PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY OF SONS OF THE REVOLUTION www.amrev.org VOLUME 24 NUMBER 3 FALL 2014 Signers of the Declaration of Independence John Tamny spoke about the same political Let Freedom Ring and BJ Gunn, assistant Superintendent of and economic challenges facing us today Celebration Independence National Historical Park. that our forefathers faced 238 years ago. Independence Day in Philadelphia wouldn’t After lunch, Society Color Guard Captain Finally, just prior to the 2p.m. annual Liberty be complete without our Let Freedom Ring Robert R. Van Gulick, after consulting Bell ringing ceremony, we were all briefly celebration and the annual tapping of the with meteorological experts and present transformed back to the period in history by Liberty Bell. The bell tapping ceremony officials, determined that the weather would Ben Franklin, reminding us about the actual honors both the anniversary of the adoption of cooperate, and the annual parade could experience of being here in Philadelphia the Declaration of Independence, and the 56 proceed as planned. The Color Guard, led by the day independence was proclaimed. Our signers, and for the 45th consecutive year the Captain Van Gulick, paraded proudly from Society president, James B. Burke, and Pennsylvania Society has brought visibility Society Hill, through Philadelphia’s Historic the assembled dignitaries, under escort of and ceremony, pomp and celebration to this District and up towards Independence Hall, troopers from the First Troop Philadelphia wonderful event. with streets closed to traffic, gusty winds and City Cavalry, marched up to the bell ringing the whipping flags unfurled for our families, ceremony. The bell tappers included 9 A capacity gathering of Society members, friends and public celebrants lining the route descendants of signers of the Declaration families and guests met at the Sheraton and following enthusiastically. The Watson of Independence: Alexa Read Scholl, Society Hill in Philadelphia and were Highlanders Pipe and Drum led the parade descendant of George Read of Delaware, welcomed by cocktails and a sumptuous up and through the gathering crowds, where and Isiah Ron Bainbridge, Jacob James luncheon. We were pleased to be joined at the Society Colors were then presented to Bainbridge, Justin Hard Bainbridge, Erin lunch by some VIP guests including John everyone in attendance. Grace Daily, Kenneth Jacob Daily, Charles Tamny, political economy editor at Forbes, Joseph Wahlig, Rory Hayes Wahlig and Bernard Buckley, president of the Friendly B.J. Gunn, assistant Superintendent of Elizabeth Rebecca Welch, all descendants Sons of St. Patrick, Joseph Dooley, president Independence National Historic Park of John Hart of New Jersey. The whole day General of the National Society of Sons of welcomed us all on this festive day, as was a blustery and spectacular success, and the American Revolution, Mrs. William members of the Orpheus Club Choir a great time was had by all. Wood, vice president of Descendants of the provided spirited patriotic music. In addition, —Philip V. Jenks, LFR Chairman PAGE 2 PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY OF SONS OF THE REVOLUTION FALL 2014 PAGE 3 PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY OF SONS OF THE REVOLUTION FALL 2014 South of Philadelphia, waiting in the Delaware Bay, sat a fleet of defend the Indians against the Paxton Boys, and the Paxton Boys Fort Mifflin and Valley Forge British ships carrying the army’s much needed supplies. General Lancaster Chapter Update were never captured or prosecuted. On Friday August 29th Theodore E. Wiederseim 3rd, Special Howe gave orders to sail the fleet up the river to provide new Our Annual Meeting - Gorgeous spring weather welcomed Projects chairman and historian, sSSR, Robert Reynolds Van provisions to his occupying troops. All that stood between the twenty-five members and guests of the Lancaster County Chapter Independence Day Celebration - On Sunday, July 6th, forty-one Gulick, Jr., Captain of the Color Guard and PSSR member Peter British and the likely defeat of the American Revolution was the to the eighty-ninth annual meeting of the Chapter at the Meadia Chapter members and guests attended the Chapter’s annual celebra- Morgan Adams toured small Fort Mifflin. The Americans forces had secured Fort Mifflin, Heights Golf Club on May 4th, 2014. After welcoming remarks, tory picnic at the Lancaster Liederkranz. The attendees enjoyed National Historic just below the city and across the river from New Jersey’s Fort the invocation, and the Pledge grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and consumed the usual picnic Landmark Fort Mifflin Mercer, and by this time in the fall of 1777 approximately 400 men of Allegiance to the flag, the salads and desserts along with appropriate libations. No program, with Fort Mifflin were garrisoned at this fort, charged with the duty of holding the attendees enjoyed cocktails and no speeches, no bands, no