Vice-President Rebecca Chipman and President Michele Russell pose for a photo with the 1812 wreath, which is also in front of the marker.
1812 Wreath
Left to right: Kathy Benedict, Pat Tucker, Susan Woodward, Librarian Martha Blacher, Susan DeGroote, Carol Jutte, Registrar Suzanne Palmer, Chaplain Linda Lashley, Anne Boone, Treasurer Cindy Sellers, Phyllis Wilson, Keidra Koenig, President Michele Russell, Vice-President Rebecca Chipman, Carole Weiss, Historian Joan Hall, Secretary Caron Myers, Judy Ward, and Bettie Lettieri absent from photo, but in attendance, guests Judy Caison and Vicki Lauziere
"Chapter Member Judy Ward spoke on the War of 1812 and the Battle of New Orleans".
Members of the Commissioner Charles Gause No. 433 Chapter of the National Society of the United States Daughters of 1812 gathered in Southport on an unusually warm and sunny Wednesday, January 8, 2026, to commemorate the Battle of New Orleans. This is the 12th year that the chapter has been celebrating this event. There were 21 ladies present. Two guests and 19 members.
1812 member Judy Ward provided an engaging address at the annual Battle of New Orleans Memorial. Central to her speech was the debate over whether the War of 1812 should be viewed as a direct continuation of the American Revolution or as a distinct and independent conflict. Ward examined arguments on both sides, noting that while the war was shaped by unresolved issues from the Revolution – such as sovereignty and territorial claims – it also reflected new challenges that emerged in the early 19th century.
Ward then addressed the post-Constitution era, emphasizing that economic policies such as tariffs and ongoing British influence complicated the young nation’s efforts to define its boundaries in North America. She explained that these factors not only strained relations with Great Britain but also affected interactions with neighboring Canada, Spanish territories, and the Native nations whose lands were caught in the crosscurrents of imperial ambition.
Ward positioned the Battle of New Orleans as a defining moment that encapsulated the broader significance of the War of 1812. She urged continued scholarly debate on whether the war was a postscript to the Revolution or a unique conflict, emphasizing the importance of including all voices in the historical narrative. The last decisive battle of New Orleans, where enslaved men, freemen, and Indians who joined for only a short time, seeing that the war was not beneficial to them, left. So was the War of 1812 part of the American Revolution, or was it just a conflict?
Chaplain Linda Lashley handed out flowers to all the members to place on the marker in memory of their patriots.
Public Relations chair, Phyllis Wilson, placed a flower in honor of her patriot, John Merriam, MA.
Member Susan DeGroote placed a flower in memory of her patriot, Joseph Harris Woolfold from Kentucky.
Susan Woodard traveled with her daughter, Kathy Benedict, from Jacksonville, NC, to attend this event.
1812 Member Pat Tucker attended the Battle of New Orleans event on a beautiful sunny afternoon on January 8, 2026, to honor her patriot, Peter Mumpower from VA.
Below, the marker is adorned with flowers placed by the members who attended. Linda Lashley came back after lunch and arranged the flowers more attractively, and took a photo for our blog. Great idea, Linda.
After celebrating the Battle of New Orleans, members visited Oliver’s Restaurant for refreshments, which gave everyone an opportunity to reflect on the day’s commemorations.
Thank you, 1812 members Caron Myers and Linda Lashley, who took photos on January 8th. Plus, Linda went back to the site, rearranged all the flowers, and took a photo for the blog. Thank you, Linda. Also, a special thanks to Vicki Lauziere, a friend of Phyllis Wilson's, who came to take a group shot so Phyllis could be in it.
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