KILMARNOCK—Guest speaker Steve Pope of Mathews relayed a bit of local history at the July quarterly meeting of the Rappahannock Chapter 493, U.S. Daughters of the War of 1812.
Introducing Pope, vice president Melinda May indicated he is retired from the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. He most recently served the USCG as the plans and liaison officer for participation in OPSAIL2012 and The Commemoration of the War of 1812. He oversaw the planning, safety, security and event participation of USCG assets in 13 ports within the U.S. and Canada.
During this assignment, he commissioned four paintings of action between U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, the forerunner of the USCG, and forces of the British government. At the end of his tour of duty, Capt. Pope was awarded the Legion of Merit for his leadership in the successful implementation of OPSAIL2012 and the USCG Commemoration of the War of 1812.
His program, “Notes on the War of 1812 and U.S. Revenue Cutter Service,” addressed the diversity of the cultures and the conflicting loyalties of the different people engaged in and affected by the War of 1812 along the Virginia coastline and its rivers, reported publicity coordinator Susan Hudson.
Of local interest, he shared insights about the Baltimore schooner, the Dolphin. She captured numerous British ships and in the spring of 1813 joined up with three other schooners—the Arab, the Lynx and the Racer. These four ships took refuge mooring in the area where the Robert O. Norris Jr. Memorial Bridge crosses the Rappahannock River. In April 1813, a battle ensued where all four U.S. ships were ultimately taken and….
