
It is with much appreciation and admiration that we shine a spotlight on the Caroline Close Stuart Chapter NSDAR of Lake St. Louis, Missouri! Daughters recently donated a set of highly-detailed dolls for Hindman’s Constitution Week display.
As you may know, Constitution Week is the commemoration of America’s most important document. It is celebrated annually during the week of September 17-23. This celebration of the Constitution was started by the Daughters of the American Revolution. In 1955, DAR petitioned Congress to set aside this week annually to be dedicated for the observance of Constitution Week. The resolution was later adopted by the U.S. Congress and signed into public law on August 2, 1956, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
This generous gift highlights some of the American Revolution’s most significant, yet unrecognized heroes. The collection included Lieutenant General Comte De Rochambeau, General Horatio Gates, Parm Mouth, and Abraham Swango.
Lieutenant General Rochambeau commanded French land troops to aid George Washington during the Revolutionary War. Rochambeau marched with George Washington toward Yorktown and combined Marquis Lafayette. Together, they forced Lord Cornwallis out of New York, which served as a major turning point in the war.
General Horatio Gates was a leading general during the early years of the American Revolutionary War. He took charge of the Northern Department in 1777 and was heavily influential to the victory at Saratoga. Continental Congress considered replacing George Washington with Horatio Gates as the Commander-in-Chief.
Of the Six Nations Confederacy, a coalition of native peoples, the Oneida tribe was one of the few to support the American cause. Oneida scouts like Parm Mouth provided the Americans with information, scouts, and spies. During the Burgoyne Campaign, the Oneida provided 150 men to Horatio Gates’ army. The Oneida also provided 50 men to Washington’s army during the Battle of Valley Forge.
Abraham Swango served as a Private in the Virginia Line during the Revolutionary War. The Virginia Line was one of 13 infantry regiments within the continental army. The 13 lines formed the continental line, the majority of the continental army. The Virginia Line saw action in the Battle of Monmouth, the Battle of Trenton, the Siege of Charleston, the New York Campaign, and many other important battles throughout the Revolutionary War.
Thank you members of the Caroline Close Stuart Chapter NSDAR for sharing this gift of patriotism with our students!