By Commander Tom Nelson, U.S. Naval Reserves (Ret)
Memorial Day Remarks - May 25, 2009
Gypsy Hill Park Gazebo, Staunton, Virginia
Those who died during the American Revolution: 4,435
On the eve of the American Revolution, at 3:00 am on December 26, 1776, George Washington's colonial army was in Pennsylvania and crossed the Delaware River to attack the British at Trenton, New Jersey.
Washington's groomsman, a 12-year-old servant boy, stayed on the Pennsylvania shore taking care of Washington's horses and holding up a lantern to mark the location.
There were no colonial army deaths in the Battle of Trenton, which as you may know was a significant victory in the Revolution. But there was a one tragic casualty ... the servant boy who was found frozen to death on the Pennsylvania shore while still holding the lantern when Washington returned at noon on December 26, 1776.
Upon George Washington’s return to his Mount Vernon, he was so inspired by the boy’s heroism that he commissioned a cast iron statue of the boy holding a lantern, and called it the "Faithful Groomsman."
HONOR: Jocko Graves, a hero in the American Revolution
No comments:
Post a Comment