The 250th anniversary of the Battle of Cricket Hill/Gwynn’s Island was celebrated in Mathews last Thursday with flags, patriotic music, cannon fire, the unveiling of markers, and inspirational addresses by a range of dignitaries and officials to a crowd of over 300 people. Michael Rhodes, past president of the Richard Henry Lee Chapter of the Virginia Society of Sons of the American Revolution and organizer of the event, called the ceremonies to order and oversaw their execution. Fred Lyon, chair of the Mathews VA250 Committee, told those gathered that it had been clear from the initial statewide meeting of VA250 committees that Mathews, “because of its historical significance, was going to play an important part.” Among the reasons for this, he said, was that Capt. Louis d’Ohicky Arundel was the first French officer in the Continental Army to be killed in the Revolutionary War after the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. He died on July 9, the same date that t...