Sgt Maj John Champe SAR participated in Virginia Resolved at Stratford Hall

On June 7, 2026 Richard Henry Lee,Virginia delegate to the 2nd Continental Congress, submitted a resolution: "That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." On July 4,1776 the Declaration of Independence was adopted with Henry's words reflected in one of the final paragraphs.

On June 7, 2026 the Stratford Hall Foundation sponsored the 250th anniversary of that famous proclamation. Stratford Hall is the ancestral home of the Lee family in Virginia.

The Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter Virginia SAR led a multi-chapter team to help commemorate Lee's proclamation. The team conducted two flintlock, black powder fire demonstrations, demonstrated and encouraged play with colonial games, demonstrated how to make cornhusk dolls, offered visitors opportunity to write with a quill pen, and displayed the things carried by a Revolutionary War soldier as he went to war. A large scale Declaration of Independence was available for visitors to sign. Two Declarations with over 150 visitor signatures was presented to the Stratford Hall Foundation event coordinator.

A light dragoon unit of six horses and riders demonstrated tactics and talked with visitors about what a dragoon unit did.

Participating for the Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter were: President Barry Schwoerer, Vice President Mark Sink, Past President Ken Bonner, Historian David Welker, Registrar Mike Watson, Chaplain Jim Watts, and Warner Workman. Virginia SAR president Darrin Schmidt participated in Militia attire. The Richard Henry Lee Chapter participated with Michael Rhodes and on other compatriot. Other SAR Members included: Richard Rankin-Virginia SAR Risk manager, Ryan Williams- Col James Wood II Chapter, Andrew Mills-Colonel William Grayson Chapter, Bill Tugman-Colonel Fielding Lewis Chapter.

The Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter was selected as Best Medium sized chapter in Virginia for 2025. For more information about the Chapter please visit our website at https://johnchame-sar.org