dk-corriveau
Member
What the hell is this world coming to? 
The battle of Yorktown gave birth to this fine nation of ours and now some Park management ninnies and their policies on guns are curtailing the reenactment of an important battle. I recently attended the reenactment of the Battle of Green Spring and it was impressive, interesting, dynamic, and a hell of a lot of fun to witness. Other than the 100+ degree temperatures it was one of the most enjoyable days of this past summer.
Oh well, I guess our kids will just assume that the Colonists, British, and French (guhhh) got together for tea in Yorktown and settled things without a battle. Let’s hope the re-enactors are able to pass along what really happened on that hallowed ground. :banghead:
Ready, aim, hold it!
By Amanda Kerr
The Virginia Gazette
Published October 4, 2006
YORKTOWN -- In two weeks, Surrender Field will bear witness to the surrender of Gen. Charles Cornwallis to Gen. George Washington. Again.
A vast reenactment is part of the 225th anniversary of the Siege of Yorktown, but it has its limitations. More than 2,600 men and many women will converge on Colonial National Historical Park to replay the beginning of the end of British rule in colonial America.
This time around, the muskets and cannon from the opposing forces won't take aim at each other. Park Service policy forbids reenactment groups from pointing their weapons at others, even if they're fake or unloaded. Nor can they even pretend to fight, since the Park Service does not allow battle reenactments either. Instead, the battles will be held at Endview Plantation in Lee Hall.
Events surrounding Yorktown will therefore reflect how the troops lived instead of died.
The troops are coming to Yorktown from three umbrella organizations. The lead element is the Brigade of the American Revolution, followed by the Continental Line and the British Brigade.
The Brigade of the American Revolution and the Continental Line will represent the allied forces of American and French troops, while the British Brigade will represent British and German soldiers.
According to Todd Post of the Brigade of the American Revolution, his troops will be coming from California, Florida, Canada and even England.
Most of the re-enactors will set up camps at historically precise points, with American and French re-enactors camping outside of Yorktown and British troops living within the town. Camps will also be set up at Endview. The re-enactors will live in these camps for the duration of the weekend as thousands of tourists mill about.
Re-creations of the allied troops' assault on Redoubts 9 and 10, the French defense of Fusiliers' Redoubt, and the Battle of the Hook will be held at Endview on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21, concluding with the reenactment at Surrender Field on Sunday, Oct. 22, of the British capitulation.
While around 1,700 of the more than 2,600 re-enactors will be “under arms,” the rest will portray military musicians, camp followers, surgeons, hospital workers, engineers and other personnel who served history at Yorktown. Demonstrations will be held at the Yorktown Victory Center and the Yorktown Battlefield.
Tactical military demonstrations and weapons demonstrations will also be held at Yorktown Battlefield.
Post, who participated in the reenactment of the Battle of Green Spring in June, said preparing for an event such as the Siege of Yorktown is much easier than preparing for an obscure battle.
“The Battle of Green Spring took more research because there were not a lot of articles written about the battle,” he explained. “There are a lot of source materials available on Yorktown, so it's not as hard to prepare to get the historical precedent fixed in our minds.”
While the re-enactors are coming prepared with uniforms, weaponry and other props, the Park Service is responsible for providing support supplies.
Diane Depew, supervisory park ranger for Colonial National Historical Park, said the Park Service will supply myriad items to the re-enactors, such as straw to line their tents with, hay for horses used in demonstrations, firewood, extra drinking water, black powder for ammunition, and bus transportation to get the re-enactors to and from Endview Plantation.
Depew said Park Service safety regulations are in place that limit the amount of ammunition powder that can be carried, how powder is stored, and when and where a weapon can be fired.
Safety officers who are trained in 18th or 19th century weapons will be on hand to supervise the firing lines.
“As part of what historic weapons safety officers do, we will inspect every weapon and the drill of every unit to ensure the weapon has no defects that would make it unsafe to fire and that everyone knows how to safely handle their weapon in the ranks,” Depew said.
Post remarked on the power of visual presentations of history.
“This is a time period that is really hard to identify with as a modern person,” he said. “Think of 18th century men wearing britches, and officers wearing powdered wigs. This is somewhat foreign with the only visual record being drawings. Reenactments allow people to put things in context and understand them a little better.”
Post noted the significance of this hallowed ground. “So many historic sites have been developed. It is very meaningful to be able to hold a reenactment on the actual ground where it took place.”
Depew said she hopes the reenactments provide a sense of humanity to spectators.
“People sometimes forget that at the Siege of Yorktown, people just like ourselves fought and died on this battlefield to secure the country's independence,” she said. “The re-enactors provide an invaluable opportunity to bring our nation's Revolutionary War soldiers and citizens back to life to remind us of the sacrifices so many made in the war.
“It is hard to envision what the battlefield looked like during the siege when the earthworks were full of soldiers, the bombardment was going on night and day, and soldiers were dying in the camps from disease or cannonballs,” she added.
“Re-enactors help provide that glimpse back into the past and hopefully help us all gain a better appreciation for it.”
