Varnum Continentals

Preserving and Sharing Rhode Island Military History to Inpire and Educate the Public.

You are here: Home / Archives for Uncategorized

[EVENTS] Old Colony History Museum in Taunton, MA, host two events of interest to Varnums and history buffs

By

Check out these fantastic events from the Old Colony History Museum in Taunton, MA.

Thurs., October 19 from 6 PM to 7 PM: October’s Talk: “‘Discovering’ and Conserving the Oldest Flag in America” featuring speakers from the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum

Hear the incredible story of an ancient flag nearly forgotten and lost to time. Conservators from the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum will share his story of how the flag was rediscovered, saved, and now on exhibit to the public. Armory Vice President and Textile Conservator, Maria Vazquez, will share the story of how she painstakingly worked to conserve this fragile and priceless historical artifact from early Colonial American times.

These Talks are all free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served at 5:30 and the presentations will begin at 6:00 pm.

OCHM Talks

Sat., October 21 from 11 AM to 4 PM: The Liberty & Union Festival is an annual event that celebrates Taunton, Massachusetts’ rich history and culture.

Hosted by the Old Colony History Museum, the festival features a variety of local vendors offering unique artisan products and delicious food, as well as plenty of family-friendly activities and crafts. Historical reenactors bring the past to life, and there’s something new to explore each year. Join us for a vibrant and fun fall festival in the heart of beautiful Taunton, MA.

Liberty & Union Festival

[FEATURED EXHIBIT] Bullet-Struck World War II Helmet

By

This bullet-struck World War II U.S. Marine helmet shows that a bullet entered through the rear, passed through the cover, liner, and shell, and then exited at the front rim. It is unknown if the owner was killed, wounded, or wasn’t wearing it at the time. Based on one researcher, the helmet was most likely used at Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and/or Okinawa.

What’s left of the cover retains the original red painted circle on rear, denoting Shore Party duty. The shell and liner both exhibit their red painted square tac marks (also denoting Shore Party). Shore Party forces marked routes inland, organized the beach, directed units and supplies to the front, and controlled stragglers and prisoners.

As the Marine Corps could not find enough engineers and other personnel quickly enough to suit their needs, five Naval Construction Battalions (“Seabees”) were eventually transferred to the Corps to augment their engineer regiments in the Shore/Beach Party role.

This exhibit is on loan and on display at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum.

[FEATURED EXHIBIT] Revolutionary War-period letter written by African American Veteran Thomas Nichols

By

At the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, we have discovered an American Revolutionary War-period letter written (dictated) by African American Thomas Nichols and signed with “his mark”. Freed from enslavement to serve in the First Rhode Island Regiment, Thomas writes to his former “master and mistress” asking for help in getting a discharge since the Revolutionary War had been “very disagreeable to my mind as well as destructive to my health.”

Thomas fought at the Battle of Rhode Island 2 years earlier and was wounded while helping to repel three Hessian charges. The letter is powerful … you can’t help but feel bad for Thomas’s plight and his desperate wish to go home. He appears to be suffering from PTSD. This is an astoundingly rare artifact from the beginnings of our nation. It also reminds us that many of the men serving and fighting for their freedom and country were people of color.

This is an astoundingly rare artifact. To our knowledge, only one other war-time letter from an African American in the American Revolutionary War exists. And, this may be the only one written by a former slave. This letter is a State and National treasure. However, it requires professional conservation work that will cost approximately $990. This work will stabilize the document physically, make it more readable, and most importantly, will make it possible to safely put it on long term display in our climate-controlled, secure museum. Framing and matting with archival grade materials and the highest quality museum glass will likely cost an additional $500 for an estimated total of $1490.

To that end, we staged a successful online fundraiser that surpassed our goal of $1,500 ($1,720 raised!) to preserve the letter.

Recent tour and viewing of Thomas Nichols letter

We also experienced a fantastic moment of serendipity regarding this particular letter. On the exact day that we met our fundraising goal, we were recently joined by two U.S. Army veterans and their daughter. They were moved by many exhibits in our collection, but this letter proved to be the focal point of their tour. Moments like this is why we work so hard to preserve our local and national U.S. history!

