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/604650
FALL 2015 27 Tallmadge was a senior intelligence officer under Gen. Washington and the leader of the Culper Spy Ring. Wolcott was the 19th governor of Connecticut and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was the second of three generations of Wolcotts to serve as governor of Connecticut. CNSSAR President Alec Marshall brought greetings from the C.A.R. The annual Let Freedom Ring ceremony commenced at 1:45 p.m. on the Litchfield Green when the First Litchfield Artillery Regiment fired 13 cannon salutes to honor the original 13 states that, as colonies, united for the cause of independence in 1776. This year, for the first time, the flags of the 13 original states were also displayed. They were obtained by Compatriot Ken Buckbee of the Gov. Oliver Wolcott Sr. Branch. Each flag was presented by SAR Color Guard members as the first selectman and the cannon-fire saluted each state. Once all of the cannon salutes were completed, the bells of the town's four churches simultaneously tolled 13 times at 2 p.m. as part of the national observance of Independence Day. The Let Freedom Ring ceremony has been held on Litchfield Green for more than 50 years. In 1963, two men from Connecticut, Eric Sloane and First Litchfield Artillery Regiment co-founder Eric Hatch, proposed the idea that bells across the nation, including the Liberty Bell, ring out at the same moment on Independence Day each year. Hatch's and Sloane's idea was featured in an article entitled "Make Freedom Really Ring" in the Feb. 17, 1963 issue of This Week magazine. The two Erics obtained the endorsement of Connecticut Gov. John N. Dempsey and Abraham Ribicoff, a U.S. senator from Connecticut. Sen. Ribicoff took their idea to Congress and the nationwide ringing of bells, now known as Let Freedom Ring, was adopted by Congress on June 26, 1963. Let Freedom Ring has meant a lot to Compatriot Buckbee since he first learned about it in 1995. That year, he recruited 23 Connecticut churches to participate in the ceremony by ringing their bells and he was the second- highest recruiter in the nation. In 1996, he recruited 108 Connecticut churches to participate. In early 2014, Buckbee began working on his flag project to bring more of a Revolutionary War presence to the Let Freedom Ring ceremony on the Litchfield Green. Last year, the threat of a hurricane on Independence Day prevented him from borrowing the 13 flags and having much of a turnout. This year, he asked each SAR state society of the original 13 states to make a donation to cover the cost of their state flag. He was able to get 11 of them to do so and he paid for the other two. It is Buckbee's desire to enhance the Let Freedom Ring ceremony so that more people will see the day as Independence Day, not simply the Fourth of July. This year it worked! Eighteen SAR Color Guard members—from as far away as New Jersey and New Hampshire—participated in both Litchfield events. Thirty-three SAR members were in attendance along with a large crowd, despite rainy weather. FLORIDA SOCIETY Caloosa Chapter Compatriot James L. Dozier of the Caloosa Chapter has been inducted into the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame. Retired Maj. Gen. Dozier had a long and distinguished career. He joined the Florida National Guard in 1950 and retired from the U.S. Army in 1985. He received worldwide attention during his service as chief of staff of NATO's Southern European land forces in 1981 when he was captured by an Italian terrorist group and held captive for 42 days. GEORGIA SOCIETY Capt. John Collins Chapter A ceremony was held at St. Mary's Waterfront Park and Oak Grove Cemetery Sept. 12 to honor 29 Revolutionary War soldiers. Attending were three generations of the Brown family who are members of the Capt. John Collins Chapter, GASSAR. Wayne Brown, past president of the chapter and currently GASSAR treasurer; his son, Wayne Brown Jr.; and grandson, Sullivan Thomas Brown, attended their first SAR event together. Sullivan became a junior SAR member this year and was excited to attend his first event, demonstrating his enthusiasm by wearing the SAR logo. Quinn Hayes Brown, a second grandson, was also excited to attend and witness the volley of musket fire by the color guard militia unit. After the salute of the musket fire, Compatriot Jay Guest took time to teach young Quinn about the militia and the musket. Quinn had many questions and Guest with great patience answered them all. Guest was so thorough that Wayne Jr., an amateur historian, learned new facts regarding the militia.