Photo By Sgt. Neysa Huertas Quinones | Volunteers participate in a memorial service during the 17th annual commemoration of...... read more read more
Subscribe
The sound of cannon fire filled the air as the 17th annual commemoration of the end of the 2nd Seminole War was celebrated at St. Francis Barracks, Fla., Aug. 17, 2024. The ceremony is a yearly tradition hosted by the Florida National Guard in order to honor fallen participants of the Florida Seminole War.
The Florida National Guard welcomed members of the community to witness the march of the color guard and ceremony participants from St. Francis Barracks to the St. Augustine National Cemetery where a service was held. Those participating in the event this year included members of the Masonic Fraternity, St. Augustine High School ROTC program, Seminole Wars Foundation Inc., the Peace River Artillery and more.
“It's important to know history,” said Christopher Kimball, a member of the Seminole Wars Foundation Inc., “It's about who we are and where we came from; what we are today. I was in the Army during Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the Army Adjutant Corps. I just like researching the history and the history of people buried in the back here and what we can find out about them.”
Some participants such as Kimball have been an active part of the ceremony for many years. It is an annual tradition that has resonated with locals as they learn and preserve the history that played a pivotal role in the state's foundation. The event was first started when retired Lt. Col. Greg Moore, a command historian for the Florida National Guard, invited West Point graduates to St. Augustine to learn about the Seminole War gravesite.
“We don’t want anyone to forget the men whose names are engraved into this cemetery,” said Alison Simpson, command historian of the Florida National Guard.
“They mostly were active duty Soldiers but there were Florida Soldiers that were killed in combat during this war as well. My role is to talk about their history so their names aren’t lost.”
The grave site was created in 1842 when the remains of those that participated in the war were transported to the St. Augustine cemetery. The relocation of their remains allowed the families of those individuals to have access to their loved ones as the battlefields were otherwise inaccessible to the public. This public grave site is considered the oldest of its kind in the nation as it preceded the National Cemetery System developed in the 1860’s. The Florida National Guard continues to maintain historical records and diligently seeks out more information in their mission to preserve both the state's history and the roots of its guard.
“Remembering the people is the most important thing to me,” said Kimball. “If it wasn't for the research done by the National Guard and others involved that share a passion for history, these might be names that are lost to history. We've had people come up to us at events saying my ancestors are one of the people buried here. It's good to have that human connection. The only way we are going to be able to get people to understand history is to have something to relate to.”
The Seminole Wars impacted not only the course of Florida history but continues to influence our military history to this day. Lessons were learned both on and off the battlefield as the conflict changed tactics, military organisations and the establishing communities. The annual commemoration of this conflict represents the efforts to preserve the story of Florida as well as its dedication to grow from it.
“We are still taking away lessons learned from the war of the mid 18th century in Florida,” said Simpson. “ I have met a lot of Soldiers throughout my time with the Florida National Guard and almost all of them are passionate about their history. I encourage our Soldiers and Airmen to continue to pursue the history of the unit in which they serve as most likely whatever city they are in in Florida has a connection to this time period.”
| Date Taken: | 08.17.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.19.2024 23:53 |
| Story ID: | 478995 |
| Location: | ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 404 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, 17th annual Seminole Wars service held at St. Francis Barracks, by SGT Neysa Huertas Quinones, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