Letter transcription (preserving the original spelling and punctuation):

“Windham January 18th 1781

Onered Master & Mistress I take this opportunity to inform you of my citiation att this time & desire your ade = after I drove 3 waggons as far as Windham I hade waggoner tookaway my bath[?] of driving & ordered me to gard ye waggons which I refused & turned back to colonel green att Covintree & ye wagoner sent back two men after me Ye Colonal did not blame me but told ye men and me to go on again & that I should take my waggon again but being over worried with this tramp I got but 3 miles further than where I left ye waggons in So. Windham att ye house of one Dan Murdock where I have been confined with my old fits But have good care taken of me But I have a desire to Return to you Not having any money Nor Clows fit to wair & all strangers to me makes it something difficult for me I have had a Doctor and a Surgans mate to me which advize me to go to xxx corps of invalids at Boston where I may be under half pay During Life Remaining in this poor State of Body But I ante able to go thether Neither do I incline to with out advice from you But I have a desire that Master or Mistress would go to Colonel Green & see if you cant git me Discharged from ye War it being very Disagreabell to my mind as well as Destructive to my helth I suppose I could ride on a horse or att least in a Slay if you could obtain a Discharge for me So that I may Return to my Master and his family again baring[?] the will of god & your pleasure So No more att this time But I Remain your humble & dutiful Thomas “N” His mark

December 31 1780 These lines I recv’d from ye Surgeon’s mate where as Thomas Nickols a soldier belonging to ye first Regiment in Rhode Island State hath been for some time attended with fits in this place & still likely to Remain unfit for military life”

Endnote on Thomas

Sadly, Thomas didn’t get to go home then. He was transferred to the Invalid Corps in February 1781 to serve in whatever capacity his illness allowed (at half pay). More research is needed to determine what his ultimate fate was during and after the War.

[FEATURED EXHIBIT] American Civil War Epaulets belonging to Colonel Amasa Sprague Jr.

By

These are American Civil War epaulets belonging to Colonel Amasa Sprague Jr., who served as an aide to his brother, Rhode Island Governor William Sprague, who was the only wartime Governor to have led men in combat.

  • Colonel Amasa Sprague Jr.
  • American Civil War epaulets belonging to Colonel Amasa Sprague Jr.
  • American Civil War epaulets belonging to Colonel Amasa Sprague Jr.
  • American Civil War epaulets belonging to Colonel Amasa Sprague Jr.

[FEB. 12 DINNER MEETING] 50 Tons of Fighting Fury: Navy PT Boats and their Crews

By

PT Boat in World War II
PT Boat in World War II

The news media called them “The Plywood Navy.” The Japanese called them “Devil Boats.” Historian, author, and lecturer Brian L. Wallin brings to life the story of the US Navy’s Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons Training Center in Melville, Rhode Island, and the men who fanned out from the Ocean State with their small war craft to every corner of the globe.

Numerous rarely seen pictures trace the development of the PT Boat fleet and the story of how more than 11,000 officers and enlisted personnel trained at a large and hastily built facility on Narragansett Bay between 1942 and 1945. Brian recently presented this program for the Naval War College’s “Eight Bells” series. He draws upon the archives of the War College, the Naval Heritage and History Command, and the Battleship Cove PT Museum along with the personal memorabilia of PT crew family members to present rarely seen images of PT training and battlefront exploits from the frozen Aleutians to D-Day and the island campaigns of the Pacific.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Brian Wallin is a graduate of Stonehill College and earned his master’s degree from American International College. He has been a radio-television reporter-anchor in New England, contributing to major networks. He turned his career to health care administration, serving in executive positions in Massachusetts, Maryland, and Rhode Island and retired as vice president of Kent Hospital. He is also a trustee of the Varnum Continentals, a member of the US Naval Institute, and a docent at the Naval War College Museum. He writes for the online journal of Rhode Island history, Smallstatebighistory.com, and is the co-author of World War II Rhode Island (History Press, 2017).

Reservations for this dinner must be received by 5 pm Friday, February 9.

Call Scott Seaback at 401-413-6277 or email him at scott@ritemps.com.

TIME: 5:30 p.m. (social hour); 6:30 p.m. (dinner followed by program)
LOCATION: Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, 6 Main St, East Greenwich, RI, 02818.
FEE: $20 including dinner (filet wrapped in bacon, seafood pasta, roasted veggies, salad, rolls and butter, dessert, and coffee)

About the Varnum Continentals

The Varnum Continentals are committed to the preservation of the historic heritage of our community, our state, and our nation. Please take a virtual tour of our museums to learn more about our mission to encourage patriotism. You can participate with us through active membership and/or philanthropic support in our non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Museum tours are welcomed and our facilities may be rented for suitable events.

Our Mission

Preserving and sharing Rhode Island military history to inspire and educate the public.

Recent Posts