The W3R^® of Virginia

W3R^®-VA Chair: vacant

Virginia Affiliates  The following groups have supported the W3R® by providing participating members, consultants, speakers, funding, publicity, meeting space, and many other resources. Alliance Française de Charlottesville Sons of the Revolution in the Commonwealth of Virginia Virginia State Society, Daughters of the American Revolution Virginia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution York County Historical Museum

History of W3R® in VA | Events and Reports for 2006 | 2007 | 2008

For later activities, see the Events link on the W3R¨-US home page.

Major Historic Events in Virginia  George Washington saw Mt. Vernon for the first time in six years, and he entertained the general staffs of the Continental Army and the French Expeditionary Force at his home. The allied armies and navies converged on Yorktown, isolating Cornwallis from supplies or military support. The allies besieged the British camp, and gained victory at a cost of only 250 dead (30 American, 60 French, and 160 British) among the 29,000 participants (11,000 American, 8,800 French, and 10,000 British) directly involved in the siege. This does not count the sailors and marines from the 24 French and 19 British ships-of-the-line that fought for control of the Chesapeake Bay. The French Expeditionary Force remained for eight months in various cities to guard captured prisoners and supplies while the U.S. Continental units left immediately after Cornwallis' surrender to return to guarding the area around New York City. On the great march going south the French baggage train and hussars used two other camps in VA overnight. The whole French Expeditionary Force used another 16 camps overnight only going north (total nineteen plus an as-yet unknown [to the page manager] number of winter-over sites).

