Replica of James Monroe's Birthplace Dedicated-- Part 5

In 1976, the College of William and Mary conducted an archaeological survey of the Monroe  birthplace site and uncovered  a 20-by-58 foot foundation, which coincided with known  1845 etchings of the Monroe birth home.

In the early 2000s, plans for developing  the birthplace site came to the attention of the James Monroe Memorial Foundation, which was established  in 1928 by Monroe's  great-great-grandson, Lawrence Gouverneur Hoes.

Partnerships with and donations from Westmoreland County and many state and local  chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Sons of the American Revolution, the Daughters of 1812, Daughters of Colonial Wars, Order of Founders and Patriots and the Daughters of Founders and Patriots, as well as individuals, enabled development  to begin.

"If we mentioned  everyone involved in the project, we'd be here until lunchtime," said Woody Hynson, vicechair of the Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors.

A visitors center has been open at the site on weekends  for several years and now the house, which is lightly furnished, is part of the experience.

The birthplace park is open free of charge  on Saturdays and Sundays.

--Brock-Perry

DAR Honors American Revolution, War of 1812 and Civil War Veterans at Wreaths Across America Ceremony in Virginia

From the December 22, 2020, NoVa "DAR participates in Wreaths Across America"

Members of the  Freedom Hall chapter of Daughters  of the American Revolution on McLean, Virginia gathered at the Wrene-Darne Family Cemetery in Falls Church to honor American veterans.

They were joined by Pete Greene who bought the cemetery in 2012 and has spent much effort restoring it.

The veterans they honored were:

James Wren of the Fairfax County Militia, American Revolution

Col. John S. Wren of the 5th Virginia Militia, War of 1812

Captain Robert Darne of the 1st Corps d'Elite Virginia Militia, War of 1812

John Robert Darne of the Civil War.

--Brock-Perry

Work Continues on Monument in the Quad Cities-- Part 1

From the September 29, 2017, Quad-Cities Times  "Work continues on War of 1812 monument" by Alma Gaul.

The work on the bas-relief bronze sculpture depicting the Battle of Campbell's Island, created by sculptor Albert Louis Vander Berghen is nearing completion.

Volunteers from the Moline Chapter Mary Little Deere Daughters of the American Revolution have been making headway on the monument, located on Campbell Island in the Mississippi River.  They have also gotten the State of Illinois to blacktop and stripe the parking lot.

The Davey Tree Service has removed a dead tree and there is a new sidewalk around it.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Hawkins-- Part 4: Rebuilding the Blockhouse

In 1928, the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Macon Kiwanis raised money to build a replica blockhouse.  In 1933, the U.S. government began archaeological excavations around the site by the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

Some of the original stones of the blockhouse were recovered in the process were recovered and used in the basement section of the rebuilt blockhouse.

Its upper floors are actually concrete, but made to look like wood.

--Brock-Perry

Local DAR Group to restore War of 1812 Monument-- Part 2: Three Phases of Work

The monument reads:  "This shaft bears witness to the heroism of Lieuts. John Campbell, Steve Rector, Jonathan Riggs and John Weaver, Surgeon John Steward, 33 US Regulars and 65 Illinois Rangers who on this spot valiantly battled for their country."

On Wednesday, 108 years after the initial dedication, the DAR group launched a fundraising campaign to restore the monument, which stands in an Illinois state historic site on Campbell's Island, East Moline.

It is expected that $65,000 will be needed to accomplish this.

Three phases have been detailed for the project.

First will replace the broken sidewalk and a protruding stump.  Second will rehabilitate a low wall surrounding the monument.  Phase three will repair the monument and secure and repair the commemorative plaques.

--Brock-Perry

Local DAR Group To Restore War of 1812 Monument in the Quad-Cities- Part 1

From the July 20, 2016, Quad Cities (Ill-Iowa) Dispatch-Argus "Local DAR kicks off drive to restore War of 1812 monument" by Roger Ruthhart.

The Quad-Cities is a living history museum and one of the things that make it really historical is the War of 1812 Battle of Campbell's Island.

Members of the Mary Little Deere Fort Armstrong Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on Wednesday launched a campaign to restore the monument there for future generations.

The battle took place on July 19, 1814, when a band of Sauk warriors led by Black Hawk attacked U.S. soldiers and their families traveling north on the Mississippi River to reinforce the American garrison at Fort Shelby at Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin.

About 500 Saul warriors allied with the British attacked the First U.S. Regiment of Infantry and a company of Illinois Rangers led by Lt. John Campbell passed near the island.Eight men of tye First Regiment were killed and 16 (including Lt. Campbell) were wounded.  The Rangers lost four killed and 8 wounded.

A monument to one of the War's most western battles was dedicated in 1908, being erected by the State of Illinois and the Moline chapters of the DAR.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Mims in Alabama-- Part 3: Jackson Retaliates and the DAR

From the July/August DAR American Spirit Magazine.

Colonel Andrew Jackson mobilized three state militias to attack the Red Sticks. At the 1814 Battle of Horseshoe Bend, he defeated them, ending the Creek War. This defeat eventually led to the banishment of several Indian tribes to the West on the infamous Trail of Tears.

The modern history of Fort Mims has a lot to do with the Fort Mims DAR chapter of Stockton, Alabama, founded in 1949. Organizing Regent June Whiting Slaughter and her husband Carl were asked by the Alabama Parks and Conservation Department to help clearing brush off land adjacent to their north Baldwin County property where they had been finding arrowheads and pieces of pottery. Charred wood was found that determined the fort's original site.

In the mid-1980s the first battle reenactment was held and this continues. Gregory Waselkov at the University of South Alabama has started a dig at the fort and written a book A Conquering Spirit: Fort Mims and the Redstick War of 1813-1814. Artifacts from the fort will be on display during the anniversary weekend.

We'll probably be driving to Alabama if NIU plays in the Go-Daddy Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, in January. This could be a stop on the way.

--Brock-Perry