Revolutionary War EncampmentSutton, MA
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Dear Rangers, I am belatedly providing you with a report from the Revolutationary War battle at Sutton, MA, an event sponsored by the British Brigade. This was not a reenactment of any actual battle, just a chance to play in a lovely location as part of the 300th Anniversary of the founding of this historic town. For those of you not there, we had a good crowd, including the first time out for a newbie, Dave DeManbey. He, with Jay's help, had done a great job kitting himself out, even buying a tent. It was a very SMALL tent, but that's because he doesn't have STUFF yet and doesn't recognize the need for canvas real estate.
Meanwhile, Wade Stoner showed up with his hand-made kitchen—a two-tiered box 5' tall with doors and drawers to store kitchen items such as plates, silverware, mugs, herbs, cleaning stuff, and much more. He made it himself from scratch several years ago and decided to bring it out to spoil us this time. Not stopping there, he put cloths on the tables and hung up a four-arm candelier (hanging candelabra) under the kitchen fly. This is quite extravagent and not at all correct for a military encampment, but sometimes we cut loose and just have some fun. Also there with us was (in no particular order) Major Mike, Jay Fiedler, Craig Villeneuve, Kristin McMillan Lunak, John Santos, Bill Bartley, Mark "Mad-dog" Pelletier, Paul Stevens, Dave Shaw (aka Dave 1), and Sean Kavanaugh. Mad-dog had got there early and pegged a nice place for our mess area. We were down-hill from the rows of tents and near to a very wet area, but he found a good space for us. The set-up for mess tents was in the same "sliced pie" formation we first encountered at Saratoga under the British Brigade, and have seen at Monmouth and Rhode Island since. Apparently, this is how it was done, as an efficient way to use space. I can see that.
Saturday morning I got to dazzle everyone with, first, lighting the fire with flint, steel, and tow (while everyone nearby was using all sorts of 21st century devices without any successs); and, second, by making one of my favorite breakfasts of carmelized diced onion mixed with sausage and apples (and some brown sugar). This was something I stumbled on a few years ago and found it to be a period-correct breakfast. Wade had brought some venison sausage from his father so we cut that up with the apples. Dave 4 was amazed that this odd mixture would provide such a tasty meal! It's one of my favorites. The weather was great on Saturday. We all wandered over to the sutlers during the morning. Wade slaved over the grill cooking marinated pheasant breast, from birds he had hunted himself, so we could have a good cold lunch. That got wolfed down before everyone had to go to battle. Dave Granton (aka Dave 2) arrived, as did Fred Nellums, and Don Scott with his daughters Sarah and Caitlin. Since I was me and not Chauncey, I kept these girls with me while Don was out with the troops. I took the girls shopping, of course, and then we went to watch the battle. As far as I could tell, the battle called for the Brits to come down a hillside toward a farm that the Continentals were defending. The King's Rangers were deployed first, as scouts and picket men. The Continentals were in the fields at the bottom of the hill in large numbers. The Rangers moved to one side, as flankers as the British regulars came down the main part of the hill and fired on the rebels. The Continentals backed up against the farm buildings were reinforced by some French troops, but the British had the high ground and could hit more of them more easily.
At one point, the 16th Lights went around the far side of the pond to flank the Continentals but were captured. Members of the Rangers went after them but were too late to assist and had to fight their way back around a pond. Both sides had dragoons but the British Dragoons seem to have the upper hand. In the end, the Continentals had to surrender, as they ran away like cowards.
While watching the battle, Sarah and Caitlin Scott, their friend, and I were near to the Continentals and the French unit right in front of us. We were yelling at the French, harrassing them about losing to us before (in the F&I War) and losing to us now, "cowards, dogs!" We were all having a good shout, and it turns out a film crew zoomed in on us as we were doing so. I don't remember who was filming nor for what, but we had to sign some release forms in case we were included in the final production. I signed for the three girls, hoping their parents would be OK with that. Naturally, we had to explain our stance because the audience, as always, was completely on the side of the Patriots and never thought about what it is to be a Loyalist. They think all the British forces are from England, Ireland, Scotland and Germany without considering the Americans. That afternoon and early evening were fairly special. We all gathered under the fly and chatted together. Wade and I were playing chess and Sarah and Caitlin (both proficient players) just HAD to offer suggestions. Sarah also had some serious conversations with Kristin. These two girls are very intelligent, sweet, and fun to have around. Wade Stoner cooked us a doozie of a dinner, including venison he had hunted and a cabbage pie in the bake kettle.
The next morning, Bill Bartley came out of his tent to find some sort of talisman or whatever, in the form of a potato on a long stick decorated to look like a head. Twigs for teeth, and a flower on the forehead. The initials "LI" were carved into it and we never found out what that meant. Nor did we ever find out who put it there or why. Sunday, it rained and we all packed up wet canvas. YH&OS, Sarah |
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