The Lynchburg News And Advance: Reported in 1884
The Lynchburg News and Advance reported on May 22th 1884:
"In every war there are and always has been, thousands of privates who suffered or bled or died after patriotic sacrifice and great individual deeds, whose names as soldiers are unknown outside of the humble family. Often these men had nothing to fight for, yet they periled life and limb and often lost, for their cause, their flag..., Soon those so near us will be forgotten as the Revolutionary-great., unrecognized, have been. The old County of Amherst, then comprising Amherst and Nelson, furnished many men to face disease and death in the Revolutionary War, and they came willingly, were patriots-refused pay by British gold and place and pay, and any one who gathers the names of such patriots in any war, does a high, patriotic deed. "
On October 16th, 2005 will mark the 225th anniversary of the siege of Yorktown. We have reported on how the Town of Suffolk wants Mr Peanut recognized on Virginia vanity tags to commemorate the first settlement in Virginia in time for this event. But just for the sake argument would not this be more important?
There is a twist to why a group of Amherst residents remain forgotten in the Battle of Yorktown. It is a reason, but it is not a good reason. We encourage you to go here for a local history lesson that has been left unsaid mostly, till now.
posted by B O B @ 9:00 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Very interesting post Bob...Thanks!
Gravy Beard
Thanks for the comment, the original article is very informing hope people click the link.
Why should this be surprise to anyone. Who were the minimally paid laborers that built the original buildings at the Lynchburg Colony, Sweet Briar College, etc? Who were many of the people taken from the rural hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and sent to the Colony to ultimately be sexually sterilized? Though blacks were separated out and sent to the state facility at Petersburg.
In 2005, Amherst County still fails to recognize their Native people by failure to name a single public roadway after the tribe. An insult remains which pierces through the center of Amherst County. Its called the Seminole Trail named after a Florida tribe.
If Amherst County government cared about the Natives and Free Blacks who fought at Yorktown, the County itself would demand the names be added to the official record.
What kind of an educational message does all of this send to today's children? Government in 2005 still condones prejudice.
It is indeed a disgrace the way Amherst has treated the Native Americans there. Here is a link to the Monacan Indian website: http://www.monacannation.com/aboutus.shtml. Also, check your local library or bookstore for Indian Island by Peter Houck, a local physician who has written extensively about the Monacans in Amherst County.
There are some very interesting comments here, and indeed you all have prompted me to thought and consultation, with a local history expert. I am familar, too familar with the sterialzations at what was then know as the colony. And I did do some research on the seminole trail, and when I look a little further either I or another will handle a post on the Seminole trail, tbat we hope you will find interesting and informative.
Post a Comment
<< Home