doing a ceremony, but conveying the action.’’

Previously, he said, the ceremony honoring Parker lasted about five minutes, but this year it will be a full-on battle reenactment of 30 minutes or more.

“The park loved it, and we loved doing it,’’ said Cain, who usually portrays Samuel Hastings, a field commander on April 19, 1775.

Sideris said the National Park Service cleared the area around the interpretive plaque describing the battle to better portray the event, and allow for better viewing of the ambush.

“It will be a lot closer to the public this year,’’ said Cain.

Emotions ran high in Lexington after the initial skirmish on the town green 237 years ago. A description by the National Park Service quotes Lexington veteran Nathan Monroe: “About the middle of the forenoon, Captain Parker, having collected part of his company, marched them towards Concord, I being with them. We met the regulars in the bounds of Lincoln, about noon, retreating towards Boston. We fired on them, and continued so to do until they met their reinforcements in Lexington.’’

Jedediah Monroe, who had been wounded on the green that morning, was killed in the fighting, along with John Raymond and Nathaniel Wyman. Another Lexington man, Francis Brown, was badly wounded that afternoon, according to the park service.

It had been difficult to pinpoint the exact site of the battle, but the generally accepted location was corroborated by a sword and flattened musket ball uncovered in 1895 by a local farmer, according to the park service.

In addition, General John Galvin, NATO’s supreme allied commander in Europe from 1987 to 1992, analyzed documents, walked the terrain, and drew on his own military experience to identify the spot for his book, “The Minute Men: The First Fight: Myths and Realities of the American Revolution.’’

Since 1998, the site has been marked with an exhibition panel. It’s about a mile’s walk east along the Battle Road Trail from the Hartwell Tavern area, where the “Bloody Angle Battle Demonstration’’ is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday.

Parker’s Revenge was near the beginning of a long, bloody retreat by the British soldiers back to Boston.

“The Parker’s Revenge scenario, if we can pull it off, should capture the increasing desperation of the column of soldiers, outnumbered and under attack by increasingly numerous companies of militia,’’ said Paul O’Shaughnessy, a Lexington native who portrays a British regular as a reenactor in the 10th Regiment of Foot.

“Portraying a British soldier, one begins to sympathize with what must have been a rising panic, running out of water and ammunition, no good cover, growing exhaustion, and the expected relief column nowhere to be seen,’’ he said in an e-mail. “In one day, these soldiers covered nearly 38 miles, fighting for their lives through half of it. They were no pushovers, nor were they the dumb robots often portrayed in film. Had they been, then the militia’s task that day would have been easy.’’

Cain joined the Lexington group just out of high school. He said his costume is pure 18th century, from his shoes to his hat. “Everything is hand-stitched, based on historical documents,’’ he said. “Farmers wore full clothing into battle, contrary to some of the paintings showing men in shirts.’’

He’ll be hoisting his rifle again for Parker’s Revenge.

“I have a love of history and the American Revolution,’’ he said. “I love the guys, and the people who come from all walks of life to see us. The public gets as much information as possible.’’

Monday, April 9, 2012

Two carnivals and a big Revolutionary Weekend planned for Morrisville Borough

From Bucks Local News: Two carnivals and a big Revolutionary Weekend planned for Morrisville Borough MORRISVILLE BOROUGH – Three entertaining events are slated for the spring and fall. The Rotary Club has come to tentative agreements with the operators of two carnivals. One would take place from May 15 to 20 and the other from Oct. 9 to 14. In addition, a new event promises to attract history lovers of the American Revolution. Through the combined efforts of the Actors' NET of Bucks County, the Morrisville Business Association (MBA), the Historic Morrisville Society (HMS), Washington Crossing Historic Association, and the Trenton Barracks, “A Revolutionary Weekend” will be hosted in Morrisville from Thursday, Aug. 23 through Sun., Aug. 26. The plan for the historic program is to offer an extended weekend of related activities designed to bring history-loving families on vacation for a one- or two-night visit to the Morrisville area. The focus of the marketing efforts will be all of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. Highlighting the event will be five performances of a new full-length musical production about the life and times of Robert Morris, financier of the American Revolution, and a 2 ½ hour bus tour entitled, “Following Washington’s Footsteps”. The musical, entitled “The Man Who Bought a Country," traces the life of Revolutionary War figure Robert Morris from his arrival in the colonies at age 13 to his death in 1806. The action is embellished with more than 20 original musical numbers. Performances will be at Morrisville’s 80-seat Heritage Center on the Delaware River at the Calhoun Street crossing. The tour will be aboard large motor coaches and will start at Williamson Park and proceed to Morrisville’s Summerseat, home of two signers of the Declaration of Independence. Ultimately, the tour will proceed to Trenton’s famous barracks with interim stops at the Thompson-Neely House in New Hope, a tour of the Pennsylvania side of the crossing site, a walk across the bridge to the landing site in New Jersey, and a tracking of Washington’s overnight ordeal taking his troops to the Trenton Barracks and the turning point of the War of Independence. In addition to the centerpiece activities, there will be other opportunities available to visitors, such as tours of nearby Pennsbury Manor, meetings with a historical interpreter of John Adams, the story of Greystones where William Penn’s Secretary William Markham negotiated the purchase of Pennsylvania from the local Native Americans, as well as expanded tours of Summereat and the Barracks, river and canal walks and more. A price list of tour packages and individual events is being prepared and is reflected in the proposed budget. In addition, potential visitors will receive information on nearby overnight accommodations and a range of local recommended restaurants

