August 2022


August 2022
A message to the members…….
It’s only August but already it’s been a long hot summer! The August 20th meeting is fast approaching and I’m hoping you can be there. Please let me know if you are considering attending by email: boat361@aol.com.

The Sacramento Chapter of SAR is in a crisis footing. We need membership participation. We need officers and chairman. The chapter can always use new members but what we really need is for the members we have to become more active and step into some leadership rolls. If not into the roll itself, then support for those in those positions.

I have asked for and received some topics for the upcoming meeting. They include:

1)     Positions we have filled Sept-Dec
a.      We need a Secretary now.
                       i.     A Change of Officers report needs to be filed with the state secretary.
                      ii.     The chapter roster needs to be reconciled with the National roster.
                     iii.     Dues notices need to be sent out October 1st

2)     Positions vacant: Jan-forward 2023

3)     Minimal charter requirements to remain an active chapter 4 mtgs/year, a President, Secretary, Treasurer, Registrar

4)     We need program chairs to run programs locally… in their neighborhood schools

5)     We have become a Chapter of spectators not participants
a.      We need to increase in-person attendance at monthly meetings
b.      get copies of membership forms to officers with interests listed

6)     Calendar:
April 2023 - Craig’s term as CASSAR President ends
April 2024 - April 2025 Don may be CASSAR President
April 2026 - April 2027 Russ may be CASSAR President

7)     Do new members know what the SAR really is?
a.      We need new members to volunteer
b.      We need new members to participate.
c.      Mentor program?

8)     2023 Plan B:
Hold 4 meetings/year, different presiding officer each meeting
Jan = Installations & Recognition
April = Youth Awards
Sep = Public Service Awards / US Constitution
Nov = Veterans Recognition

9)     We should consider integrating an America 250 moment into each chapter dinner meeting. (This is a great way to involve new and old members in our meetings and hopefully make the meetings more interesting.)

10)  We need to discuss who our guest speakers are going to be for the rest of the year.

Please note that we are looking for a new Secretary. Mark Mozdy has needed to step down from this position. I want to personally thank him for his service this year. Not only has he been working as Chapter Secretary, but he provided much needed support at the CASSAR Conference earlier this year. Please feel free to drop him a note to thank him for all of his work.

The Sacramento Chapter has been contacted by a Senior Care facility requesting presentations. I made a presentation on Monday to a group of 20 seniors some of which are DAR members. They will be requesting a few more so members wishing to participate should contact me for programs, dates and times.
See you on the 20th!
2022 Sacramento Chapter Members Only Planning Meeting

Please plan on joining us at 10:00 AM Saturday August 20th at Cattlemens Restaurant, Rancho Cordova. This is our annual planning meeting and we're looking forward to seeing you there. Refreshments will be served. Doors open at 9:30 AM. Casual dress. No cost. Members and prospective members only.
Chapter Meeting Wednesday, September 14th,2022 6PM
Old Spaghetti Factory
1625 Watt Ave
Sacramento
147th Fall Board of Managers Meeting
of the
California Society,
Sons of the American Revolution
 
November 3 – 5, 2022
Hosted by the Redwood Empire Chapter
 
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
One Double Tree Drive Rohnert Park, California 94928
The Gadsden Flag
By Peter Darnall
A very special flag . . .

Since the time of Adam and Eve, snakes have been the recipients of bad PR. In America, Benjamin Franklin used the figure of a rattlesnake to highlight dissatisfaction with Great Britain and, over the years, the symbol evolved into a symbol of the struggle for American independence. That familiar yellow flag depicting a coiled rattlesnake brandishing thirteen rattles above the caption “DON’T TREAD ON ME” (in upper-case letters) is known as the Gadsden flag and is deeply embedded in the lore of American exceptionalism. 

That ominous warning did not require a tweedy professor to explain the flag’s symbolism, since it was usually carried by a group of hard-nosed, buckskin-clad fellows carrying muskets. The motto carries the same message today and the Gadsden Flag has been commandeered by several “wanna-be” movements—groups with no association to the concept of American exceptionalism—seeking to endow their cause with the fervor of the flag’s message. 

