Hello Compatriots!
First and foremost: HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! November ushers in the Holiday season starting with Thanksgiving right through New Year’s. It is time for happy times with family and friends, also a time toreflect on the year past while looking forward to the New Year.
This past year has had its ups and downs. We started in person meetings again and for the first time, more planning meetings. We lost a president (moved away) but gained a bunch more members and more importantly, some new members who are stepping up and becoming active. It is our active members who are the life blood of organizations such as ours.
Another thing we have been highlighting is the Color Guard otherwise known as “the face of SAR”. This year we have participated in parades, flag posting and presentations. Next year we are hoping for more!
For this year, we still have events such as Wreaths Across America coming up on December 17 th . Look elsewhere in this newsletter for the details. The Sacramento Chapter will be holding elections at the in person January meeting. Please plan on attending.
Have a safe and happy Holiday Season. See you all in the New Year!
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The Sacramento Chapter presented Silver Good Citizenship Awards to members of American Legion Legislative Action Post 861, Don Harper and Frank Squire in recognition of their work with homeless veterans in the Sacramento area. Don Harper was a key person in getting funding for the Mather's Veterans Village in Rancho Cordova, and Frank Squire formed and chaired a committee that collects furniture donations and supplies these donations to homeless veterans. The SAR Silver Good Citizenship Award is the highest award the California Society can award individuals for service in their state and community (L-R President Russ Kaiser, Frank Squire, Don Harper, Executive VP Craig Anderson)
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Past President Mark Stevenson shared a newspaper article about his father's service in Vietnam as an Air Force Captain piloting a F-100 Super Sabre. |
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President Kaiser called the meeting to order at 7:00PM and he gave the Invocation. The color guard presented the colors and Lawrence Niekamp led the Pledge of Allegiance. Carl Ahlberg led the pledge to the SAR.
President Kaiser introduced past chapter and state presidents present along with DAR member Karen Faulkinbury, new member Chris Zimmerman, and guests Don Harper, and Frank Squire of American Legion Post 861.
Dinner was served.
Scott Brooks presented two historical flag: The Washingtons Cruisers Flag and the Philadelphia Light Horse Flag
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In a letter to Col. John Glover, Joseph Reed discusses various issues relevant to supplying the Continental Army troops during the Siege of Boston in 1775-1776. Reed was an aide to George Washington who would later be a delegate to the Continental Congress and a Governor of Pennsylvania.
“We have accounts that the small squadron which sailed some time ago is bombarding Fulmouth and Portsmouth. Our vessels must be careful how they fall in with them. Please to fix upon some particular colour for a flag, and a signal by which our vessels may know one another. What do you think of a flag with a white ground, a tree in the middle, the motto "Appeal to Heaven?" This is the flag of our floating batteries.”
This letter is relevant to the examination of the appearance of the first US Navy flag, known as the Washington Cruisers Flag, because Reed is thought to have chosen the final design. In the letter he asks Col. Glover his opinion and describes features of the flag. Colonel John Glover was a captain in the fleet of schooners hired personally by Washington to keep British ships from bringing supplies to Boston. Glover founded the famous Marblehead Regiment that ferried Washington and his troops across the Delaware River on Christmas night 1775 to their victories at Princeton and Trenton.
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The Philadelphia Light Horse Flag |
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The flag of the first American armed force, the Philadelphia City Cavalry. The Light Horse of Philadelphia was established alongside the Continental Congress, as the first Colonial troop without ties to Britain. They outfitted themselves and served the Colonies as a volunteer force under Congress. They remain today as the oldest of America’s armed forces. They fought valiantly under this banner at the Battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, and Germantown. It was also the first flag to have featured the thirteen stripes, each representing a colony. The flag was later carried into battle at Brandywine, Germantown, Princeton and Trenton. The text on the scroll reads "For These We Strive".
