New Jersey

*Essex Troop, Inc. “1890”*

Welcome Richmond Light Infantry Blues “1789”

Commander Eric Motley’s remarks to the Centennial Legion of Historic Military Commands

Today on the 11th of November,2022 The Richmond Light Infantry Blues has been voted into the Centennial Legion of Historic Military Commands, an association and legion of state-level military units that perpetuates those units that served and protected our country in the early days of its history, prior to, during and subsequent to the Revolutionary War.

It is a tremendous honor for us to be welcomed back into the Centennial Legion as a full member representing the Commonwealth of Virginia. When my officers and I began the prodigious undertaking of reviving the Richmond Light Infantry Blues I don’t believe any one of us anticipated this level of support or national recognition. In fact, I would say that the opposite has occurred. Even from the outset of this effort, we have received the well wishes and support of many units in the Legion who wished that one of the former Virginian units would return. I would like to thank those units in particular, as well as in particular the support of those officers from Rhode Island for leaning on us to begin the effort to reenter the Legion. It has been a long and complicated journey to revival, and I would like to express for a final time the appreciation that the membership of the Blues holds towards the Legion and its member units for allowing us this opportunity to return to this fraternity of state and national service.

Additionally, during this meeting in my capacity as Commander of the Richmond Light Infantry Blues, I was elected to the position of State Director for the Commonwealth of Virginia in the Centennial Legion of Historic Commands. I intend to serve the Legion in this directorial capacity with the same loyalty and dedication that I have and will continue to lead the Richmond Light Infantry Blues for as long as I am able. Many thanks to Lieutenant Barton Hyte of Massachusetts, Colonel Ron Barnes of Rhode Island, Lieutenant Colonel John Powell of South Carolina, and Major Bruce Daws of North Carolina for these opportunities for this honored and historic organization.