Major Reading Blount Chapter of DAR

23/05/2026

Welcome Janet Cumblidge! At a recent meeting Chaplain Betsey Hodges let Janet in the Oath of Membership and Registrar Donna Poole pinned her with a DAR pin. Janet is a fourth generation member.

23/05/2026

Let us never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Thank you.

16/05/2026

It was a wonderful day at our Annual May Awards Luncheon! We were honored to have the folks that are preserving the Sycamore Cemetery of Bonner Hill Plantation - Washington N.C. as our guests (receiving the Excellence in Historic Preservation Award!), Leesa Jones of the Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum (receiving a NC Women in American History Award!) and our own Lillian Ho**er was presented with the NC DAR Outstanding Senior Award as well as the NC DAR Guiding Light Award for her selfless service to others!

28/04/2026

Attending the 2026 NCSDAR 126th Conference in Durham, NC. Our members proudly led the first North Carolina DAR Color Guard and actively participated in the business meetings, representing our chapter with distinction and integrity.

28/04/2026

Explore membership

24/03/2026

On this day in 1775 at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia, Patrick Henry gave one of the most famous speeches in American history. The occasion was a meeting of what had been the Virginia House of Burgesses but which had been dissolved by Lord Dunmore, the last royal governor of Virginia. Now called the Second Virginia Convention, the group gathered to discuss the growing problem with Great Britain and to decide if Virginia should join the fight against the mother country.

After three days of discussion, Delegate Henry rose to speak. As was the custom, he addressed his words to the president of the convention, Peyton Randolph of Williamsburg. Though the words were not transcribed at the time, they were remembered, especially the final line. In 1808, William Wirt reconstructed Henry's speech from interviews with those who were there. This is their recollection:

“No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The questing before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

“Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

“I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House. Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne! In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free-- if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending-- if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained-- we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us!

“They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable-- and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.

“It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace-- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

24/03/2026

Often, we fail to recognize how much history lies just beneath the surface.

Some time ago, our S. Kruger and Jack Willard toured a small family cemetery in eastern Beaufort County.

In that cemetery lie the remains of Col. John Eborn, who fought in the Revolutionary War.

Eborn is referenced in "Washington and the Pamlico," a classic work of local history edited by Ursula Loy and Pauline Worthy. The book was published in 1976 in honor of the Bicentennial.

"Colonel John Eborn is buried in the family plot at the edge of Machapungo Creek," reads a portion of a chapter authored by Worthy. "This is located on the John Winfield plantation at Yeatesville. Eborn was born in 1742, died in 1796. He served under George Washington in the campaigns around New York and was with Washington during the winter at Valley Forge."

As we approach 250th-anniversary celebration of the United States, we consider it a signal honor to have visited the grave of a Revolutionary War soldier from our area.

The cemetery is located on private land, which we visited with the permission of the property owner. Thanks to Jack, as always, for making the connections.

22/03/2026

Most people think of the American Revolution in terms of famous battles like Lexington and Concord, Saratoga and Yorktown.

But what if I told you that one of the most important contributions to American independence didn’t happen on a battlefield at all … it happened in the shallow, stormy inlets of North Carolina?

David Bennett, Curator of Maritime History at the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, about North Carolina’s role in supplying the American Revolution by sea and the story completely reshapes how we think about the war.

Here are some of the most incredible takeaways:

🚢 The British Navy Was Stretched Thin
During the Revolution, the Royal Navy had to protect Britain from possible French and Spanish invasion, defend Canada and the Caribbean, es**rt merchant ships, support British Army campaigns, and blockade over 1,000 miles of American coastline. In reality, they only had about 50 ships available to enforce that blockade. That made it nearly impossible.

⚓ North Carolina’s Geography Was Its Secret Weapon
Unlike major ports like Boston, New York, and Charleston (which were occupied or tightly blockaded), North Carolina’s coast was treacherous:

• Shifting shoals
• Shallow inlets
• Dangerous swashes barely 9 feet deep
• Unpredictable weather
• Far from British resupply bases

It was known as the “graveyard of the Atlantic” and that worked in America’s favor.

