The John Sevier Chapter of the Tennessee Society Sons of the American Revolution celebrated the 248th Anniversary of the United States Navy Friday at 10 a.m. by honoring past chapter members and their patriot ancestors at the Chattanooga National Cemetery.
The chapter honored our past naval warriors by posting USN flags at their grave sites.
Past SAR members honored included: Elbert Raymond Hays (QM2, WWI), James Lamont Johnston (Captain, WWII, Korea, Vietnam), George Franklin Smith (Dentist USS Yorktown, WWII) and Joseph Pleasant Cofer, Jr.
(Captain, WWII, Korea, Cold War).
The compatriot’s Patriot Ancestors by which they joined the SAR were noted as part of the day’s celebration.
The honored Patriot Ancestors included:
Robert Craighead of North Carolina. Robert was a captain under Gen. Sumter. Severely wounded in the shoulder at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse 15 Mar 1781. SGT Joseph Johnston of the 7th Virginia Continental Line. His initial service was as a Soldier in the Culpeper District minute battalion of 1775. He fought at the Battle of Brandywine on 11 September 1777, on 4 October 1777 at the Battle of Germantown and was in the winter encampment at Valley Forge December 1777. Samuel Smith, II of North Carolina served under Col. Gillespie and was a native of Southington, Hartford County, Connecticut, were he enlisted as a sailor in the Connecticut Sea Service. John Garrett, 12th Virginia Continental Regiment served under Capt Andrew Waggoner and Colonel James Wood. The regiment saw action in the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth, and the Siege of Charleston. Most of the regiment was captured at Charlestown, South Carolina, on May 12, 1780.
Community members or organizations are invited to participate with the SAR as we celebrate the people and events of the American Revolution’s 250th anniversary running to the end of 2033. Contact the John Sevier Chapter at johnsevierchapter@tnssar.org or RSVP for any event on our web calendar at https://www.tnssar.org/john-sevierchapter.html.