Mattapoisett recognizes its Revolutionary War heroes
Sons of the American Revolution from the left: Brad Bittenbender, Stephen Watts and Scott Tourtellot. Members of the Sons of the American Revolution can trace their bloodline back to soldiers of the Revolutionary War. Photos by Tanvi Kulkarni
Mark Paradis, executive director of Taps for Veterans, played “Taps” on the trumpet. The organization’s mission is for every veteran to receive a live, 24-note salute, and it has over 1,500 volunteers across the nation that attend events such as these.
The Henry Knox Color Guard and RTP Living History Color Guard performed a three-musket volley salute. They raised and fired their arms three times.
Boy Scouts from Troop 31 in Rochester rang the bell to honor each soldier. They also volunteered with the cemetery for years to get it to its present condition.
The color guard was dressed in historic clothing.
Jodie Camara, Mattapoisett assistant town clerk, and Cathy Heuberger, town clerk, dressed up as John Hammond’s two wives.
Madison Cable lays a carnation at the grave of a Revolutionary War soldier, honored at the ceremony after 250 years. Cable sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America” for the ceremony.
The plaque names 20 Revolutionary War soldiers from the Tri-Towns.
Sons of the American Revolution from the left: Brad Bittenbender, Stephen Watts and Scott Tourtellot. Members of the Sons of the American Revolution can trace their bloodline back to soldiers of the Revolutionary War. Photos by Tanvi Kulkarni
Mark Paradis, executive director of Taps for Veterans, played “Taps” on the trumpet. The organization’s mission is for every veteran to receive a live, 24-note salute, and it has over 1,500 volunteers across the nation that attend events such as these.
The Henry Knox Color Guard and RTP Living History Color Guard performed a three-musket volley salute. They raised and fired their arms three times.
Boy Scouts from Troop 31 in Rochester rang the bell to honor each soldier. They also volunteered with the cemetery for years to get it to its present condition.
The color guard was dressed in historic clothing.
Jodie Camara, Mattapoisett assistant town clerk, and Cathy Heuberger, town clerk, dressed up as John Hammond’s two wives.
Madison Cable lays a carnation at the grave of a Revolutionary War soldier, honored at the ceremony after 250 years. Cable sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America” for the ceremony.
The plaque names 20 Revolutionary War soldiers from the Tri-Towns.
MATTAPOISETT — The Tri-Towns’ history stretches back to the birth of our nation. A Saturday plaque ceremony at Hammondtown Cemetery on River Road honored 20 Revolutionary War soldiers who fought for the nation’s freedom.
The Hammond family is one of the oldest families from the original Plymouth colony and, in 1680, two Hammonds settled in Rochester, which encompassed all of what is now Mattapoisett, Marion and Rochester at the time. John Hammond became a public official, and Benjamin Hammond became a Dartmouth surveyor.
The Hammondtown area in Mattapoisett is named after this family, and there are 10 soldiers with the last name of Hammond who were honored on the plaque.
“Our family lines bridged the earliest pilgrims directly to the generation that would fight for our independence,” said Barbara Shurtleff, a Hammond family descendant. “Knowing that their bloodline, grit and patriotism belonged to our family gives a deep personal meaning to the 20 revolutionary veterans we are honoring.”
Shurtleff’s branch of the Hammond family made its permanent home in Mattapoisett many generations ago. About 20% of the Tri-Towns’ population, or 515 men, served in the war, including the Battle of Bunker Hill, Mattapoisett Museum Administrator Connor Gaudet said.
“We should never forget that the revolution began here in Massachusetts,” said Town Administrator Michael Lorenco. “Some of those who answered the call are buried right here beneath our feet.”
U.S. Rep. William Keating and state Rep. Mark Sylvia were in attendance and presented official certificates to the town of Mattapoisett. Keating presented a flag to the town that had flown over the nation’s capital, in thanks to the 20 soldiers “that made our country great.”
After the plaque unveiling, Edgar Hoak read each soldier’s name out loud and Boy Scouts from Troop 31 in Rochester rang a bell for each one. The color guard, dressed in historic clothing, performed a three-musket volley salute, and Mark Paradis performed “Taps” on the trumpet. Madison Cable, who sang the national anthem to begin the ceremony, sang “God Bless America.”
Each attendant laid a carnation at the graves of the 20 Revolutionary War soldiers, whose graves were marked with flags. Raymond Hanks, chair of the Cemetery/Veterans Committee, noted that the Boy Scout troop has been working on the cemetery for about four years to get it into its present condition.
“We go to a lot of cemeteries, and this cemetery is beautiful. The headstones are in fabulous condition. It’s roomed phenomenally,” Hanks said. “You can just be very proud of what they’ve done for this community.”
