THIS WEEK IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY HISTORY: American flag raised over Fort Marion in 1926
Editor’s note: The St. Augustine Evening Record published this story on Nov. 11, 1926.
Silence wrapped the throngs on the terreplein of ancient Fort Marion this morning as the “Star Spangled Banner” was solemnly raised over the historic pile for the first time since 1866, when the United States decreed that the veteran battlements should no longer be considered as a military unit.
This ceremony, followed by the rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner'' was the municipal band, terminated the most significant and impressive Armistice Day ritual ever held within the confines of the Ancient City.
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The Armistice Day celebration, which was carried on under the auspices of the St. Johns Post of the American Legion, commenced at 10:15 this morning at the National Cemetery where, through the courtesy of Custodian L.L. Davis, a cross to the memory of the Unknown Soldier Dead had been erected.
At 10:16 taps was sounded over the cross and a wreath was placed on the memorial while the Rev. A.E. Calkins offered a prayer to the American soldier both dead and living.
A firing squad, under the leadership of Captain Fritz Hatcher of the local National Guard Unit, saluted the heroic dead while Spanish-American and World War veterans, National Guard, Boy Scouts and citizens of St. Augustine stood at attention to the strains of America played by the municipal band.
Following this ceremony the municipal band assembled outside the cemetery reservation and the march to Fort Marion commenced.
The line of march was the city band, the color squad and guard of the American Legionaires, veterans of the World War, Guardsmen and Boy Scouts, with the remainder of the assemblage bringing up the rear. A number of local civic organizations had voted to attend in a body.
The marchers then wound their way down Marine to Bay and thence to the Fort Marion reservation where Post Commander J. Burnie Griffin took charge of the ceremonies. At eleven o’clock, the very hour when, eight years ago, the last shot of the World War was fired, the city band played taps, and one minute of silence was observed by the gathering. The Rt. Rev. Patrick Barry, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Florida, then rendered the invocation.
Past Post Commander Chas.. E. Harris then read Scout George Burrows’s prize winning Boy Scout essay on “What the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier should mean to the American People,” and presented the three prizes given by Colonel F.H. Sargent to the three Scouts of the St. Johns County having handed in the best essays, George Burrows receiving the first prize, Dan Stevenson the second, and Walter Lawton the third.
This was followed by the introduction by J. Burnie Griffin of the living past mayors of St. Augustine.
This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: St. Johns County History: US flag raised over Fort Marion at 1926 event