Scott Brooks presented an America 250 moment by discussing the Battle of German Town on October 4th, 1777.Washington launched a surprise attack on the poorly defended British camp, but his army failed to pull off his complex battle plan. The British drove away the Americans, inflicting twice as many casualties as they suffered. The defeat at Germantown, which came soon after a similar loss at Brandywine, led some prominent Americans to question Washington’s leadership. However, despite the losses, many of his soldiers had performed well, and Germantown demonstrated that Washington’s once-unskilled army was on its way to becoming the well-trained force that would win the war.
President Kaiser welcomed new member Chris Zimmerman. He inducted him and called all members forward to welcome Chris to the Sacramento Chapter.
President Kaiser also presented SAR Rosettes to Lawrence Niekamp and Jon Wroten who were inducted in a previous meeting.
Executive Vice President Craig Anderson presented SAR Silver Good Citizenship Awards to Don Harper and Frank Squire of American Legion Post 861 for their work with homeless veterans in our community. The SAR Silver Good Citizenship award is the highest award that can be given to a non-member for outstanding service in our state and community; this recognition was approved by the California SAR executive board.
- Don Harper, a decorated Marine veteran, was a key player in getting funding for the building of the Mather Veterans Village in Rancho Cordova which has 150 units. Don has earned an MPA and is the chair of the legislative commission for the American Legion of California. He has also served as President of the California Association of Veteran Service Agencies, public policy director for the Vietnam Veterans of California Inc, and chair of the American Legion's Legislative Commission.
- Frank Squire formed and chaired a committee that receives furniture donations and has supplied furniture to homeless veterans, at his own expense, for many years. He along with Don Harper worked on the grants that got Mather veterans village built and furnished.
President Kaiser gave his president’s report:
- Presented colors at a Sacramento DAR meeting 11/14: Don Littlefield, Jim Faulkinbury, David Beach, Phil Noble, and Russ Kaiser.
- The planning meeting in October was well attended. The color guard and color guard uniforms were discussed as well as a call to members to step forward and participate in chapter leadership roles as well as the color guard.
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The next color guard event will be Wreaths Across America on December 17th at 9AM. The location will be announced later.
- 2023 Meeting schedule: Dinner meetings in January, April, June, September, and October. Chapter planning meetings in February, March, May, October, and December. January we elect and induct 2023 officers and recognize achievements during the previous year; in April we will focus on our youth programs; September we will recognized our communities first responders; and in November we will honor our nation’s military veterans.
President Kaiser provided the membership with information on how to participate in the color guard. The chapter has uniform pieces that they can loan as well as other accoutrements such as muskets that members can use.
President Kaiser also discussed the need for members to fill chapter leadership roles for 2023 – President, Executive VP, VP Meetings, and VP Programs. Without these positions being filled, our chapter may cease to exist as a 501c3 charitable organization. I was recommended that EVP Anderson forward a list of open positions along with the job expectations to the membership.
A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting.
President Kaiser gave the benediction and the SAR recessional and led the singing of God Bless America.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:40.
Respectfully Submitted
Craig Anderson
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Nate, age 15, attends Granite Bay High School, and played on the Freshman Football team. He also plays competitive Lacrosse and Water Polo. He is an active member of the boy's team charity or btc, where he volunteered at Loaves and Fishes, serving meals to residents. He values his membership as a Junior member of SAR.
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Congratulations! Welcome to the California Society, Sons of the American Revolution. We are honored that you have elected to join our society of descendants of those patriots and heroes who gave us our freedoms. The California Society conducts many patriotic, historical, and educational programs in our communities, and we rely heavily on our member volunteers to keep them strong and vibrant.
If you haven’t yet been, you will shortly be contacted by a representative of your chapter; We urge you to meet your fellow compatriots, join them in their chapter programs, and become an active member of your chapter and state society. We are looking forward to meeting and working with you in the future.
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President Kaiser swearing in new member Chris Zimmerman |
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There is no meeting scheduled for December; we will meet again in January. During this meeting, we will elect and induct our 2023 Officers, and we will recognize the great work of our members during the previous year.
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SACRAMENTO CHAPTER SAR JANUARY MEETING
Wednesday January 18, 2023
OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY, 1625 WATT AVE.