burning sun! Just relaxation and fun with Executive Director British off “to the last extremity” so that General Washington and lunch before the main business family and friends. Elizabeth Beatty. The his exhausted army could successfully move into “winter quarters meeting. Sons have contributed in the safety of Valley Forge”. Future Events - On September 27th, the Chapter will celebrate in the past to the main The highlights of the meeting the 237th anniversary of the day that Lancaster was the capital of gate restoration, It was here, on the frozen, marshy ground within the walls of a stone were the election of officers for the new United States of America, as the Colonial Congress met and continues their and wood fort, that the American Revolution produced a shining the 2014-2015 term, recognition in session in Lancaster on that day. A program in Binns Park and relationship in support moment. Cold, ill and starving, the young garrison of 400 men at of the recipient of the Jack a luncheon following in the Hamilton Club is planned. In addition, of restoration efforts. Fort Mifflin refused to give up. The valiant efforts of the men at Fort Loose Scholarship Award, and the annual fall meeting of the Chapter is planned for mid-November. Mifflin held the mighty British Navy at bay, providing Washington a very interesting presentation The location and agenda are to be determined. To understand the and his troops time to arrive safely at Valley Forge where they shaped on the massacre of the last of the —James Henry Martin, Regent importance of Fort a strong and confident army. This battle escalated into the greatest Conestoga Indians in Lancaster Lancaster Chapter Left to right: Elizabeth Beatty, Robert R. Van Gulick, Jr., bombardment of the American Revolution, and one that many say City.The new officers and Mifflin, and the Peter Morgan Adams and Theodore E. Wiederseim 3rd relationship it had with changed the course of American history. Executive Committee members Valley Forge and General Washington’s army encampment there James Henry Martin, Regent are: during the winter of 1777, we need to take a look back a little further It was a siege of numbers: 2,000 British soldiers and sailors against in history. Pennsylvania, and to a greater extent Philadelphia was 400 American militia. Almost 250 British cannon on eight British Regent James Henry Martin CONTENTS founded and governed by Quakers, who held firmly to their religious ships lead by HMS Somerset’s 64 cannons, against just ten American Vice Regent George Edward LeFevre concerns of a standing military. Thus, Philadelphia was by far the cannon at Fort Mifflin. But for nearly six weeks in the fall of 1777, Secretary Peter Laurence Hill Byrne Celebration of Independence 1 most significant colonial city without any significant fortification American troops at Fort Mifflin frustrated British naval attempts Treasurer Peter Laurence Hill Byrne Fort Mifflin and Valley Forge 2 or defenses. to re-supply their occupying forces in Philadelphia. Early in the Registrar William Wistar Hamilton III morning on November 10, 1777, the British took definitive action Solicitor John Eric Buckwalter, Esq. Lancaster Chapter Update 3 4th of July Gallery 4 to reach Philadelphia via the Delaware. Daybreak brought a rain of Executive Committee John Herman Bowman, M.D. By the 1740s, it ranked as the richest British port in the New World. NJSR/PSSR Washington Crossing 5 cannon fire upon Fort Mifflin beginning the largest bombardment Executive Committee Silas Kendrick Eshleman III, As such, French and Spanish privateers regularly entered the Obituaries 6 of the Revolutionary War. Under the direction of French major M.D. Delaware River, threatening the city. So a young Benjamin Franklin, America's Liberty Tree 6 during King George’s War of 1744-48, decided to raise a militia on Francois de Fleury, an engineer and tireless worker, the Americans The Jack Loose Scholarship Award is presented annually to a New Members & In Memoriam 7 his own accord, mainly because the leaders and legislators of the worked each night to repair the damage of the day. Millersville University junior, senior, or graduate student who is Calendar of Events 8 city decided to take no action themselves to defend Philadelphia. pursuing current research on the American Revolution. The award He raised money to create earthwork defenses and to buy artillery. But on November 15th, against what were reportedly 1,000 memorializes our former regent and treasurer, John Ward Willson cannon balls fired in just one hour, the siege escalated, British At the end of the war, commanders disbanded the militia and left Loose. The recipient of this year’s award is Stephen Burciaga, a Marines climbed into the crow’s nest of HMS Vigilant and threw derelict the defenses of the city. So in 1771, as the city rose in Millersville graduate student who is planning to continue his studies protest against British economic policies and import taxes, and at hand grenades at the soldiers in the fort.