Honorary First Defenders Wreath Laying West Park



 

Wreath Laying Ceremony

West Park, 15th and Linden Streets, Allentown

Held at Ignatz Gresser’s Statue

Monday, April 18, 2016 at 11:00 AM

Honorary First Defenders Commander, LTC Donald W. Davis

Allentown Mayor’s Proclamation presented by Nate Kline

 

The Honorary First Defenders, Allentown Chapter will hold its annual Wreath Laying Ceremony at 11 AM on April 18th.

  • Presentation/Posting of Colors – 96th PA Infantry, Dieruff High School Air Force JRROTC
  • Pledge of Allegiance
  • Prayer
  • History of the First Defenders
  • Reading of the Resolution of the 37th Congress
  • Roll Call of the Allen Infantry
  • Reading of the Proclamation, Major Nate Kline
  • Laying of the wreath
  • Taps
  • Retire the Colors

 

Brief History:

The ceremony honors the original Allen Infantry of the local militia who traveled on April 17, 1861 from Allentown to Harrisburg where they joined four other PA units.  They left by train for Washington and while marching from one train station to another in Baltimore, they were stoned by Southern sympathizers.  Thus the first blood was spilled from this bloody war.  Among those injured was Ignatz Gresser who was later awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism in the Battle of Antietam; the only Allentownian ever so honored.  The men from Pennsylvania were the first to arrive in Washington on April 18th in 1861 in defense of our Capitol.  By their presence they not only deterred the South from any plans they may have had to capture our Capitol; they also may have changed the course of the war itself.  Through their actions they came to be numbered among “The First Defenders” who the Allentown HFD so proudly commemorates through this ceremony. 

www.honoraryfirstdefenders.com

 

 
Information Provided By:
Viola C. Hertzog, Assistant Director
Lehigh County Veterans Affairs
17 South Seventh Street
Allentown, PA 18101
www.lehighcounty.org