6:00 – 7:00 CHECK-IN AND SOCIAL HOUR
MEETING BEGINS PROMPTLY AT 7:00PM
Our January, 2023 Sacramento Chapter meeting will be held at 6:00 PM on Wednesday January 18th at the Old Spaghetti Factory, 1625 Watt Ave., Sacramento. (Near Arden) The Old Spaghetti Factory is offering us a great meeting facility, convenient parking, and competitive pricing.
Dinners include crisp salad, hot fresh baked bread, entrée, and spumoni ice cream for dessert. Entree choices are: Baked Lasagna, Fettuccine Alfredo, or Sicilian Meatballs. Please contact Either Wes Anderson (Phone (530) 312-0917 -email wesleyann2@comcast.net) or Craig Anderson Phone (916)257-7892 - email craigandersonsar@gmail.com for reservations:
Meal prices remain at $30 per person, cash or check payable at the door. For those who wish to reserve and pay by credit card, Click on the Button below to make your reservation online. Transaction fees apply
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Delaware: Blue Hen’s Chickens &The First State |
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The men of the 1st Delaware Regiment wore this eye-catching mitered leather cap during the Revolutionary War. The message proclaiming liberty and independence carried special meaning for the men of this regiment: they were fighting for Delaware’s freedom—freedom from both the tyranny of King George and from the colony of Pennsylvania!
The regiment was originally known as the “Delaware Blues.” Although this nickname recognized the dark blue color of their regimental coat, they would soon become celebrated as the “Blue Hens.” Delaware’s struggle for independence and the Blue Hens’ splendid battlefield heroics in the Revolutionary War add a colorful chapter to our American history,
Delaware was not one of the original British colonies . . .
In 1681, pursuant to a land grant from Charles ll. King of England, William Penn founded the Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony. Penn also acquired a separate deed to the Lower Counties on the Delaware River from the Duke of York on August 24, 1682. This second acquisition, which was separate from the deed for Pennsylvania, strove to gain ocean access via the Delaware River to facilitate future international commerce for Penn’s Pennsylvania Colony. Governing these counties would prove to be a challenge for the Pennsylvania Colony; by 1704, the Lower Counties had successfully petitioned for separate colonial administration. As a result, Pennsylvania had two colonial assemblies: one for the Upper Counties, originally Bucks, Chester and Philadelphia, and a second body for the Lower Counties on the Delaware of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex. The counties would share a common governor under this ruling.
The Lower Counties had split into two political groups, the Court Party, and the Country Party. The majority Court Party, Anglican and strongest in Kent and Sussex Counties, favored reconciliation with England. By contrast, the minority Country Party, centered in New Castle County, were Ulster-Scots, and advocated independence from Britain. This schism would fester until the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.
Prior to formally declaring independence from Britain, the Second Continental Congress put out a call to arms seeking men to fight against the British troops. On December 9, 1775, Congress requested the Lower Counties along the Delaware River to form one regiment to the newly formed Continental Army. By January 21st, the Delaware Council of Safety had completed its list of commissioned officers, selecting Colonel John Haslet to command the unit.
Recruitment had grown to over seven hundred men by the end of 1776 with Thomas Holland signing on as adjutant. Both Haslet and Holland were seasoned veterans who had fought as allies with the British in the French and Indian War. In addition, Holland had been a member of an elite unit, the 23rd Regiment of Foot (the Royal Welsh Fusiliers) before coming to America and joining the cause for liberty and independence. This familiarity with the British military may have influenced both the distinct livery and the colorful traditions attributed to the 1st Delaware Regiment.
Although differing in color from the livery of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, the uniform selected for the Delaware unit had similarities: blue regimental coats with red cuffs and red turnback lapels displaying buttons of pewter for soldiers and gilt for officers. These buttons featured an enciphered “DR” which stood for “Delaware Regiment”—a clear preference for the Delaware cause—as contrasted with the regulation British uniform buttons which carried an ornate “GR” which stood for “Georgius Rex” (Latin translation: King George).