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Easter Pause

So sorry to have missed so many days of posting - unexpected family matters cropped up.

And now it's Easter, so more family matters.

Will get back on track Monday.

Thanks for your patience.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Ohio: Grave Matters: Waterman

From the Marietta Times, Ohio: Grave Matters: Waterman
WATERTOWN TWP. - The cemetery on Ohio 339 across from Camp Hervida Road is known by three different names and serves as the final resting place for at least two Revolutionary War soldiers and four Civil War veterans.

A sign bearing the name Sherman Cemetery sits at the bottom of the hill where more than 100 people are interred beneath markers in varying stages of decay. But historical records also identify it as the Stanley or Waterman Cemetery.

With no official name more than 100 years ago, Jean Yost, president of the Marietta chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, said people likely just made reference to the graveyard based on who was buried there and other people picked up on those names.

"It's not unusual, but it does make it confusing," he said.

Yost came out to the cemetery in early March at the request of out-of-state descendants of Joel Adams, a Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in the area. He found the bottom half of a Sons of the American Revolution flag-holder at the wrong grave but was unable to locate Adams' marker on one of this winter's few snowy days. The family members sent him a photo of the stone, and Yost returned, this time locating the marker, which was broken into several pieces and barely legible.

During his first search of the cemetery, Yost spotted another flag-holder beside a marker that was almost gone except for the base. Using data on file at the county courthouse and collected by workers with the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression, Yost was able to identify the soldier as Capt. William Ford II.

"Without the marker and without the WPA map, there is no way that people would ever know who is buried there," he said. According to documents at the Washington County Local History and Genealogy Library in Marietta, Ford's wife, three of his sons, a daughter-in-law and a grandson and his wife are all buried in the Waterman Cemetery.

One son, Giles Ford, died in 1797 and appears to be the first person buried in the cemetery. The most recent burial on record in local historian Arthur McKitrick's 1973 reading of the cemetery is Martha (Linder) Waterman, who died in 1930.

The local SAR chapter is working on obtaining new markers for both William Ford II and Joel Adams through the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.

Yost said he suspects there may be other Revolutionary War veterans buried in the Waterman Cemetery. The chapter is committed to discovering every such burial site in the county, he said.

"These are the guys that served our country to make us what we are today," Yost said.

There are also at least four Civil War veterans laid to rest in the cemetery, and possibly a fifth, according to Scott Britton, a member of both the Sons of the American Revolution and Sons of Union Veterans.

One of those is Alfred D. Newbanks, to whom Britton is related. According to Britton's records, Newbanks, David Devore and Harvey Green all died of illnesses while serving in 1862.

Orton Humphrey was buried in Waterman Cemetery in 1917. He was a member of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry's 148th Regiment, Company I, known as the "Watertown Wildcats."

So was Charles Waterman, for whom a marker is placed in the cemetery. But Britton said there's also a record of a stone for him in Virginia, so it's not clear in which cemetery he was actually buried.

The cemetery is one of several cared for by the Watertown Township trustees, who contract out its mowing. Yost said they've done a good job maintaining the cemetery, but time and the elements are causing the markers to deteriorate.

Trustee Gene Morris said he'd like to do more to protect the markers, but, like other townships, Watertown doesn't have any dedicated revenue for cemeteries.

"We just haven't got the money to take care of it like we should," he said.