First Battle of the Revolution remembered at Champe Farm

On Saturday, April 19, the Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter, Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution sponsored the commemoration of their namesake, Patriot John Champe, and the sponsored the 250th Anniversary commemoration of the opening Battle of the Revolution at Lexington and Concord. The event was held at Champe Farm, near an obelisk honoring John Champe, spy for General Washington.

John Champe volunteered for a mission to infiltrate the staff of Benedict Arnold in a daring scheme to capture the traitor and return him to the American side for court-martial. Champe was accepted by Arnold as an American deserter and put to work on Arnold's staff. Before the plan could be executed Arnold moved his headquarters, then moved his Army to Virginia. Champe is recognized for exceptional bravery in the face of the enemy. The obelisk honoring Champe reads: "John Champe risked the inglorious death of a spy for the Independence of his country".

The battle at Lexington & Concord was precipitated by British desire to capture and/or destroy weapons, powder and other supplies of war, and to capture patriot leaders. Patriots anticipated British moves and were prepared to respond to British movement. The rides of Revere & Dawes alerted the Patriot militia of the British march from Boston. The alarm spread throughout the countryside with militia pouring into Lexington and Concord. The British did not succeed in their mission but faced a large Patriot response that served to ignite the American Revolution.

Five SAR Chapters (Sgt. Maj. John Champe, Col. James Wood-II, George Mason, Col. Fielding Lewis and Col. William Grayson) and four DAR Chapters (Elizabeth McIntosh Hammill, Ketoctin, Lanes Mill and Mary Hemings Bell) participated. Two reenactors in the uniforms of His Majesty’s 65th Regiment of Foot added color and read part of the program to give a British soldier’s perspective of events on April 19, 1775.

At “Lexington” nine Militia men opened the battle with a single shot, followed by a volley then individual musketmen firing several rounds. The militia then moved to “Concord” where a second volley was executed followed by several individual rounds. The ceremony closed with the reading of the names of the first eight patriots killed in the opening battle. After each name was read a bell was rung.

The british reenactors were Bernie Way who portrayed a Lieutenant and Lloyd Harting who portrayed a Sergeant.