The mitered leather cap with its distinctive gilt scroll proclaiming liberty and independence mirrored the sentiment in the Delaware colonies. Interestingly, the cap’s full-rigged sailing ship and the sheaf of wheat symbols refer to the former relationship with Pennsylvania. Although theories on the origins of these symbols may vary, Congress made the call to form the regiment well before June 15, 1776, when the Assembly of the Lower Counties of Pennsylvania had declared itself independent of British and Pennsylvanian authority, thereby creating the State of Delaware.
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By 17777, the regiment had replaced the leather cap with a more conventional black cocked hat with gold trim. Historians speculate that the mitered cap may have created confusion on the battlefield resulting in casualties from friendly fire. The iconic leather hat may be gone, but the gilt scroll is now a colorful reminder of Delaware’s role in the Revolutionary War. The words “Liberty and Independence” have become the state’s motto.
They became known as the Blue Hens, adopting the ferocious reputation of Captain Jonathan Caldwell’s fighting gamecocks, which were the unit’s mascots. With Caldwell’s encouragement, the men referred to themselves as “Blue Hen’s Chickens. And they could fight! In his landmark historical work, The Delaware Continentals, author Christopher Ward writes:
"Forged on the anvil of hardship under the hammer of experience, the Delaware Regiment was a weapon which any of the great captains of history would have been glad to launch at his foe. It is not too much to say that no other single regiment in the American army had a longer and more continuous term of service, marched more miles, suffered greater hardships, fought in more battles, or achieved greater distinction than this one of Delaware."
Delaware declared its independence from Great Britain on June 15, 1776, and thereby also severed the relationship with Pennsylvania dating back to 1682. On December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first to ratify the new United States Constitution and is honored as “The First State.”
The heroic exploits of the Delaware Line and the Blue Hen’s Chickens in the Revolutionary War live on. The State of Delaware designated the Blue Hen chicken as the official state bird in 1939.
Peter Darnall
Sacramento Chapter
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Color Guard Commander David Beach |
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BLIND GOLFERS TOURNAMENT - HAGGIN OAKS COLF COURSE
On October 25th, the Sacramento Chapter Color Guard participated in a flag raising ceremony at the opening of the Blind Golfers Tournament at Haggis Oaks Golf Course. Guardsmen present were Commander David Beach, Jim Faulkinbury, Don Littlefield, Carl Ahlberg, and Doug Drake. After the flag raising, a comment was heard from the audience: "This makes you proud to be an American" Click the button below to view the video.
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Folsom Veterans Day Parade |
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UPCOMING COLOR GUARD EVENTS |
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Wreaths Across America
9:00AM Saturday December 17th 2022
Veterans Hall
1300 Forrest St. Folsom, CA
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ALL SAR MEMBERS, IN UNIFORM OR NOT, ARE INVITED TO ATTEND |
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Reminder, your annual dues were due November 30 so please, if you haven't sent them in, please do so now and let Don Littlefield (dblittlefield@comcast.net) know they are on their way.
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President
Russell Kaiser
Executive VP
Craig Anderson
VP Meetings
Vacant
Secretary
Larry Brasher
Registrar
Jim Faulkinbury
Treasurer
Don Littlefield
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Dinner Meeting
Wednesday January 18th 2023
Old Spaghetti Factory
1625 Watt Ave
Sacramento
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State Society
148th, Annual Meeting
April 14-15th, 2023
Costa Mesa, CA.
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National Society
Leadership Conference
Louisville, KY
March 2, 2023 to March 4, 2023
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Cyber Scams
If you receive an email from a purported Compatriot in need of help that is unsigned, with no personal contact information seeking contributions to any type of fundraising site; or an email addressing you by name from another member of your Chapter requesting the expenditure of funds or the purchase of gift cards, consider it a hoax. These messages are getting more sophisticated and may even include the unauthorized use of the SAR logo and/or a pseudo SAR email address.
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The Sacramento Courier is the official newsletter of the Sacramento Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution. Unless explicitly. stated, the opinions expressed herein are the opinion of the authors, and not necessarily those of the Sacramento Chapter SAR.
Editor Wes Anderson
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The Sacramento Chapter SAR; a 501(c)(3) non profit charitable organization
EIN # 68-0004288
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