At one point, a British warship chased a French blockade runner into Currituck Inlet, ran aground, had to be scuttled, and its crew marched up the Outer Banks on foot to Virginia.

📍 Ocracoke Inlet: The “Contemptible Port”
Ocracoke became one of the most important supply gateways in the war. It was too shallow for most British warships, but perfect for smaller American and French vessels. British officials complained about the “amazing quantity of goods” flowing through North Carolina. One report claimed 50 vessels were inside Ocracoke at a time. The former royal governor even called it “the contemptible port of Ocracoke” because so many supplies for the Continental Army were coming through it.

🌍 An International Supply Network
North Carolina wasn’t just trading locally. It was part of a global network.

Supplies came from:
• France (often secretly before 1778)
• Spain
• Dutch St. Eustatius
• Danish Caribbean islands
• Sweden
• Even British Bermuda (illegally!)

Bermuda depended on American food. In one dramatic episode, 400 armed Bermudan men confronted a British privateer who had seized their ships for trading with North Carolina and forced him to release them.

💣 What Was Coming In?
Through New Bern and Edenton came:

• Muskets and bayonets (10,000 at one point)
• Gunpowder and cannons
• Salt (critical for preserving meat and keeping livestock healthy)
• Uniforms, cloth, blankets, shoes
• Rum and luxury goods

What was going out?
Primarily to***co (highly prized by France) along with pork, beef, and naval stores like tar and pitch.

🛶 The Hidden Inland Highway
Edenton, on the Chowan River, became one of the most important wartime ports in the state. From there, supplies moved up rivers into Virginia to a small inland community called South Quay, which suddenly became an international arms depot. Ships from Spain, France, and the Caribbean sailed all the way inland to deliver cargo. North Carolina and Virginia even built armed galleys to defend this supply corridor.

❄ Valley Forge: A Lifeline from North Carolina
Perhaps the most remarkable revelation: North Carolina played a key role in supplying Washington’s starving army at Valley Forge. In early 1778, Congress approved a supply route that moved provisions mostly by water:

North Carolina sounds → Virginia rivers → Chesapeake Bay → Head of Elk, Maryland → overland to Valley Forge.

Governor Richard Caswell:
• Seized supplies from speculators
• Placed an embargo on pork exports (except to Bermuda in exchange for salt)
• Redirected imports toward Washington’s army

Later British investigations admitted that supplies from North Carolina helped save Washington’s army from famine.

💰 Boom, Bubble, Bust
Wartime trade turned towns like Edenton and New Bern into booming international hubs. French merchants flooded in. Ships crowded the harbors. One visitor called Edenton “the mart of America.” But when the war ended in 1783, the foreign ships stopped coming. The bubble burst. Trade collapsed. Ships rotted at anchor.

A German traveler described Edenton as filled with vessels “half gone to pieces” and said residents almost wished the war would return because peace ruined their prosperity.

⚖ Not All Patriotism Was Pure
There were controversies:

• War profiteers drove up salt prices.
• Military contractors were accused of corruption.
• High wages at sea drained recruits from the Continental Army.
• Some counties complained nearly all able-bodied men had gone to sea instead of serving.

Patriotism and profit were often intertwined.

🌎 From Insurgency to World War
After France formally allied with the United States in 1778, the conflict exploded into a global war:

• French fleets sailed to America.
• Spain joined in 1779.
• The Dutch joined in 1780.
• Fighting spread to the Caribbean, Europe, India, and Africa.

Meanwhile, the British shifted focus south, burning waterfronts in New Bern and Edenton in an attempt to choke off this supply network.

🇺🇸 🇺🇸. 🇺🇸. 🇺🇸. 🇺🇸. 🇺🇸. 🇺🇸. 🇺🇸. 🇺🇸

The biggest takeaway?

North Carolina’s greatest contribution to the American Revolution wasn’t just soldiers on battlefields.

👉 It was logistics.

👉 It was geography.

👉 It was rivers and inlets.

👉 It was salt and to***co.

👉 It was small schooners slipping past blockades in the dark.

If you’ve never looked at the Revolution through a maritime lens, this story will change how you see it!

See the full talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tSbVKfCE1Y

21/02/2026

17/02/2026

15/02/2026