On November 10, 1775, with the American Revolution underway, Hampden-Sydney College was founded. Less than a year later, the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, marked a turning point in the War of Independence, igniting a spirit of freedom that swept through the colonies—reaching even the remote campus of Hampden-Sydney College. In 1777, amid fears of a British invasion, students and faculty members responded to a call-to-arms by Virginia Governor and Hampden-Sydney Founding Trustee Patrick Henry. As part of the Prince Edward County Militia, the Hampden-Sidney Boys marched from Hampden-Sydney to Williamsburg, Virginia, ready to defend the fledging nation.

In early April 2025, as part of the College’s 250th anniversary celebrations, Hampden-Sydney community members retraced that historic path. In a three-day, relay-style march covering more than 75 miles, students, alumni, faculty, and staff honored those early defenders, commemorating the College’s enduring commitment to good citizenship and freedom and bringing to life the personal sacrifices and shared legacy of the students and faculty who undertook the original march 250 years ago.

“In 1777, the Virginia General Assembly got word that the British fleet was on the move, and when the fleet came around the cape to the Chesapeake Bay and that news was confirmed, it alarmed the people of Richmond, and they decided to mobilize 4,000 militia to head to the coast,” said Visiting Lecturer Colonel Greg Eanes. “Among them were 200 men from the Prince Edward County militia. At the time, the Virginia militia used a number system—everyone in the company was assigned a number from one to 10. If your number came up—say one—all the men with that number were either chosen or placed in the pool to go. In this case, the boys from Prince Edward wanted to go as a unit. So those who didn’t have one went around to others from the county and swapped numbers so they could all go together as a company. From there, they marched to Williamsburg and remained for several weeks.”

Bringing this historic journey to life required a united effort across the College, driven by the vision of the 250th Anniversary Committee and the leadership of Dwayne Bowyer ’92—associate dean of students for student conduct and character and director of Greek life—with support from Colonel Eanes, the Office of Student Affairs, the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest, the Compass Program, and the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement.

The march began on April 4 at Hampden House, situated beside the archaeological dig associated with the History of Hampden-Sydney College course (HIST 385), taught by Committee Co-Chair and Elliott Professor of History Caroline Emmons and archaeologist Charles Pearson. Pearson, who is in charge of the excavation, offered brief remarks alongside Colonel Eanes and College Chaplain Keith Leach ’81 before the group set off. From there, students, alumni, faculty, and staff made their way into Farmville, Virginia, where they took the High Bridge Trail, crossing the historic High Bridge, and eventually closing out the first day of the journey after more than 23 miles.

The second day began early at Great Shiplock Park in Richmond, Virginia, as the group set out once again, making their way through a range of landscapes on the Virginia Capital Trail and covering 30 miles before reaching Lawrence Lewis Jr. Park in Charles City, Virginia. There, members of the Reenacting Club—dressed in period attire—offered an educational demonstration of a soldier’s daily life. The long miles and physical demands kept participants focused on the journey rather than the destination, sparking meaningful conversations and personal reflections on the College’s and country’s founding.

On the third and final day, the group pushed through more than 26 miles along the Virginia Capital Trail, joined along the way by Hampden-Sydney President Larry Stimpert and several dozen members of the College community. The journey concluded with a warm welcome from Patrick Henry himself (or at least someone who looked an awful lot like him), who thanked the group for their dedication and service by reciting a portion of his famous 1775 “Give me liberty or give me death” speech, saying: “If we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending—if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained—we must fight! I repeat it; we must fight. God save you, the rights and liberties of America,” before finishing with a contemporary addition: “…and God save the garnet and grey.”

Reflecting on the long and strenuous journey, Reenactment Club member Brandon Hyde ’25 shared his thoughts with the crowd: “I am incredibly grateful for this experience. Through sweat, toil, and pain, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of what these men endured for our country’s liberty—and the immense hardships they overcame to complete this treacherous journey to Williamsburg. I’m left with a profound sense of awe and humility at the fact that they accomplished such a feat without the aid of modern comforts. This has truly been a humbling experience—one I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

“Throughout the three-day march, I was inspired by the more than 50 people who participated and truly honored by the Hampden-Sydney men and community who embraced the College’s history and reflected on the sacrifices, commitment, and determination of the Hampden-Sydney men in 1777,” Bowyer says. “As the larger group walked the final mile through Williamsburg—I, as a proud alumnus and veteran—was extremely satisfied and grateful to witness such a monumental event and gathering to honor our past and remember our history.”

“Every moment of the march brought out its own emotions,” says Dillon Ball ’26, president of the Reenactment Club. “I also believe that all who participated in the march became closer. We formed connections with each other and with our 18th-century brothers. As a reenactor, the march offered countless moments for reflection on what might have been going through the minds of those brave men who stepped off so long ago. There were moments of pride, pain, amazement, sadness, struggle, strength, stress, and joy—and I believe that’s what made the march so meaningful and unforgettable.”

The heart and courage of the Hampden-Sydney men who marched to defend their country in 1777 will forever be remembered—etched into the legacy of the College and carried forward by those who follow. As Dillon put it: “It’s a testament to what we’ve been through and helps preserve the memory of our forefathers in our minds and hearts. I’m deeply grateful to have journeyed with these men; I could not have been in better company, I could not ask for better brothers, I could not ask for better friends. God bless Hampden-Sydney.”