This is the 23rd year that Friends of Crab Island, the American Legion and other veterans groups paid tribute to soldiers who died during the Battle of Plattsburgh on September 11, 1814 and are buried on Crab Island, offshore of Plattsburgh. But it was the first time the commemoration has not been held on the island.
The 40-acre Crab Island is only accessible by boat. It features a 100-foot flagpole above a monument to the more than 100 men buried in unmarked graves across the island.
This year the memorial was held at the Battlefield Memorial Gateway Park, which overlooks the island on Lake Champlain’s western shore.
Sons of the American Legion and Friends of Crab Island member John Rock began the ceremony remembering the significance of the date in two different centuries.
“This is our 9/11 up here in the North Country and I’d like to have a moment of peace for the 9/11, 2001.”
Post 1619 American Legon Past Commander Ron Poland noted Crab Island and the Battle of Plattsburgh’s historical significance.
“It’s the only place in the country that we’re pretty sure that you had both sides of a battle buried together at one location.”
The ceremony was moved to the Battlefield Memorial Gateway Park because a section of the flagpole on the island has broken.
A wreath was laid by 1814 Inc. Chair Tom Donahue and Roger Harwood, whom Poland explained helped initiate the Crab Island commemoration.
“Roger got us into this business in the first place by going over to Crab Island, looking at it and going ‘damn somebody should come over here and take care of this place a little bit.’ So he put his riding lawnmower into his ten-foot boat and rode it over there. Now I’m probably exaggerating a little bit of that but he did go over there and he did start to maintain it. And then we got on board a couple of years later when we saw what he was doing," recalled Poland.
Rock also announced that the names, rank and ship of the American veterans buried on the island would be read.
“This is a list of the fallen that are on Crab Island, who are buried on Crab Island. It’s never been read in public before," Rock said. "This is the very first time in 210 years that a list of the names and the rank that they were when they were killed during battle right here on the lake.”
Craig Russell, portraying Alexander Macomb, read the names.
"It’s in alphabetical order so: Thomas Anwright, Brig Eagle, seaman. John Atkinson, Schooner Ticonderoga, boatswain’s mate."
The American flag was raised at the entrance to the park by veteran Rick Pomerlew and former Mayor Don Kasprzak.
"Go ahead and raise the flag."
Again, John Rock:
“The veterans fought for our flag and our flag should fly for the veterans that gave the ultimate sacrifice during the battle. It was veterans, they came out there with us when we originally raised the flagpole to honor their fallen comrades.”
Naval Archive records indicate there are 51 Americans and 102 British buried on Crab Island.
Boat access to Crab Island from the Battlefield Memorial Gateway Park for the annual commemoration is expected to be in place by 2026.
