Tampa Chapter
Sons of the American
Revolution
March 2017
Contents
Meeting announcements
Revolution History note
Additional Revolution History notes
Essay Contest Update
JROTC/ROTC Recognition
Program Schedule
Other Date of Interest
Misc. reminders and information
SAR newsletter column index
The March meeting of the Tampa Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, will
held on Saturday, March 18 at our new meeting location, the Lewis Hill, III
Boy Scouts of America Service Center 13228 North Central Avenue, Tampa, FL 33612
from
The February meeting, amidst the confusion caused by the immediate closing
of the Grille 116, went off very well due to the efforts of Charles and
Victoria Klug. The Boy Scout Center
location was secured on very short notice (many thanks to the BSA), lunch was
made available and a very good meeting was the result. A few people showed up at Grille 116, but
after a couple of telephone calls, they made it to the BSA Service Center. Professor Tillson made an excellent
presentation on Colonial Virginia. Below
is a picture our VP Goolsby presenting the SAR Certificate of Appreciation to
the Professor.
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Revolutionary History Note
This past January we started
a three part series of newsletter columns about the South Carolina Liberty
Trail - an effort to preserve and interpret several important revolutionary war
sites pertaining to the southern campaign of 1779-1781. We conclude the series with a look at the
Battle of Hanging Rock.
Following the battle
of Waxhaws (see last month’s column) the British
began to set up outposts in the interior of S. Carolina to try and exert more
control over the population. On August 6, approximately 800 men, commanded by
Col. Thomas Sumter, attacked a British encampment along Hanging Rock
Creek. The dawn attack achieved some
initial success.
The Americans overran the
British camp but the British quickly rallied and it became a nasty fire fight. After three hours the Americans, running low
on ammunition, withdrew, plundering the British camp as they departed.
In many respects it was like most of the small battles and
skirmishes in the south during 1780-1781.
The battle did not result in victory, but, as with many of the other
small battles and skirmishes it had the effect of slowly weakening the British
forces which, in the end, is what forced Cornwallis to Yorktown and the end of
the war.
There are still 450 acres in and around the battle site
that can be preserved. The immediate
goal is to secure preservation protection for the 122 most crucial acres. When the acreage is secured, an interpretive
center or, at minimum, interpretive signs will be placed at the site. And, unlike Waxhaws,
the interpretation of this site should be straight forward and
non-controversial.
Next month, being ROTC month, we’ll look at another one of
the overlooked or less famous officers of the American forces.
Additional Revolutionary History Notes
1) If you have been to
Yorktown in the past, you no doubt visited the Yorktown Victory Center - the
museum on the battlefield that interpreted the event and had various displays
about the battle. It has been re-done and the new improved museum and
interpretation center is set to open this month. In addition to displays about Yorktown, it
will also include an overall view of the war.
If anyone gets up that way, this spring or summer, send us your
impressions of the new center and we’ll share it with the membership.
2) Several members have asked
for an index of these columns so they can go back and re-read certain
ones. I have put an index together and
included it at the bottom of the newsletter.
Soon it will be up on the website as well.
Essay contest update
The Tampa Chapter entrant
came in 4th in the state competition. There were two that stood out and were
awarded 1st and 2nd place. Then there were three that were judged to be
relatively similar in all of the categories that are used by the judges. The tie was broken based on difficulty of
subject which left our girl 4th. We hope
to arrange for her to be at our May meeting.
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JROTC/ROTC
Recognition
Committee Chair Compatriot Terry Doan reports that
invitations to participate have been sent to all the high school and college
units in our area and we expect no less participation than we had in 2016. Medals and certificates are available. Terry was unable to attend the February
meeting, and advised that the JROTC units will have their awards ceremony in full
swing in March and April. He will need
volunteer compatriots to attend those ceremonies to make the medal
presentations. If you have never done
this before, consider doing it this year.
It does take some of your time for a 60 second presentation, but it is a
rewarding experience and you meet some great young people.
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Tampa Chapter Meeting Schedule
April 15 - JROTC recognition:
Boy Scout Annex
May 20 - Rodney Kite-Powell: History of the Tampa Bay
Area
Boy Scout Annex
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Other Dates of Interest
April 13-16 - Vietnam
Memorial Traveling Wall
Wallace Brooks Park, Inverness, FL
April 25 - Honor Flight - St
Petersburg/Clearwater Airport
May 13 - Commemoration of the
Battle of Thomas Creek - Jacksonville
May 19-21 - Florida Society
BOM and Annual Meeting - Kissimmee
July 7-13 - National Society
Annual Congress - Knoxville, TN
(registration
form not yet available)
August 20 - tentative FLSSAR Regional Meeting
(times and site-somewhere in Tampa-to be
determined)
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Misc. Notes and reminders:
Chapter Website—remember you can find information about the
chapter and programs on the chapter website. http://www.tampasar.org/
One of the duties of the Chapter Chaplain is to send cards
to our members that are sick. Another is to send a sympathy card to the family
of a member who has passed away. If you know of anyone that should be the
recipient of these cards please mention it to Chaplain Sessums or one of the
other officers at our next meeting.
Chapter officers and committee chairmen are encouraged to
send any pertinent information they wish included in the newsletter to the
editor.
SAR newsletter column index
2012
Summer July 2nd explanation
Sept. John Paul Jones—naval war
2013
Jan. Tom Paine
April Textbook
versions of
2014
Feb. French alliance
March
May
Sept.
Oct.
Nov. Gen. Wm. Alexander
2015
Jan. Cowpens
Feb.
March Lord North
April Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill
Sept. Review of 3 books on Constitution
Nov. Gen. Clinton
Dec Two snapshots (fall 1776 and fall 1778)
2016
Jan George
Roger’s
Feb George Roger’s
March naval war—Battle of Nassau
April
May Battle of
Sept. What is a constitution
Oct. John Dickinson part 1
Nov John Dickinson part 2
Dec Christmas in the colonies
2017
Jan Liberty Trail part 1
Feb Liberty Trail part 2
Mar Liberty Trail part 3