The Great "Big Rope" Carry 200 Years Later-- Part 2: Something You Don't Learn in School

Local Boy Scouts participated as well and were still eager to carry that "Big Rope" despite having carried it ten miles the day before.    All of this was to honor the American soldiers and civilians waho made a similar walk 200 years earlier.  I have to wonder what kind of merit badge they can get for carrying that rope? 

Kevin O'Rourke, a spokesman for this year's cable-carry (they've done it before?) said: "The kids learn about the local history of the cable carry through this event which sometimes (try, all the time) gets overlooked in the schools."

The event served as a major turning point of the war.  After the Americans win the Battle of Big Sandy Creek, they had to transport supplies to Sackets Harbor.  The cable was needed for the rigging and anchor of a frigate, the USS Mohawk, that the Americans were building there.

The cable had moved from New York City to near Oswego by water, but the British were still in control of Lake Ontario and figured they could capture it if the Americans tried to move there.

So, the Americans moved it by land.

The one carried this past weekend, however, was much lighter than the original one was.

O'Rourke also said that what was important for the kids was that they were outside in the open air  and "not in front of the game consoles."

I'm not so sure it was a major turning point of the war, myself, but itwas important.

Walk Tall, But Carry a Big Rope.  --Brock-Perry