The Gadsden Flag is woven deeply into the fabric of our American heritage. It may have been designed by Benjamin Franklin. Military historians claim that it may have been raised by a young 1st Lieutenant, John Paul Jones, as his ship, the Alfred, prepared to engage to British In 1775. There is also evidence that this snake flag might have been the first flag of the United States Marine Corps, but these speculations cannot be confirmed..

Christopher Gadsden, the namesake of the distinctive yellow flag, was one of the founders of The Charleston Sons of Liberty. He earned a fine reputation as a courageous patriot and became known in South Carolina as "the Sam Adams of the South.” In 1775 he left for Philadelphia to represent his home state in the Second Continental Congress. 

As one of three members of the Marine Committee, Gadsden and his fellow representatives were alarmed at threatening intelligence delivered by the merchant vessel Black Prince, and voted to establish a Continental Navy, which would initially consist of four ships. 

Four days later, The Black Prince was purchased, and work began to outfit her for combat. Esek Hopkins, a Rhode Island man, was chosen to be commander-in-chief of the Navy. In addition to the vessels, Congress authorized the mustering of two companies of marines to accompany the vessels in the upcoming clash with the British.

On December 3, 1775, the Black Prince was placed in commission under her new name, the Alfred, and designated Commodore Hopkins’ flagship. The first mission of the newly formed navy would be to intercept the two British ships and divert the munitions to Washington’s desperately ill-equipped army. 

As the marines began to assemble in Philadelphia, some of the troops carried yellow drums adorned with the image of a rattlesnake and the motto “Don’t Tread on Me.” In early December an article under the pseudonym “An American Guesser” appeared in The Pennsylvania Journal documenting the sighting of the marines with their distinctive drums. Many historians believe that the true identity behind the "American Guesser" was Benjamin Franklin.

Before sailing in early December, Commodore Hopkins received a gift, likely from Christopher Gadsden. The gift was a personal flag befitting his status as commodore. Gadsden had also presented a commemorative flag to his state legislature. The South Carolina congressional journals recorded: "Colonel Gadsden presented to the Congress an elegant standard, such as is to be used by the commander in chief of the American navy; being a yellow field, with a lively representation of a rattle-snake in the middle, in the attitude of going to strike, and these words underneath, “Don’t Tread on Me!” 

We cannot identify the origin of this flag. Perhaps Col. Gadsden had carried it into battle in the defense of the city of Charleston against the British. We do know that both Gadsden and Franklin were in Philadelphia when the marines were assembling with their yellow rattlesnake drums. Although there is no doubt that the Gadsden flag was used by Commodore Hopkins as his personal standard, there were several flags depicting the rattlesnake with this motto associated with the War of Independence. Vexillologists cannot verify that the Gadsden flag was used aboard the Alfredas the first Navy jack, since Hopkins mentions only using a “striped flag” as a signal. Merchant vessels of the time often displayed a simple red and white striped flag as a jack. It is likely that the Alfred flew a striped flag (with or without the rattlesnake and motto) as a jack, instead of the Gadsden flag.

Question: Did either Benjamin Franklin or Christopher Gadsden create a flag using the marines’ yellow drums as an inspiration? 

History doesn't tell us.
The First Navy Jack
Color Guard Commander David Beach
The Color Guard is scheduled to post the colors for the Blind Golfers Golf Tournament at Haggin Oaks Golf Club on October 25, 2022, at 9:00 a.m.
Please contact David Beach if you are able to attend.
President
Russell Kaiser

Executive VP
Craig Anderson

VP Meetings
Larry Brasher

Secretary
Vacant


Registrar
Jim Faulkinbury

Treasurer
Don Littlefield
Chapter

Sacramento Chapter 2023 planning meeting, August 20th at 10 AM Cattlemens, Rancho Cordova.

Chapter Meeting Wednesday, September 14th,2022 6PM
Old Spaghetti Factory
1625 Watt Ave
Sacramento
State Society

147th, BOM Meeting
November 3rd -5th ,2022
Rohnert Park Ca
National Society

Leadership Conference
Louisville, KY
Sept 29th- Oct. 1st


 
The Sacramento Courier is the official newsletter of the Sacramento Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution. Unless explicitly. stated, the opinions expressed herein are the opinion of the authors, and not necessarily those of the Sacramento Chapter SAR.

Editor Wes Anderson
The Sacramento Chapter SAR; a 501(c)(3) non profit charitable organization
EIN # 68-0004288