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Georgia Patriots Day 2005 Was a Great Beginning for our new Annual Celebration. (Click here to review the 2005 Events) A program initiated in 2005 by the Georgia Society and Marshes of Glynn Chapter Sons of the American Revolution was repeated on Wednesday, April 19, 2006. The Georgia Patriots Day Ceremony commemorated a victory of outmanned Colonial forces over three British ships in 1778 on the Frederica River near Fort Frederica on St. Simons Island. This year’s Celebration was jointly sponsored with the Brunswick & Fort Frederica Daughters of the American Revolution Chapters, Coastal Georgia Historical Society and the Fort Frederica National Monument. Among the over 225 people who attended were representatives of twenty-three Georgia and Florida DAR and SAR Chapters, Society of Cincinnati in the State of Georgia, Colonial Dames Seventeenth Century, five Coastal Georgia Veterans organizations and four Masonic Lodges as well as ten Descendants of several of the Patriots who fought the British on that day 228 years ago. Especially impressive was the presentation of 25 wreaths commemorating men and one woman, Nancy Hart who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War and a Glynn County resident after the War. One of the speakers was Lewis M. Davis, a descendant of John Cutler Braddock, who commanded one of the three gallies that captured the British ships. Gordon B. Smith, Savannah Revolutionary War author, presented information about brothers, John and Joseph Habersham who helped win the day for the American cause. Colonel Samuel Elbert was the leader of the American forces and Jim Allen of Brunswick told the audience how he was also responsible for establishing Masonic Lodges in Colonial Georgia. Musical selections were provided by the Navy Band Southeast Brass Quintet from the Jacksonville, Florida Naval Station, and the National Anthem was beautifully sung by Rhonda Hambright of St. Simons Island. Thirty-four members of the Combined Color Guard performed with flags of the Revolutionary War. In addition to Georgia Society SAR Color Guard in Continental Line Officers uniforms and the Colonel Elijah Clarke Militia, were the Florida Sons of Liberty SAR Brigade; US Navy Submarine Base Honor Guard from Kings Bay, Georgia; Bagpiper John Mortison; and Rangers from Fort Frederica, Fort King George, and Fort Morris. Patriot's Day April 19, 2006 Program |
