The Soil of Virginia is Gathered & Blessed for Waxhaws

15 Apr 2023              Syria, VA

      The Culpeper Minutemen Chapter, with the help of the members of eleven SAR and six DAR Chapters conducted a ceremony in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia to collect, then bless the soil of Virginia, that was then entrusted to Virginia SAR President Ernie Coggins to transport to the Waxhaws Battleground in South Carolina and spread on the mass grave of Virginia soldiers of the 3rd Detachment who died there.  Culpeper Minutemen President Tom Hamill was the MC, Ken Bonner of the Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter commanded the Color Guard, Richard Taylor of the Col James Wood II Chapter shoveled the soil into the ceremonial urn, Chaplain Jim Simmons of the Col James Wood II Chapter blessed the soil, and President Coggins of the George Washington Chapter accepted the soil and pledged to spread it on the grave.  The Color Guard carried the 13-star US Flag, the Virginia Flag, and the Virginia 3rd Detachment Flag.  Over 60 people attended the ceremony.