War of 1812 Marker Ceremony in Ponchatoula

From the May  4, 2022, Hammond (Louisiana)  Daily Star.

When the British threatened New Orleans in January 1814, Louisiana men rallied to defend their city.  Among the militia men was Antoine Lavigne.  His and others effort led to the British defeat at  Chalmette on January 8.

A monument marking his grave will be unveiled at a ceremony  on May 7 at 10 a.m. at Collins Cemetery in Ponchatoula.

An honor guard from American Legion Post  47 in Ponchatoula as well as re-enactors in War of 1812 uniforms will also be there.  The public is invited to attend.

Antoine Lavigne has many ancestors in the area bearing names like Lavigne,   Hoover, Mitchell,  Perrin, Wells, Poche, Radford,  Raiford and Tucker.

Antoine Lavigne married Marie  Rousseau Lavigne and later settled on the east bank of the Tangipahoa River.  After the death of his wife, he remarried  Mary Elizabeth Hoover (Ouvre) Denelle,  widow of  Jean Baptiste  Denelle.

--Brock-Perry

Richard Hill Gets His Due for War of 1812 Service-- Part 1

From the September 15, 2002, Central Maine.com "War of 1812 veteran gets his due" by Beth  Quimby, Portland   Press Herald.

Taps was finally played for Richard Hill on Saturday, some 151 years after his death.  He was a black War of 1812 sailor and these military honors were delivered at the so-called "Colored Ground" burial area at Portland, Maine's Eastern Cemetery.

Hill is believed to have witnessed the British attack on Fort McHenry in 1814 which led to Francis Scott Key writing the words to what is today known as the "Star-Spangled Banner."

He and his grave site were forgotten after his death in 1861 at the hands of his son, who murdered him outside their home on Munjoy Hill.  Unfortunately, all is not yet correct with him as his new stone is engraved with his death year as being 1881.

Military honors were  provided by the Harold T. Andrews American Legion Post 17 of Portland and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6859 0f Portland.

His new stone was paid for by the  federal government and stands  beside Portland's black American Revolutionary War veterans at Congress and Mountfort streets.

--Brock-Perry

Black War of 1812 Sailor Richard Hill gets His Due in Portland, Maine

From the September 15, 2012,  WMTW Channel 8, ABC, Portland (Maine)  "War of 1812 veteran gets his due." 

Yesterday, I included the name Richard Hill, a seaman on the Gunboat 47 in the New York Flotilla during the War of 1812, who is buried at Portland, Maine's Eastern Cemetery.

Seaman Richard Hill, a black man who fought in the War of 1812,  has finally received honors at Portland, Maine's Eastern Cemetery,  150 years after his death in 1861.

The honors were delivered Saturday by the local American Legion and veterans of Foreign Wars posts.

His new headstone, paid for by the federal government,  stands beside the graves of Portland's Black American Revolution veterans who are buried in the historic cemetery.

The Portland Press-Herald newspaper said Larry Glatz of  South Portland came across Hill's name while researching Portland residents who served in the country's federal forces during the War of 1812.

Richard Hill is believed to have witnessed the British attack on Fort McHenry which inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner."

He was killed by his own son in 1861.

His gravestone says that he served on Gunboat 47 of the New York Flotilla.  I can't find out anything about this gunboat.

--Brock-Perry

USS Constitution Continues Tradition; Names Gun 'Beat Army'

From the December 9, 2021, Charlestown Patriot-Bridge.

The USS Constitution named one of its 24-pound long guns "Beat Army" in support  of the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen as they take on the U.S. Military Academy's Black Knights in the  2021 annual Army-Navy game on December 11.

"Beat Army" was chosen  after they named one of their guns "Go Navy" for the 2020 matchup.

Historically, 24-pounder long gun teams consisted of up to 14 men operating two guns on opposite sides of the ship.

When paired in a gun team, the two guns would read "Go Navy, Beat Army."

The official "Beat Army" unveiling can be seen December 11 on the USS Constitution's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.

And, by the way, we watched the game at the McHenry, Illinois, American Legion and there was a whole lot of rivalry there, as well as a chili cookoff.  What a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon with all that tradition and good eating.

And, by the way, Navy won 17-13, in a close game.

Go Navy, Beat Army.

Antioch, Illinois, to Honor War of 1812 Veteran

From the May 29, 2021, Daily Herald (Chicago Suburbs) Antioch to dedicate monument for War of 1812 soldier."

A monument for Antioch's oldest-known soldier, Captain Leverett  Barnes, who served in the War of 1812, will be dedicated at 10:30 a.m., Monday, May 31, at Hillside Cemetery, Route 173 and Hillside Avenue.

The dedication is part of a Memorial Day service sponsored by Antioch  American Legion Post  748, Sequoit  VFW Post 4551 and the Lakes Region  Historical Society.

A reception will follow at the VFW Hall, 75 North Avenue.  In case of bad weather, the entire  event will be held in the hall.

I had no idea we had a War of 1812 veteran buried near us.

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Memorial Park in Lewes, Delaware-- Part 2: The First City in the First State

From the City of Lewes site, which bills itself as "The First Town in the First State."

 Located downtown by the entrance to the Otis Smith City Docks.  Also known as "The Cannonball Park" at the corner of Savannah Road and Front Street, along the Lewes-Reheboth Canal.

The park commemorates the defense of Lewes during a two-day British bombardment April 6-7, 1813.  Many of the cannonballs fired by the British were collected by local residents and preserved to this day.

The site was where a battery was located during the attack and is marked by a granite monument.

The four large guns are from the U.S. government and the small gun is believed to be from a pirate vessel found abandoned in the creek.  There is also a 3-inch World War I naval gun on the lower terrace of the park that was placed there by the American Legion in 1930.

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Heritage Trail-- Part 2: Lewes 1812 Memorial Park

Some of the sites on the trail:

**  1812 Memorial Park.  Was a defense battery during the Battle of Lewes.  Has a granite monument placed there by the National Society U.S. Daughters of 1812.

The four cannons in the upper lumps were given to Lewes by the government.  A smaller gun by them is believed taken from a pirate vessel found abandoned in the creek.  There is also a World War I 3-inch naval gun placed at the park by the American Legion in 1930.

**  Across the street from the park is The Cannonball House, erected before 1797  It was the home of David Rowland and struck by cannonballs during the British attack on Lewes April 6-7, 1813.

--Brock-Perry

Plattsburgh Takes Step Toward War Memorial

From the October 22, 2017, Plattsburgh (NY) Press Republican  "Town of Plattsburgh takes step toward war memorial" Bob Bennett.

The town council voted to sign an agreement with the American Legion to establish a public recreation area and war memorial on Route 9 in the hamlet of Cliff Heaven near the Plattsburgh Air Force Base.

This is a part of the town's Local Waterfront Revitalization program.

The Legion will erect three war memorials:  Battle of Valcour during the American Revolution, the War of 1812 and the Vietnam War.

--Brock-Perry