The SAR MAGAZINE is the official quarterly publication of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution published quarterly.
Issue link: http://sar.epubxp.com/i/311328
P resident General Joseph W. Dooley presented the SAR International Medal to His Excellency Rudolf Bekink, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United States, at the Dutch Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 25. "It was an honor to meet Ambassador Bekink, and we had a wonderful discussion of Dutch contributions to the United States and the American Revolution," PG Dooley said. The plaque on which the medal was mounted commemorated the 237th anniversary of the first international recognition of the independence of the United States of America on Nov. 16, 1776. Johannes de Graaff, the governor of St. Eustatius island, ordered the guns of Fort Oranje to return a salute rendered by the U.S. brig Andrea Doria, thereby recognizing the sovereignty of the U.S. While formal recognition of the U.S. by the Netherlands would not come until April 19, 1782, the salute to the flag in 1776 was an important first step for the new nation on the international stage. Nov. 16 is annually commemorated as Dutch-American Heritage Day in the U.S. and Statia-America Day on St. Eustatius, which is commonly referred to as "Statia." At the most recent commemoration of Statia-America Day, MOSSAR President Richard T. Bryant, acting on behalf of PG Dooley, presented a companion SAR International Medal plaque to St. Eustatius Gov. Gerald Berkel at a sunrise ceremony at Fort Oranje. Bryant was invited to participate in the ceremony by the island government and the St. Eustatius Tourism Development Foundation. Others attending included Island Council members from Statia, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Maarten and Aruba. U.S. Consul General James Moore, who had traveled from Curacao, was there, as was the Coast Guard cutter Farallon, which had sailed overnight from San Juan to recreate the 13-gun salute. This event followed a weeklong series of concerts, feasts and other celebrations in honor of the holiday. A highlight event of the week was the visit to Statia of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands. The hoisting of the flags of the Netherlands, the U.S. and Statia, accompanied by the singing of the anthems of the countries, kicked off activities, followed by speeches by the governor, Island Council members, performances by musicians and dancers, and the formal presentation of the SAR plaque. In his comments to the audience, Bryant spoke of the historical significance of Statia to the American Colonies, the lineage of members of the SAR, and the International Societies. He invited descendants of the original 1776 Statia heroes to join the SAR and to form a society. After Berkel received his plaque, it was announced that the Coast Guard cutter was in the harbor, and the first salute was re-enacted. The ceremony concluded with the inspection of uniformed groups, after which the performers, musicians, uniformed groups and visitors paraded from Fort Oranje to The Old Gin House, where the governor treated all invited guests to a hearty breakfast and the opportunity to share time and experiences. Celebrations continued throughout the day and late into the evening. St. Eustatius was sighted in 1493 by Christopher Columbus, although its history goes back many years before. Colonized in 1636 with a mere 40 to 50 Zeelanders of the Dutch West Indies Trading Company, the island was the subject of conflict among the most powerful seafaring nations of the time. During these times of conflict, the island changed hands at least 22 times. As the result of its unique geography, early settlers determined the island would not support crops like cotton and tobacco. However, because of its location on trading routes created by wind and ocean currents, its favorable tax treatment of industry and products, its status as a neutral trading hub, and its proximity to other islands, the Dutch made Statia a major trading center in the Caribbean. At one point, Statia had as many as 22,000 inhabitants and thousands of ships calling at its shores, beginning in 1636. There often were 200 ships at anchor in the harbor at the same time. Records from 1778 reflect that 3,182 ships arrived in Statia throughout the year. It is hard to imagine that this island, which now has only 3,300 inhabitants, was once such a thriving and cosmopolitan port of call. During the 18th century, St. Eustatius developed close ties with many islands occupied by various nations. It was during this time that it developed strong ties with American Colonists due, in part, to the trade of goods. For a time, St. Eustatius was the only link between Europe and the fledgling American Colonies. Raw materials came from America, while finished products came from abroad. Since the island sold arms and ammunition to anyone willing to pay, it was one of the few places from which the rebellious American Colonists could obtain weaponry. In time, it became the major supplier of arms and ammunition to the American Colonies. The British 18 SAR MAGAZINE The First Salute The SAR Commemorates the Historic Event in Washington and the Caribbean St. Eustatius Gov. Gerald Berkel, left, received an SAR International Medal plaque at the Fort Oranje ceremony from MOSSAR President Richard T. Bryant, acting on behalf of PG Dooley. SPRING_14_sar5-21.indd 18 5/7/14 4:13 PM