Announcing something special for Loyalists

Loyalist Landing 2008 225th Anniversary
July 18, 19 & 20 , 2008
Re-enactment of the Landing of 10,000 or more Loyalists at
Port Roseway (Shelburne, Nova Scotia) in 1783


Shelburne, Nova Scotia
February 15, 2008

Dear Rev War re-enactor....

I am sending this notice along to rev war reenactors, including some from the RevList usergroup. Pardon any duplications, but we hope that we might see some of you here this summer in Nova Scotia.

With your kind permission regarding Loyalist Landing 2008, July 18-20 - Shelburne, Nova Scotia, we are now asking that participants submit registration forms so that we might make adequate preparation for the wood, straw, black powder, water and food, etc, etc., which we will need for the weeked. A link to the form can be found at www.LoyalistLanding2008.org or you can download a word version HERE or a pdf version HERE. The event is sponsored by the Brigade of the American Revolution and is one of the events overseen by the Canadian Maritimes Region.

For those who have submitted your registration forms, we are, of course, most grateful and look forward to seeing you here. You may still find some of the information on the website useful.

The weekend will be one of the largest reenactments in Eastern Canada in a decade and is sure to be a grand weekend. As you might see by a schedule posted at: www.LoyalistLanding2008.org, the weekend includes many opportunities for parades, drills, historical re-enactments, skirmishes and other delights. We will be providing straw, water, wood, black powder, clean toilet facilities and good shower facilities.

Shelburne Town retains much of its 18th Century charm, especially in the historic waterfront district, where many events will be staged. The encampment is just two blocks from the historic district. Local merchants will be affording reenactors discounts and there will be a pay parade on the Sunday to help with travel costs.

On the website, you will find a formal invitation, maps of the town and region, general tourism information plus information about crossing the US/Canada border and bringing muskets and other weapons into Nova Scotia.

We have to date seen interest from Several Quarters, including 84th Regiment Afoot, 2nd Battalion Regimental Assoc, Fortress of Louisburg, Stepford Historical Dancers, 49th Regiment of Foot, 1st New Jersey Volunteers, 3rd New Jersey Volunteers, 2nd Battalion, Delancey's Brigade, Kings Orange Rangers, 1st & 2nd Rhode Island, 3rd NJ Regt, "Jersey Blues", 74th Regt.Bn.Coy, 74th Highland Reg't., Atlantic Living Heritage Assoc., &tc, &tc., and have room and Heart for hundreds more.

We welcome inquiries from sutlers. For those interested, the region will also be hosting a major F&I event at Fortress Louisburg ( July 25-27).

Please also forward this message with my Good Wishes to any Loyalist Troops or Sympathizers (or Continentals looking for a good tussle) or sutlers who you think may enjoy our weekend. We look forward to you joining us in July on the rugged Coast of Nova Scotia for a Grand time.

Please feel free to email me (or the two gentlemen below) with any questions or call toll-free at: 877.235.4999

With Warmest Regards,

I remain yr most humbl svnt

Timothy Gillespie
novascotiaarts@klis.com

for Robt Guay, Acting Commander
Col Van Buskirks Coy, 3rd New Jersey Volunteers
guay@ns.sympatico.ca

and for Owen Hamlin
Maritimes Region Coordinator
Brigade of the American Revolution
mrh@ns.sympatico.ca

New Book: "Farmers and Honest Men"

Good Day,

I am very happy to get to tell you about a new book which came out at the end of the summer: "Farmers and Honest Men" by long-time reenactor, Horst Dresler. The book tells us about Henry and John Ruiter -- descendants of the 1710 wave of immigrants from the Palatine -- through their life as Loyalists in the King's Rangers during the Revolutionary War to their settling Upper Canada and the War of 1812.

You can get the book here: http://farmersandhonestmen.com/index.htm

Most interesting to myself, who portrays a Loyalist, is the evident civil war these people were caught up in and which is so little talked about in our history books -- the stories of what Loyalist families suffered at the hands of their friends, neighbors, and local governments. I also found it interesting to learn about some of the great names of Loyalist history: Peters, Sherwood, and more. I recommend it to all people who portray Loyalists because it is guaranteed to enrich the story you can tell the public.

