Independence Day

July 4th is celebrates in the US as Independence Day, the day the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. I always found that interesting because the Continental Congress declared independence 2 days earlier. The war stretched on for 5 more years, essentially ending only with the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown in October 19th 1781. Technically, we remained at war until the Paris Treaty of 1783, at which point Britain officially recognised the United States as independent.

On a parallel line, the Second Continental Congress created the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union which were ratified March 1 1781. Of course, the Confederation didn't last that long, and was eventually replaced with the current United States Constitution, adopted September 17th 1787, finally ratified on June21st 1788.

None of those dates are celebrated or recognised in any way. Celebrations aren't logical I guess! For many Americans, this is a day of outdoor barbecues, fireworks and a day off from work.

This memorial is in Vale Cemetery, overlooking the Cowhorn Creek. I was very surprised to see it decorated with US flags - it seemed as if only vandals and people looking for a secluded place to have a beer party came down here. Those flags might not be memorable to anyone except me and the people who placed the flags, but that's why I have a blog!

The text of the monument reads:

1776

Sacred to the Memory of FIFTY SEVEN AMERICAN SOLDIERS Who were buried at Schenectady during the REVOLUTION. Their remains were disinterred Nov. 1854 and reinterred with MILITARY honors In August 1859. They were again removed and placed beneath this stone

(at this point the inscription wraps around and I haven't got a photo of that side! Oops. I'll toddle back and get that photo ASAP.)

A strange coincidence on this date. The two Presidents who signed the Declaration of Independence (Adams and Jefferson) both died within hours of each other exactly 50 years later, July 4th 1826.

Civil War monument

While remembering the start of WWII I was drawn to reflect on all the other conflicts that have passed through history. Schenectady has been fortunate in that we haven't had hostile action on our soil since the early settlement days in 1690 or so. But we've sent men off to the wars.

The city has set aside a small sliver of land at the base of State Street hill, at Lafayette St to remember those men. It's now called Veteran's Park There are monuments there for most of the conflicts the United States has been involved in. Arguably the worst was the Civil War - North against South, brother against brother.

This monument remembers a different Civil War battle on each face. I chose Gettysburg because of Lincoln's speech commemorating the Gettysburg cemetery.

Casimir Pulaski

This is another of those monuments sited in a place one wouldn't expect. On a narrow strip of grass and trees at State Street and Nott Terrace is this monument honouring Casimir Pulaski, hero of the American Revolution. He was never here; his statue was erected by the Polish population of the city to honour their distinguished countryman's service to the fledgling USA.