A surgical stapling apparatus (10), comprising: a tool assembly (17) having a cartridge assembly (18) including a staple cartridge having a plurality of surgical fasteners (84) therein, and an anvil assembly (20), at least one of the cartridge assembly and anvil assembly being movable in relation to the other of the cartridge assembly and anvil assembly a surgical buttress releasably secured to a tissue contacting surface of at least one of an anvil plate (70) of the anvil assembly and a staple cartridge (82) of the cartridge assembly by an anchor, at least one of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly includes a pair of distal recesses (70e, 82f), the anchor being disposed in the recesses a release assembly (74) associated with the anvil assembly and disposed between the anvil plate 70 comprising a longitudinal slot (70b) and cover plate 72 at a location in operative registration with the distal pair of recesses, the release assembly including a guide plate (75) defining an arcuate slot (75a) and an anchor bar (76) pivotally connected to the anvil plate including a body portion (76a) defining an elongate slot (76b), and a finger (76c) extending from an edge thereof, the finger being in operative registration with the distal pair of recesses of the anvil assembly so as to engage the anchor, the release assembly further having an actuation member (77) pivotally connected to anvil plate, the actuation member including an eccentric cam (77a) defining a central axis of rotation about which actuation member is permitted to rotate and a boss (77b) extending from a surface of eccentric cam in a direction substantially parallel to and offset a radial distance from the central axis of rotation of eccentric cam and slidably and rotatably disposed in the elongate slot of the anchor bar, the actuation member having a release bar (77c) extending substantially tangentially from eccentric cam from a side substantially opposite to the boss with a pin (77d) in registration wi
