War of 1812 Monument (front side), Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Evergreen-Washelli, Seattle
For six years, the Washington State Society, United States Daughters of 1812 (WSSUSD 1812), labored hard on its project to dedicate a monument honoring those veterans of the War of 1812 who died in Washington Territory. At last, the ceremony was held on Saturday, 23 June, at Evergreen-Washelli, Veterans Memorial Cemetery, in north Seattle. The war had started on 18 June, 200 years earlier, when President James Madison signed the declaration passed by Congress.
The beautiful monument at the foot of the Bell Tower was unveiled by WSSUSD 1812 President Linda Rae Lind of Bremerton. Inscribed on both sides are the names of 16 veterans for whom there are authentic records verifying that they served in the War of 1812 and died in Washington Territory. (Washington became the 42nd state in 1889.)
War of 1812 Monument (back side), Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Evergreen-Washelli, Seattle
Of the 16, Abel Ostrander was born first (1777) and William M. Stewart died last (1885), a span of 108 years. Ostrander came from New York and died in Cowlitz County in 1859. Stewart (born in 1794) came from Ohio and died in Pierce County.
Washington State Archivist, Jerry Handfield, was the guest speaker on this day. To conclude the outdoor ceremony, two members of the Washington State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (WASSAR) fired their muskets in a rifle salute, immediately followed by the sounding of “Echo Taps” by me and Lt. Col. Bob O’Neal, U.S. Army (Ret.) who is WASSAR Color Guard Commander. I play a 1954 Super Olds cornet, and Bob plays a 1927 King Silvertone trumpet. Incidentally, 2012 is also the 150th anniversary of the composition of “Taps.”
The War of 1812, fought against the British in the U.S.A., Canada, and in the Great Lakes and on the high seas, is sometimes called the Second War of Independence. It is famous for many things still well-known in American culture. Let me list a few: first, the text of our national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner,” was written by Francis Scott Key during the defense of Ft. McHenry near Baltimore, MD, from British naval bombardment in September, 1814. Second, “Old Ironsides,” the USS Constitution, was never defeated in battle. Named by George Washington, she is the oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat and is berthed in Boston. Third, in the midst of the bloody battle between two frigates, USS Chesapeake and HMS Shannon, Master Commandant James Lawrence, captain of the Chesapeake, mortally wounded, issued his famous, final command to his men, “Don’t give up the ship!” Fourth, after a naval battle on Lake Erie in September, 1813, Commodore Oliver Hazard
“Echo Taps” for War of 1812 Vets who died in Washington, sounded by Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040 Bugler, and Col. Bob O’Neal, SAR (not shown)
Gale Palmer and Stan Wills, SAR, fire musket salute
Perry, U.S. Navy, penned the famous words, “We have met the enemy and they are ours…” Fifth, the British burned the White House and the city of Washington in August, 1814. Sixth, in January, 1815, as the war drew to a close, Major General Andrew Jackson (“Old Hickory”) defeated the British Lieutenant General Sir Edward Pakenham in a lop-sided victory at the Battle of New Orleans. Seventh, Robert Fulton invented the “torpedo,” now known as an underwater mine, and designed the world’s first steam-powered warship, Demologos (later renamed Fulton).
The on-site photos in this post are courtesy of the Washington State Society, United States Daughters of 1812. Please click on any image to enlarge it. For further information on the War of 1812 and the organizations mentioned in this post, please see the following:
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Men from WASSAR and ladies from Washington Regency Society (WRS). Bob O’Neal (white hat) sounded “Echo Taps” with Glenn Ledbetter.
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Men from WASSAR by life-sized replica of the Liberty Bell. L to R: Lee Thomasson, Gale Palmer, Bob O’Neal, Stan Wills.
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Carole Holt (L), President National of the National Society Daughters of
American Colonists, and Linda Rae Lind (R), President, Washington State President, United States Daughters of 1812
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Francis Scott Key spots the garrison flag flying over the ramparts of Ft. McHenry after a day and night of constant bombardment by British ships. Illustration by Percy Moran.
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The garrison flag which flew over Ft. McHenry during the bombardment of 13-14 September 1814. Note the 15 stars and 15 stripes.
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Splendid bicentenial book commemorating the War of 1812, published by National Geographic
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Two-disc DVD set available
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War of 1812 Monument (front side), Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Evergreen-Washelli, Seattle
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War of 1812 Monument (back side), Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Evergreen-Washelli, Seattle
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Gale Palmer and Stan Wills, WASSAR, fire flintlock musket salute
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“Echo Taps” for War of 1812 Vets who died in Washington, sounded by Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040 Bugler, and Bob O’Neal, WASSAR (not shown)
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