For people interested in Loyalist genealogy, Horst included extensive reprints of original memorials naming many of the early Upper Canada settlers, and a full genealogy of the Ruiter family.

Horst Dresler portrays Capt. Henry Ruiter of the 3rd Co. of King's Rangers (as well as James Rogers of Rogers' Rangers). He has been researching the Ruiters for many years, and it shows.

I hope you will contact Horst directly and get your copy, which you are sure to enjoy!!

Cheers,
Sarah / Chauncey

New Book: "A Soldier Like Way"

This post was on the RevList today. I thought I would share it with you. The author, Ryan Gale, leads a company of the 44th of Foot, who fought at Braddock's Defeat.

New book: "A Soldier Like Way"

This new book from Ryan Gale is the most comprehensive work on the British infantry material culture to date, brimming with exquisite full color photos of original artifacts and paintings. The story of the British infantry, their daily life, weapons, tools, food, and clothing is described in the soldier's own words, utilizing
entries from original journals, orderly books, and official papers, all of which are fully cited.

The 11" by 8-1/2" horizontal layout allows for 22" long spreads of original muskets and swords. Includes images of original uniforms, muskets, pistols, swords, eating utensils, canteens, haversacks, gaitors, halberds, hangers, smallswords, officer's fusils, medical devises, and more.

Artifacts and paintings were taken from public and private collections throughout the United States, Britain, and Canada, including the Royal Collection, Colonial Williamsburg, Fort Ticonderoga, Fort Ligonier, Fortress Louisbourg, Fort Pitt, and
Jummonville Glen.

Also included, the complete series of grenadier paintings by David Morier, shown in high resolution, full color. These important paintings have never before been published in their entirety and in color, and are here presented in high-resolution full color.

A must-have for the mid 18th century historian, collector, reenactor, and artist.

137 pages, paperbound, 11" by 8-1/2" format, full color photos. By
Ryan R. Gale. Published by Track of the Wolf Inc.
Now taking pre-orders for a mid-August 2007 delivery.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
#BOOK-ASLW $32.50 + S&H. ISBN 978-0-9765797-2-4

You can see a preview and order online at Track's website:

Military Travel in the 18th century

Good day,

A post on one of the egroups [CustalogaTown] about early American travel got responses with an interesting link to a web page about how the army traveled in the colonial era. The page is focused on the Revolutionary War but it refers back here and there to the French and Indian War. The web page I'm speaking of belongs to the U.S. Army Transportation Museum.

I hope you find this interesting and informative.

YH&OS,
Sarah M. / Chauncey

Website update

Good day,
After nudging from my friend Bill Filkins (it's good to have him nudging me!) I finally got something posted from 2006. I have a lot more to do and we are into 2007 already! YIKES!!

Anyway, I've written and posted pictures about a BAR-only event at Ridgefield, CT in July last year, with a separate page to mention my bumping into the March to Yorktown. You can find them by starting here: http://reenacting.net/2006/ridgefield. Thank you to Mike Fitzgerald for helping me get my facts straight on the March to Yorktown info.

YH&OS,
Sarah & Chauncey

Link of the Day: Benedict Arnold

Good day,
While I spend most of my time in the French and Indian War, I do occassionally look at the Rev War. I was alerted to this story about Benedict Arnold, who is always an object of fascination. The article is on AmericanHeritage.com.

One of the reasons I like this article is that it brings to attention Benedict Arnold's field of play, as it were -- the upper Lake Champlain region and the waterways that flow to the north, the "difficult terrain" where war had been fought for decades, and much more. These are the same parts of North America that are so critical to the French and Indian War, and this article emphasizes their place in the formation of early America. The article also encourages people to explore the areas mentioned, all in a region where historically-minded people can have their cup filled to overflowing.

The article is called On the Trail of Benedict Arnold, by W. D. Wetherell.

If for some reason that link doesn't work for you, try this one: http://tinyurl.com/2dt8m2

YH&OS,
Sarah / Chauncey