Tampa Chapter
Sons of the American
Revolution
January 2018
Contents
Meeting
announcements
December
Meeting
Revolution
History note
Wreaths
Across America
SAR
Youth Protection Program
Program
Schedule
Misc.
reminders and information
Meeting Announcements
January
The January meeting of the Tampa
Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, will held on Saturday, January 20th at The
Rusty Pelican Restaurant from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30
p.m. This is our annual officer installation and member recognition
meeting. Everyone is encouraged to
attend. The Rusty Pelican
is located on Rocky Point. The address is 2425
Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, Florida 33607. This is a pre-set luncheon with a choice of
Mahi Mahi or London Broil for $25. The price
includes a salad, iced tea, tax and gratuity. The use of the restaurant
dining room is at no charge. You should have already received an
invitation and reservation form. If you
will be attending and you have not made a reservation, please contact
Treasurer, Paul Ergler, as soon as possible. Paul's email address
is: paulergler@hotmail.com.
December
Please note that at the
December Chapter meeting, the following officers were elected to serve the
Tampa Chapter during 2018:
President
John Goolsby
Vice
President Dave Bryant
Recording
Secretary Jim Handly
Membership
Secretary Jason Krajnyak
Treasurer Paul Ergler
Chancellor Charles Klug
Chaplain John Sessums
Historian Bob Yarnell
Registrar/Genealogist Brett Thomas
Sergeant-at-Arms Dick Young
Members
at Large (2) Terry Doan and Jack
Bolen
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American Revolution Notes:
(ed.
Note: For the History note this month I wanted to do something on the
Morristown winter encampments. While
searching for information I came across this on the historynet.com page and
decided to just use it, rather than try to re-write or paraphrase since it is
written so well.)
The winter at Valley
Forge two years earlier is a celebrated part of America’s Revolutionary
mythology, while its sequel at Morristown is now largely forgotten. And therein
lies a paradoxical tale. The climatic conditions the Continental Army faced at
Valley Forge and a year later at Middlebrook, N.J., were mild compared to those
they endured at Morristown during the harshest winter in American history
Soldiers
trying to stay warm.
(Morristown
National Park Visitors Center Mural)
In January 1780, fighting
in the Revolutionary War came to a standstill as Mother Nature transformed
America into a frigid hell. For the only time in recorded history, all of the saltwater inlets, harbors and sounds of the
Atlantic coastal plain, from North Carolina northeastward, froze over and
remained closed to navigation for a period of a month or more. Sleighs, not
boats, carried cords of firewood across New York Harbor from New Jersey to
Manhattan. The upper Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and the York and James rivers
in Virginia turned to ice. In Philadelphia, the daily high temperature topped
the freezing mark only once during the month of January.
The weather took an
especially harsh toll on the 7,460 patriot troops holed up with General George
Washington in Morristown, N.J., a strategic site 30 miles
west of the British command in New York City. On January 3, the encampment was
engulfed by “one of the most tremendous snowstorms ever remembered,” army
surgeon James Thacher wrote in his journal. “No man could
endure its violence many minutes without danger of his life.” When tents blew
off, soldiers were “buried like sheep under the snow…almost smothered in the
storm.” The weather made it impossible to get supplies to the men, many of whom
had no coats, shirts or shoes and were on the verge of starvation. “For a
Fortnight past the Troops both Officers and Men, have been almost perishing for
want,” George Washington wrote in a letter to civilian officials dated January
8.
At Morristown “we were
absolutely, literally starved,” Private Joseph Plumb Martin recalled after the
war. “I do solemnly declare that I did not put a single morsel of victuals into
my mouth for four days and as many nights, except a little black birch bark
which I gnawed off a stick of wood, if that can be called victuals. I saw
several of the men roast their old shoes and eat them, and I was afterwards
informed by one of the officers’ waiters, that some of the officers killed and
ate a favorite little dog that belonged to one of them.”
Throughout the war American soldiers kept themselves fed
and alive however they could. By remembering Morristown, we acknowledge the
can-do, rambunctious spirit that characterized Revolutionary soldiers and
helped them carry on.
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Wreaths
Across America
On Saturday, December 16, the Tampa Chapter Color Guard was joined by the Jefferson High School (Tampa) Air Force JROTC Honor Guard in presenting the Colors at a Wreaths Across America Ceremony. The Ceremony was held at the Veteran’s Cemetery owned and maintained by American Legion Post #5, USS Tampa. This small Veteran’s Cemetery holds only about 700 gravesites and is covered with wreaths for this Ceremony. Pictured are the combined Color Guards as they prepare to march up the Cemetery drive to present the Colors at the commencement of the Ceremony. SAR Compatriots are (l-r) Terry Doan, David Bryant, John Sessums (with flag), Alan Bell (Commander) and Dick Young. Other Compatriots who attended the Ceremony and participated in the placing of the wreaths were Jim Ledbetter (our photographer), Jim Handly and Bill Swain. After the WAA Ceremony, members of the Color Guard placed an extra wreath on the gravesite of a Vietnam Veteran at rest on the public side of this cemetery. The Tampa Chapter is a Commemorative Partner in the 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Vietnam War and honors this veteran, otherwise unknown to the Chapter’s Compatriots, as one of its Commemorative events each year.
SAR Knight Essay Contest Update
Through the efforts of Historian
Bob Yarnell, the Tampa Chapter has an SAR Essay Contest participant this year,
Peyton Macrina. In her essay she puts forth the
thesis that Peggy Shippen, the young wife of Benedict
Arnold is primarily to blame for his turning traitor. As the only Tampa Chapter participant, she
becomes the winner of the Chapter Contest.
Perhaps she can attend a future meeting and present her essay to the
Chapter. Her essay has been submitted to
the Florida Society Knight Essay Committee as part of the State Essay Competition.
SAR King Eagle Scout
Contest Update
Tampa Compatriot Benjamin Bryant, son of Compatriot and Vice President David Bryant has again submitted his contest form and essay to the Florida Society King Eagle Scout Committee. As the only Tampa Chapter representative in the Eagle Scout competition. Ben becomes the winner of the Chapter Contest. You may recall that in 2017, Ben was the second-place finisher in Florida. Perhaps Ben can also attend a future meeting and present his essay to the Chapter.
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SAR Youth Protection Program
As part of our obligation to the
future generations of our country, the National Society SAR has endorsed and
encourages the use of a Youth Protection Program. At some point in the not to
distant future, SAR Compatriots participating in any youth related activity
will be required to successfully complete the Boy Scouts of America Youth
Protection Program. It is an on-line
course that takes some 20-30 minutes to complete and provides a certificate of
successful completion after a short exam.
The course can also be provided in a group setting. More information will be provided at the
Tampa Chapter February meeting and perhaps a future meeting will be used to
present the training. _____________________________________________________________
Program Schedule
Jan. Officer Installation – Rusty Pelican
Feb/March—Tentative hopes for a
joint meeting with the DAR and a speaker on genealogy and possibly SAR approved
Youth Protection Training for the other.
April JROTC recognition
May perhaps Sept speaker re-scheduled; perhaps local museum speaker; perhaps Rodney Kite-Powell of the Tampa Bay
History Center
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Miscellaneous 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 chairman are encouraged to send any pertinent information they wish
included in the newsletter to the editor.