Cry for Freedom / Revolutionary City

  Williamsburg, Virginia, United States
Friday, July 4, 2008

Atop the Capitol

We had a late start for today's 4th of July festivities.  Mike and Steve went to the Governor's Inn to pick-up the camera Mike left there, last weekend.  We coordinated to met at the Visitor Center for Colonial Williamsburg.  When I got to the Visitor Center and was given the program for today, I saw that the 4th of July program has already begun.  I called Mike/Steve to say I would meet them in Colonial Williamsburg and that they need to hurry if they want to see the Declaration of Independence read at 12:30.

The Independence Day program was centered in a section of Colonial Williamsburg called Revolutionary City.  Revolutionary City comprised of restaurants (southern end) and trade shops (northern end) along the eastern side of Duke of Gloucester Street.  The section is anchored by the old Virginia Capitol building on the East side.  There is a stage erected in front of Raleigh Tavern, where the Virginia founding fathers gathered to discuss their revolutionary plans, and in a tree-shaded amphitheater behind the ruins of the old coffeehouse.  Throughout the morning historical interpreters were performing on these stages and interacting with the crowd.  As I stated earlier because we were late, I missed Patrick Henry recalling the origins of the American Revolution in Williamsburg, Henry Hamilton (British governor of Detroit) discussing his treatment as a common prisoner of war, Barbry Hoy retelling her adventures following her husband who enlisted in the Revolutionary Army.  Most disappointing of all...I missed Benedict Arnold seizing Williamsburg for the British army.

Freedom dialogue

Sermon

However I did catch at the Coffeehouse backyard, a thought provoking dialog between two African slaves discussing the merits of running away from their masters to join the British camp, since England had abolished slavery.  Although the Declaration of Independence at that time only freed white American males, I like to think those precious words inspired people like the French National Assembly, Gandhi, King and Mandela.  The next performance featured an African American Baptist preacher sharing his hopes for the future where all citizens are equal and where there is no state sanctioned church.  As I walked along Duke of Gloucester street, my nose lead me to the bakery behind Raleigh Tavern.  There I spied the Fife and Drum Corp lounging in the courtyard and getting ready for the later festivities. 

As it neared 12:30, I walked back to the west end of the Capitol where people are amassing waiting for the reading of the Declaration of Independence.  The event started with a parade by the Fife and Drum Corp marching down Duke of Gloucester Street.  As they passed, I processed behind them towards the west corner of the Capitol building.  This gave me a great view of the reading. 

Reading the declaration

On the second floor balcony of the Capitol was Patrick Henry and ringed around the west corner were the historical interpreters featured earlier today.  Patrick Henry started the reading and each interpreter took turns continuing with different portions of the Declaration.  Unless you are British, you can not help to be moved by these strong, hopeful words penned by Thomas Jefferson.

After the reading, I met up with Mike and Steve.  Next, we took a tour of the Capitol building.  The Capitol was split into two partitions, the King and the Burgess side.  The historical interpreter at the King side, explained how if you had an audience with the King's governor chances are you are on trail for some serious offense.  The historical interpreter at the Burgess side talked about all the great men who held office in the House of Burgess to include Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. 

In the House of Burgess

He detailed how during the fire fight at Lexington and Concord, the British governor of Virginia seized all the weapons in the Armory of Williamsburg, stored them in a ship anchored in the Chesapeake Bay and remained there until the end of the Revolution.  This was called the Gunpowder Incident and sparked the revolution in the colony of Virginia. 

This was a very informative and rousing afternoon.