SAR commemorates Patriots Day

On April 8, 2023, the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution participated in a Patriots Day celebration held at the Warren Heritage Society, Front Royal, Virginia. Patriots Day commemorates the day a confrontation between the British Army and colonist militia from Massachusetts began the American Revolutionary War.

CJWII participants, kneeling from left to right: Thomas “Chip” Daniel, Dale Corey, Sean Carrigan. Standing from left to right: Paul Christensen, Bryan Buck, Bill Schwetke, Dave Cook, Will Reynolds, Jim Heflin and Marc Robinson. (Photo / Thomas “Chip” Daniel)

248 Years ago, tensions in the American colonies had risen to a fevered pitch. King George and the British Parliament had determined the colonies needed to pay for the French and Indian War. They imposed numerous taxes and restrictions on the colonies for that purpose. This included restraining acts and sanctions along with abuses of personal liberties. The colony revolted to include the Boston Tea Party.

In 1774, Thomas Gage was appointed Royal Governor of Massachusetts and given the task of stemming the tide of rebellion. He hoped to prevent violence by ordering the seizure of weapons and powder being stored in Concord, Massachusetts and capturing colonial leaders Sam Adams and John Hancock. About 5 a.m. on April 18, 1775, 700 British troops were sent to capture the patriot leaders and the arsenal of arms. Joseph Warren had learned of this plan and sent Paul Revere and William Dawes to warn the countryside and Adams and Hancock of the British intentions. The British troops marched into Lexington the morning of April 19th to find themselves facing a militia company of more than 70 men. At some point, a shot was fired, followed by a British volley that killed eight of the colonists.  The British column then moved on to Concord, arriving about 8 a.m.  220 troops were sent to secure the North Bridge across the Concord River and on to Barrett Farm, where the cache of arms and powder were presumably located. Approximately 400 militiamen from the local area saw smoke rising from Concord and assumed the Redcoats were torching the town. The militia formed and marched towards the bridge, causing the British to retreat to the opposite shore and prepare a defensive posture. When the militia came within range, the Redcoats opened fire, killing two with the colonists returning fire, killing three and wounding nine. This exchange of fire became known as “the shot heard round the world” and sent the British into retreat.

Members of the SAR at display tables, from left to right: Marc Robinson, Richard Tyler, Dale Corey. (Photo / Thomas “Chip” Daniel)

The British began a march to return to Boston along the route that has become known as Battle Road.  The news of the bloodshed resulted in thousands of volunteers known as Minute Men to converge on the British as they marched to Boston. For the next 12 miles, the British are attacked from behind cover, continually being ambushed by Minute Men shooting from behind rock walls, trees and buildings. Reinforcements for the British arrived at Lexington, but the colonists continued pursuing the royal troops until they reached Charlestown Neck where they gained the support of the British Naval ships in the harbor. On July 4, 1837, Ralph Waldo Emerson published the “Concord Hymn”, sung at the completion of the Battle Monument in Concord.  The first stanza reads as follows:

“By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood
and fired the shot heard round the world.”

What started out as a mission to capture leaders and armaments turned into a rout that set off a war that would last until 1783, culminating in the Treaty of Paris and the creation of the United States of America.

The musket squad firing a salute, from left to right: Bill Schwetke, Dave Cook, Paul Christensen, Sean Carrigan, Bryan Buck and Dale Corey. (Photo / Jim Heflin)

Warren Heritage Society sponsored the commemoration. The Ivy Lodge, Balthis House, Smoke House, Black Smith Shop and Outdoor Kitchen were open with members of the society dressed in colonial attire. Five chapters of the Sons of the American Revolution gave presentations on colonial living, Patriots Day, did a wreath presentation and fired a musket salute. Present for the SAR were Sean Carrigan, Paul Christensen, Dale Corey, Chip Daniel, Jim Heflin, Will Reynolds, Marc Robinson, Richard Tyler (Colonel James Wood II), Bryan Buck (Fort Harrison), Bill Schwetke (Culpeper Minutemen), Dave Cook (Fairfax Resolves) and Robert Bruce (Norfolk). After a presentation by Dale Corey, wreaths were presented and then the musket salute.