SAR participates in commemoration of the 241st anniversary of General “Mad” Anthony Wayne’s crossing of the Potomac

On June 4, 2022, the Colonel James Wood II (CJWII) Chapter of the Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution participated in a Commemoration of the 241st anniversary of General “Mad” Anthony Wayne’s Crossing of the Potomac River.

CJWII Chapter, from left to right: Anne Simmons, Jim Simmons, Jeff Thomas (dual member), Charles Jameson (dual member), Dave Cook (dual member), Bruce Meyer (Virginia State President), Dale Corey, Mike Dennis (dual member) and Sean Carrigan. (Photos courtesy of Brooke Shambeck.)

Wayne was asked by General George Washington to join Major General Lafayette in Virginia with soldiers from the Pennsylvania Line. The decision was made to cross the river at Noland’s Ferry rather than further downstream due to warnings the British were headed to Alexandria. As a result of heavy rains, the crossing was difficult across the swollen, turbulent river. The march was begun on May 31, 1781, covering 200 miles in just over two weeks. Wayne’s army marched through Leesburg on June 3rd and joined Lafayette’s forces near the Rapidan River on June 18th. Wayne’s crossing and reinforcement of Lafayette’s Army turned the tide of war in Virginia.

In October 1781, General Charles Lord Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington in Yorktown, Virginia. Although the Treaty of Paris was not signed until September 3, 1783, the loss of the Southern Campaign by the British, effectively ended the Revolutionary War.

Color Guard preparing to march, from left to right: Dale Corey, Darrin Schmidt, Dave Cook, Jim Cordes, Mark Sink, Ken Morris, Sean Carrigan, Charles Jameson and Mike Dennis.

The ceremony was held at the Spirit of Loudoun Revolutionary War Memorial on the grounds of the Loudoun County Courthouse in Leesburg. It was co-sponsored by the Sgt Maj John Champe (SJC) and Fairfax Resolves (FR) Chapters. Attending were sixteen SAR and Daughters of the American Revolution Chapters. As well as CJWII, SJC and FR other SAR chapters include George Washington (GW), George Mason (GM), Norfolk (NOR), Culpeper Minutemen (CMM) and SGT Lawrence Everhart (SLE). DAR Chapters were Ketoctin (KE), Falls Church (FC), Mary Hemings Bell (MHB), Stone Bridge (SB), Phillis Wheatley (PW), Cameron Parish (CP) and Falls of the Rappahannock (FOR). Also present was the Rev John Marks Children of the American Revolution Society. W. Forrest Crain, 1st Vice President of Fairfax Resolves emceed the ceremony.

Greetings were presented by Virginia Society President Bruce Meyer and Virginia DAR State Regent-Elect Laurie Nesbitt. Presentations were made by Virginia Past President Jeff Thomas, Edward Spannaus (President SLE) and Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk. The color guard consisted of Commander Darrin Schmidt (FR), Ken Bonner (SJC), Sean Carrigan (CJWII), Dave Cook (FR), Jim Cordes (FR), Dale Corey (CJWII), Mike Dennis (CMM), Charles Jameson (CMM), Ken Morris (GM) and Mark Sink.

Wreath participants.

Wreaths were presented by Bruce Meyer, Dave Cook (German Society), Forrest Crain (FR), Richard Rankin (GW), Fritz Barth (GM), Robert Bruce (NOR), Dale Corey, Charles Jameson, Ken Bonner, Karl Woodcock (SLE), Laurie Nesbit, Dr Sharla Rausch (District V, Virginia DAR), Kecia Brown (KE), Susan Postle (FC), Ginger Stephens (MHB), Katie Bischoll (SB), Shannon Combs-Bennett (PW), Holly Lynne Schmidt (CP), Sonja Johnson (FOR) and Wyndy Fredrick (RJM).