The battle of Yorktown gave birth to this fine nation of ours and now some Park management ninnies and their policies on guns are curtailing the reenactment of an important battle. I recently attended the reenactment of the Battle of Green Spring and it was impressive, interesting, dynamic, and a hell of a lot of fun to witness. Other than the 100+ degree temperatures it was one of the most enjoyable days of this past summer.Oh well, I guess our kids will just assume that the Colonists, British, and French (guhhh) got together for tea in Yorktown and settled things without a battle. Let’s hope the re-enactors are able to pass along what really happened on that hallowed ground. :banghead:
Ready, aim, hold it!
By Amanda Kerr
The Virginia Gazette
Published October 4, 2006
YORKTOWN -- In two weeks, Surrender Field will bear witness to the surrender of Gen. Charles Cornwallis to Gen. George Washington. Again.
A vast reenactment is part of the 225th anniversary of the Siege of Yorktown, but it has its limitations. More than 2,600 men and many women will converge on Colonial National Historical Park to replay the beginning of the end of British rule in colonial America.
This time around, the muskets and cannon from the opposing forces won't take aim at each other. Park Service policy forbids reenactment groups from pointing their weapons at others, even if they're fake or unloaded. Nor can they even pretend to fight, since the Park Service does not allow battle reenactments either. Instead, the battles will be held at Endview Plantation in Lee Hall.
Events surrounding Yorktown will therefore reflect how the troops lived instead of died.
The troops are coming to Yorktown from three umbrella organizations. The lead element is the Brigade of the American Revolution, followed by the Continental Line and the British Brigade.
The Brigade of the American Revolution and the Continental Line will represent the allied forces of American and French troops, while the British Brigade will represent British and German soldiers.
According to Todd Post of the Brigade of the American Revolution, his troops will be coming from California, Florida, Canada and even England.
Most of the re-enactors will set up camps at historically precise points, with American and French re-enactors camping outside of Yorktown and British troops living within the town. Camps will also be set up at Endview. The re-enactors will live in these camps for the duration of the weekend as thousands of tourists mill about.
Re-creations of the allied troops' assault on Redoubts 9 and 10, the French defense of Fusiliers' Redoubt, and the Battle of the Hook will be held at Endview on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21, concluding with the reenactment at Surrender Field on Sunday, Oct. 22, of the British capitulation.
While around 1,700 of the more than 2,600 re-enactors will be “under arms,” the rest will portray military musicians, camp followers, surgeons, hospital workers, engineers and other personnel who served history at Yorktown. Demonstrations will be held at the Yorktown Victory Center and the Yorktown Battlefield.
Tactical military demonstrations and weapons demonstrations will also be held at Yorktown Battlefield.
Post, who participated in the reenactment of the Battle of Green Spring in June, said preparing for an event such as the Siege of Yorktown is much easier than preparing for an obscure battle.
“The Battle of Green Spring took more research because there were not a lot of articles written about the battle,” he explained. “There are a lot of source materials available on Yorktown, so it's not as hard to prepare to get the historical precedent fixed in our minds.”
While the re-enactors are coming prepared with uniforms, weaponry and other props, the Park Service is responsible for providing support supplies.
Diane Depew, supervisory park ranger for Colonial National Historical Park, said the Park Service will supply myriad items to the re-enactors, such as straw to line their tents with, hay for horses used in demonstrations, firewood, extra drinking water, black powder for ammunition, and bus transportation to get the re-enactors to and from Endview Plantation.
Depew said Park Service safety regulations are in place that limit the amount of ammunition powder that can be carried, how powder is stored, and when and where a weapon can be fired.
Safety officers who are trained in 18th or 19th century weapons will be on hand to supervise the firing lines.
“As part of what historic weapons safety officers do, we will inspect every weapon and the drill of every unit to ensure the weapon has no defects that would make it unsafe to fire and that everyone knows how to safely handle their weapon in the ranks,” Depew said.
Post remarked on the power of visual presentations of history.
“This is a time period that is really hard to identify with as a modern person,” he said. “Think of 18th century men wearing britches, and officers wearing powdered wigs. This is somewhat foreign with the only visual record being drawings. Reenactments allow people to put things in context and understand them a little better.”
Post noted the significance of this hallowed ground. “So many historic sites have been developed. It is very meaningful to be able to hold a reenactment on the actual ground where it took place.”
Depew said she hopes the reenactments provide a sense of humanity to spectators.
“People sometimes forget that at the Siege of Yorktown, people just like ourselves fought and died on this battlefield to secure the country's independence,” she said. “The re-enactors provide an invaluable opportunity to bring our nation's Revolutionary War soldiers and citizens back to life to remind us of the sacrifices so many made in the war.
“It is hard to envision what the battlefield looked like during the siege when the earthworks were full of soldiers, the bombardment was going on night and day, and soldiers were dying in the camps from disease or cannonballs,” she added.
“Re-enactors help provide that glimpse back into the past and hopefully help us all gain a better appreciation for it.”
Maybe they are just reminding us of the importance of the "4 Rules". I know that if I was standing on one side and the other was pointing a couple of hundred muskets at me and then firing, I would be wondering if I was to be "thankful for that which we are about to receive".
