On Saturday, February 28, members of the National Society Sons of the American Revolution traveled to the Brier Creek Battlefield in Screven County to participate in the SAR NATIONAL event, the 247th Anniversary Celebration of the Battle at Brier Creek that was fought on March 3, 1779. This year, we added a Patriot Grave Marking Event. The BCRWBA installed a 6' X 4' X 10" Grave Marker on Friday morning February 27 to honor all KNOWN Patriots that died at the Battle of Brier Creek. So far, out of the over 150 Patriots that died at the battle, only one has been proven. That Patriot is 1st Lt. Thomas Farnsley Lovett. His name was added to the marker and as we prove others that died at the battle, a Patriot Grave Marking will be held for them. After the raising of the Betsy Ross Flag and the Gadsden Flag by the Skunk Brigade, The Master of Ceremonies, Tommy Christopher, welcomed everyone to this year's National event. Compatriot Bernard Martin then came forward and gave the invocation. After the presentation of the Colors by the Georgia Society Color Guard Commander K. Scott Collins and the Color Guard, the assembly sang the National Anthem and then was led in the Pledge of Allegiance by Wiregrass Registrar Dess D. Smith III. Then M/C Christopher asked for greetings from William Tankersley President of the GA Society, Brook Lyle Treasurer General of the National Society, Helen Robertson Powell Regent GA State Society NSDAR, Jon Burns Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, and Max Burns GA State Senate, 23rd District. M/C Christopher then conducted the Dedication of the recently completed 2.5 mile Walking Trail that followed the old Augusta/Savannah Road that ran through the battlefield. Next, M/C Tommy conducted along with David Dickey the Patriot Grave Marking for 1st Lt. Thomas Farnsley Lovett. David gave us a brief history of Lt Lovett which included this biography: On October 16, 1775, Thomas signed on as a 1st Lt. with St. George's Parish Militia under Captain Greiner. Family verbal history says that at the Battle of Brier Creek, on March 3, 1779, the British captured Thomas and a compatriot, John Conyers. They were imprisoned on a British ship "Rose" in Savannah where Thomas died and was buried at sea. M/C Tommy then asked the descendants of Lt. Farnsley to unveil the monument. M/C Tommy then held the wreath presentations of which there were 70 different wreaths presented. Then Commander of the Color Guard Scott Collins called for the Retrieval of the Colors. Then Commander Collins ordered the Brier Creek militia and Brier Creek Artillery to fire an alternating three round volley. Besides the 15 Brier Creek militia firing their flintlocks, there were seven canons from the Brier Creek Artillery firing under the command of Steve Burke. The canons were Alton Reynolds, Don Bazemore, Ted Walker, Bernard Martin, Dess Smith III, Lee Herron and Alton McCloud. Then Don Bazemore of the Brier Creek Chapter played Last Post and Taps on his bugle. Then Commander Collins and the Color Guard Retired the Colors. M/C Christopher then asked Bernard Martin, Chaplain of the Brier Creek Chapter to say the Benediction. The event was sponsored by the Wiregrass, Brier Creek and Mill Creek Chapters of the GA Society SAR, the Gov. David Emanuel--Adam Brinson Chapter GA State Society NSDAR and the Brier Creek Revolutionary War Battlefield Association, Inc.
