Minutes May 30, 2023
The members of the Alexander Hodge #49, Sons of the
American Revolution, gathered at Spring Creek Barbeque
located at 4895 Highway 6, Missouri City, TX. In the private meeting room,
Carl Hill called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. with an Invocation given by
Phil Whitley followed by pledges to the United States flag, to the Texas flag
and to the SAR flag by Jim Penny.
Attending Chapter Members: Jim G.
Penny (Web Master), Carl Hill (President % Treasure), Steven Barber (Secretary),
Don Rollins (Sgt. of Arms), Jim Adams, Lovell Aldrich, John Lucey, Phil Whitley
(Chaplain), Randall Hankla, Daniel Sample, Chester Barnes, Dick Hudgins, and
Mike Green (Newsletter)
Attending New Prospective Chapter SAR Members: Don
Burns, Robert Graves, Alan Bogard and Steve Sanders and Kevin Buford
Other Guests: Emmanuel
Banan, Mrs. Sherry Burns, Mrs. Sharon Rollins, Mrs. Bernice Mistriot and Mrs. Sandra
Barber, Mrs. Sharon Aldrich, Mrs. Paula Morry and Andy Hall (Tonight’s Speaker)
Recognitions: Wesley
Wright, the speaker for tonight’s meeting was sick and could not attend this
month’s meeting. Admiral Andy Hall, a
member of the Texas Navy, Charles Hawkins Squadron, stepped-up at the last
minute to make his interesting presentation on the first two battalions of
Marines that participated in several skirmishes during the American Revolution
War.
Reports:
Carl Hill presented the Treasury
Report. The Chapter distributed $1,600.00 in Scholarship JROTC donations
raised by District 7 VP, Richard Zdunkwicz.
The scholarships for college were awarded to two Lamar Consolidated
JROTC cadets and two Fort Bend JROTC cadets.
The Chapter also distributed
17 Bonze SAR JROTC Medals and Certificates to 17 JROTC cadets from FBISD, LCSID
and Stafford ISD. The metals and
certificates were presented at their JROTC year-end banquet and ceremonies.
Names of cadets were sent to the new SAR State Treasure so that the Chapter
could be reimbursed for the expense of the medals and certificates. We will
have a new school added this coming school year – Crawford High School.
Registrar’s Report:
Registrar Tom McCormick had
taken a new job and will not be able to continue in his SAR position. The
registrar’s position will be done by committee for now. Four of the new
attending members applications have been completed by this committee, along
with assistance from the DAR Registrar, Sandra Barber. The four applications
are completed and being submitted for Don Burns, Robert Graves, Alan Bogard, and
Steven Sanders. The committee is still working on the application for John
Kovach.
Secretary’s Report:
Steven Barber, presented the Secretary's Report from the last meetings minutes. It is intended each meeting minutes will be
reviewed and approved at the month following Chapter Business Meeting. Then,
these minutes will be published on the Chapter Website at least two weeks
before the next scheduled Chapter meeting. The Business Meeting Notes will be
included in that report after that business meeting. A very brief review will
be reviewed at the next scheduled bi-monthly Chapter meeting for any comments
or questions on the Chapters business.
Web Site and News Letter
Report:
Jim Penny on the Chapter
Web Site, and Mike Green on the Chapter Newsletter reports that both
are up and running. The Newsletter is sent out to members monthly and members
can go to the Chapter Web page for more information. Both publishers expressed a
great need for more member news. Each
member is encouraged to submit a brief write up on their individual patronage
on which they became members of SAR. Other worthy news worthy items would be
individual reports on their activity in and out of the Chapter, any newly
discovered ancestry, “where were you” during certain major historical events, (1969
moon walk, 911, etc.as examples), or personal milestones. (Birthdays,
Anniversary’s, new Grandkids, etc.)
Social Chair Report:
Sharon Aldrich, social
Chairperson, spoke to members about attending Space Cowboy baseball games as a
group with the minimum group count needed. She was also suggesting if there
maybe a concert or play that members would enjoy attending as a group to
socialize outside of the SAR dinner meetings. Any suggestions are welcome.
Chapter Meeting Speaker.: Andy
Hall was introduced as the meeting speaker, for this May 30th, 2023
Chapter meeting. Mr. Hall presented a detailed description of the forming of
the first Marine battalions for the American Revolution.
On November 10, 1775, a
committee from the Continental Congress drafted a resolution calling to form
two battalions of Marines able to fight on land and at sea as landing forces
for the Continental Navy. The first Commandant of the Marine Corps was Major
Samuel Nicholas. By early 1776, Nicholas had his Marines formed and ready for
battle.
March 1776, Nicholas led his
men on the first landing on hostile shore when approximately 210 Marines raided
Nassau on the Island of Providence in the Bahamas. The raid did capture the
town, along with a large number of guns, motors and gun powder. Lieutenant John
Fitzpatrick became the first Marine killed in combat during these skirmishes.
A month later, in April 1776,
John Martin enlisted to serve aboard the USS Reprisal. He was the first of at
least 12 African-American Marines to serve during the Revolutionary War.
In January 1777, Continental
Marines joined George Washington’s Continental Army to defeat the British at
the Battle of Princeton in New Jersey. This was the third defeat in 10 days for
the British which helped raised the morale of American troops and inspired more
men to join the fight against the British.
In January 1778, the
Continental Marines again raided Nassau and captured it and marked the first
time the “Stars and Stripes”, (the American Flag) was raised over foreign land.
In April of that same year,
under the command of John Paul Jones, two daring raids on British soil were
made, one at the port of Whitehaven, in northwest England and at St. Mary’s
Isle in southwest Scotland.
In 1779, A Marine detachment
secured New Orleans preventing British traders from entering the city and also
led a series of raids on British Loyalist living on the shores of Lake Ponchartrain,
outside of New Orleans.
The last official act of the Continental
Marines was in 1781, escorting a large supply of silver from Boston to
Philadelphia. The silver was a loan from King Louis XVI of France that allowed
the first central bank, the Bank of North America, to open.
Over the course of the 7 years
of American Revolution War Marine battles, 49 men were killed and 70 more were
wounded, out of a force of 130 officers and 2,000 enlisted men. The Continental
Marines and the Continental Navy were disbanded immediately after the war. However, in 1794, Congress re-authorized the
re-formation of both the Navy and Marine Corp.
Just a couple of interesting
legacy notes. During the American Revolution, the Continental Marines uniform
consisted of a green jacket with a high leather collar, to protect the neck
against sword blades. Over time, the wearing of leather stocks around the neck
of Maines led to the nickname of “leathernecks”, which the Marines are still
known as of today. The Marines changed the color of their uniforms in 1798 to
the Navy Blue tradition, but still wore the high leather stocks on their neck.
Closing Remarks:
President Hill reported the next Alexander Hodge No.49-chapter meeting will be
held July 25, 2023 at the Spring Creek Barbeque restaurant on Highway 6 in
Missouri City, TX. The next Chapter Business Meeting will be at the same
restaurant on June 27 at 1:00 P.M. All Chapter members are welcome to attend
the business meeting. All Chapter Officers are required to attend the April
Business Meeting.
Recessional: The SAR recessional was recited by all
present.
Benediction: Closing benediction was given by Phil Whitley, Chaplain.