Local SAR Chapter joins Lanes Mill DAR Field Trip to Stratford Hall

Historic Stratford Hall in Westmoreland County, VA was the site of a tour of the grounds and presentation in the Library by Director of Research and director of the Jessie Ball duPont Memorial Library, Dr. Gordon Steffey. Sgt Maj John Champe was a Loudoun County native. He joined the Revolution in 1776 serving with Major Henry "Light Horse Harry Lee" III in Lee's Legion. The original unit Guidon used during the Revolution is in the archives at the museum at Stratford Hall. In 2023 the Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter had replicas of the Guidon made, then presented one to the staff at Stratford Hall. George Washington met with Maj Lee in Bergan, NJ in October 1780 to craft a plan to capture the traitor Benedict Arnold. The plan required Champe to fake desertion, join the British Army and infiltrate Arnold's security. Champe rode away from camp on October 20, 1780, chased by, and shot at, by his own men. The plan was days away from execution when Arnold moved his headquarters to a different part of New York and then took his Army to Virginia.

Dr. Steffe displayed many famous Lee family letters and documents for the visitors. Included were original letters between Lee family members and George Washington and letters clearly establishing the roll the Lee Family had in pre-Revolution and Revolution events. Richard Henry Lee was the first person in the Continental Congress to propose American Independence. He did so on June 7, 1776 in Philadelphia.

The Lanes Mill Chapter DAR arranged the field trip to Stratford Hall. Attending for the Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter were: President Barry Schwoerer and spouse Paula (Elizabeth McIntosh Hammill Chapter DAR), Past President Ken Bonner and spouse Anita Bonner (Regent Lanes Mill Chapter DAR). Jim Watts, Mike Watson and spouse Sue (Lanes Mill DAR), David Welker and Spouse Margaret (Lanes Mill DAR), Mrs. Valerie Sink (Lanes Mill DAR, and Keshia Young (Lanes Mill DAR.