-Courtesy of Museum of the American Revolution
The sword of a soldier who served in the Continental Army’s Corps of Light Infantry, given to him by the Marquis de Lafayette and carried at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781 alongside Alexander Hamilton, has been donated to the Museum of the American Revolution. It will be on public display in the Museum’s core exhibit starting Nov. 5, 2024.
Jeremiah Keeler, who was born in Ridgefield, Connecticut, in 1760 and initially served in the Connecticut militia as a teenager, is said to have used the sword as a crutch on his long walk home at the end of the Revolutionary War. At the Siege of Yorktown, Keeler and his comrades in the Corps of Light Infantry famously assaulted a British redoubt which led the Continental Army and its French allies to victory. Alexander Hamilton commanded that brave attack. Now, this witness object – donated by Keeler’s great-great-great-great granddaughter in memory of her mother who cherished the family heirloom – will help to tell the stories of common soldiers whose service and sacrifice contributed to the founding of the American nation.
“The Museum of the American Revolution is honored that Sergeant Keeler’s descendants have entrusted us to preserve this incredibly rare sword for future generations,” said Museum President and CEO Dr. R. Scott Stephenson. “We are excited to share the story of this young Connecticut veteran of America’s first greatest generation with visitors from across the country and around the world.”
The sword was donated by Suzanne Reynolds of Birmingham, Michigan, alongside her two sisters and her son, in memory of her mother, Helene Keeler Spangler. Reynolds said her mother cherished the sword her whole life as a symbol of pride in her heritage.
“My family and I are excited and proud for the sword to be displayed and appreciated for what it is – a historic artifact,” Reynolds said. “I think it’s important for people to know that these artifacts are out there, and that they can be shared with people in this country, and maybe even around the world. It’s hard to put into words how important this was to my mom, and I think that the most important thing for my family is to honor my mom with this donation.”
The public appearance of the sword is also significant to people currently residing in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and the neighboring town of South Salem, New York, where Jeremiah Keeler later settled after his service. The Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center in Ridgefield is currently situated within the home that was purchased in 1772 by Jeremiah Keeler’s brother, Timothy Keeler, and was run as a tavern and inn by the family until the property changed hands in 1907. In the 1960s, the property was purchased by town residents concerned about its fate, and then turned into a museum.
“Jeremiah Keeler is a patriotic figure here in Ridgefield, being one of the only members of the well-known family who was enlisted during the Revolutionary War,” said Catherine Prescott, Chief Curator of the Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center. “We are excited to have this important piece of our town’s history displayed in Philadelphia. People love to see tangible evidence of our Revolutionary past.”
Jeremiah Keeler’s sword will be on display at the Museum of the American Revolution beginning Nov. 5 next to items owned by Sergeant James Davenport, who served alongside Keeler in the Corps of Light Infantry. This includes the only known surviving pair of shoulder epaulets from a non-commissioned officer in the Continental Army. The Marquis de Lafayette also gifted these epaulets to Davenport.
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