2006 Mar 27 -- Status of the W3R® in Virginia   by Kevin Vincent, Virginia Coordinator for the W3R® Virginia has an array of geographically and institutionally separate commemorative initiatives now underway related to the W3R®. Several established institutions such as Yorktown National Park, Colonial Williamsburg, Mount Vernon, and Gunston Hall had 225th Anniversary events and included the events focused on the W3R®. In addition, the following W3R® projects are now underway: (1) Ms. Andree King and Ambassador Nathaniel Howell of the Alliance Française de Charlottesville and the Albemarle/Charlottesville Historical Society, Mr. Jay Harrison of Orange County and others formed a committee to plan W3R®-related activities in Central Virginia. These included reenactment for the 225th anniversary of the ride of Virginia's "Paul Revere" -- Jack Jouett's ride in 1781 to warn Governor Thomas Jefferson and the Virginia legislature of the approach of British raiders. (2) Todd Post organized re-enactors for several events including a reenactment of the battle of Green Spring, the final engagement in Virginia near Williamsburg that preceded the Siege of Yorktown. . Proceeds from this event were used to preserve the Green Springs battlefield, one the key sites on the W3R®. Don Troiani of Historical Art Prints donated one of his limited edition Revolutionary War prints to be raffled as a fund raiser for preservation of a portion of the original Green Spring battlefield. (3) Joe Chudzik helped develop a wayside narker on Old Colchester Road in Fairfax County with interpretive signage to commemorate the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route through Fairfax County. (4) The Virginia Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) placed a W3R® "Route to Victory" display at Mount Vernon and with the National Park Service developed and dedicated a "sister" display at Yorktown. Carol Howerton was coordinator for this outstanding project. (5) The Virginia Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) co-sponsored several W3R®-VA events, including a program to commemorate the visit to Mount Vernon by Washington and Rochambeau on 10-11 September 1781. Joe Dooley was the point of contact for the SAR. (6) Gunston Hall hosted "Crisis on the Potomac: Revolutionary Reenactment & Battle", a reenactment of the British naval raids all along the Potomac River and other major waterways in early 1781. The British plundered Virginia plantations, tobacco warehouses, and slaves, and caused George Mason to evacuate his family and belongings to Maryland. This was the first event in Virginia to commemorate the 225th anniversary of military events that occurred in 1781. 2006 September: America's March to Yorktown America's March to Yorktown (AMtY) Activities: Sep. 22: Arlington, Fort C.F. Smith Park, reenact Georgetown encampment Sep. 23: Arlington, ceremony to welcome AMtY and to commemorate crossing of the Potomac River by French wagon train Sep. 23: Alexandria, reenact encampment in Old Town Alexandria Sep. 23-Oct. 6: reenact march from Arlington to Williamsburg. Sep. 23: Fredericksburg, reenactment with Generals Washington and Joe Weedon answering questions from the public. Sep. 24: visit to Mount Vernon Sep. 24: Fairfax County, Pohick Bay Regional Park, reenact Colchester encampment Sep. 25, Dumfries, reenact encampment at Weems-Botts Museum Sep. 26, Stafford County, reenact encampment at Aquia Episcopal Church Sep. 27-28, reenact encampment at Fredericksburg [at George Washington’s Boyhood Home in Stafford County] Sep. 28, Fredericksburg, welcoming ceremony for March to Yorktown at the Chatham Bridge followed by reception at the Lewis Store. Sep. 29, Fredericksburg area, reenact encampment at Belvedere Plantation Sep. 30: Caroline County, reenact encampment at Chase’s End Farm near Bowling Green Oct. 2: Hanover County, reenact encampment at Hanover Courthouse Park -- this is not the courthouse complex, but instead a county park one-half mile south Oct. 4, Talleysville, New Kent County, reenact encampment at Crump’s Mill Oct. 5, Toano, James City County, reenact encampment at Upper County Park Oct. 6, Williamsburg, reenact arrival in Williamsburg Oct. 7: Endview Plantation, reenact final approach to Yorktown and encampment for siege of Yorktown. Oct. 13-15: "Prelude to Victory" at Colonial Williamsburg represented September 26, 27, and 28 of 1781 – the last three days of the period when General Washington and Le Compte de Rochambeau, commander of French forces, were headquartered in Williamsburg prior to the siege at Yorktown. Oct. 4: Arlington, ARRT program on the Siege of Yorktown by Glenn Williams from the U.S. Army Center of Military History. Oct. 14-15: Washington, D.C., Wreath-laying ceremony at Rochambeau statue at Lafayette Square. Oct. 16: Charlottesville lecture by Katherine Woltz on “The Surrender at Yorktown” with the Alliance Française de Charlottesville Oct. 17: Charlottesville lecture by Lionel Estavoyer regarding Besancon, France, and the Revolutionary War, with the Alliance Française de Charlottesville Oct. 18: Petersburg lecture by Delane Ward on Lafayette, sponsored by the Alliance Française de Charlottesville Oct 19-22: Yorktown Day Celebrations -- multiple ceremonies and reenactments at Yorktown and other Tidewater locations Oct 2006 to Aug. 2007: Mount Vernon exhibition on the close "father-son" relationship between George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette. The exhibition will be the principal celebratory event in America to mark the 250th anniversary of Lafayette's birth. Nov. 10-12, 2006 -- “Brothers in Arms” at Colonial Williamsburg. This is not specifically related to the W3R® but focusing on African-Americans who served in the Patriot forces, including the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment. 2006 October: Exhibit on Lafayette and Washington Tthe Mount Vernon Ladies' Association is organizing a traveling exhibition devoted to the close "father-son" relationship between George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette. The exhibition will be the principal celebratory event in America to mark the 250th anniversary of Lafayette's birth. The exhibition will open at Mount Vernon in October 2006 and be on view through early August 2007. It will then travel to Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania (late August through October 2007) and the New York Historical Society in Manhattan (early November 2007 through early February 2008). Following its American tour, the show will, in all likelihood, travel to a venue in France.

2007: Commonwealth of Virginia Funds W3R® Study   June 21 - The Virginia's Commonwealth Transportation Board gave final approval for the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R®) Historic Wayside project on Old Colchester Road. The Board awarded $70,000 in Fiscal Year 2008 funds for the W3R® project. With matching funds provided by Virrginia's Department of Historic Resources, ten counties and two cities in Virginia will identify and document the route taken by the U.S. and French troops marching to Yorktown.