Ticonderoga 2001
Revolutionary War Encampment

Rangers,

What a weird weekend!!

The few of us who were there sure had a lot to talk about. By "few" I mean Sarge, John-Eric Nelson, Alan Whitney, Bill Filkins, and myself. That was it for the King's Rangers! For Paul and I, who meet up at the Brewster North train station to commute from there, it all started 45 minutes after putting my stuff into the trailer and hitting the road: on Route 22, we came within inches of joining a multi-car pile-up -- five cars directly in front slammed into each other and it nearly included us and the guy behind. We were lucky! So with that delay, a stop at the grocery store, and generally a late start, we got to Ti at 8pm, which meant setting up in the dark now that Summer is over (YIKES, already????). John-Eric was there to help and we had a late dinner of some soup cooked at the campfire after Billy rolled in. Maybe it was because of the late start and late dinner, and because we were joined around the campfire by various visitors such as some of the contingent from Morgan's Rangers in California, but we looked at our watch some time later and realized it was 2:30 in the morning already!

Last year, we fielded about 18 or 20 King's Rangers, which included a man named Jim from California. Jim had wanted to see the real thing (Rangers behind trees instead of cactus) so he came east for a month, and he had such at great time that he returned this year with 10 more Rangers. We were able to hook them up with Blake Fowler so that they could stay at Fort 4 this week while on their east coast tour. So now they are talking about bringing an even bigger group for Saratoga's 225th next year. Interesting the way they keep hankering for Rev War stuff instead of the F&I!! Anyway, they are really nice folks and it will be great to see them back next year.

Saturday turned out to be hotter than anyone expected, as I heard the temperature reached at least 94 degrees!! We were on our own all morning and formed up at 1:00 for inspection, but then everyone had to stand around (in the shade, but still in full uniform) for 20 minutes until 1:45 before moving out for a 2:00 start. Last year we fought in the trees behind the fort but this year the battles were in the lower field. We were at a 90- degree angle from how we fight in the F&I, and it was actually a lot more interesting (as were last year's Rev War battles -- that's a plug for you all to come next year!!).

John-Eric was put in charge of the Provincials. We started way out on the left flank and at the bottom of the field, with the fort at our backs. The first parley came fairly quickly, after we got off maybe 5 or 6 shots. Apparently, two Continental commanders walked into a ground hornets' hive and both got badly stung. They walked off the field but I believe the ambulance took them to the emergency clinic. The Indians were near us and Wes Dykeman had a two-way radio so we knew from him what was going on.

When we got going again, we retreated a lot (we were scheduled to lose) but fired off a lot of rounds. You do that when the Doodles come out in their Kevlar frocks. After backing up the hill, we had orders to run across the field from the far left flank to the far right flank. That seemed OK, except that the 20th, who had been immediately to our right before, had already run to the far right and then been told to run back (which they did, cursing noisily), and then had to run with us back to the far right again. It was great to get to move around but was WAAAAYY too hot for very much of that kind of thing. Another parley soon ended the battle, which probably lasted a total of 45 minutes.

As it turned out, our friend Rob Rowell (who has come out with us 3 or 4 times this year) suffered badly from heat exhaustion at the end of the battle -- he had stopped sweating and was blacking out but had had the ability to alert someone for help, and the ambulance took him off the field and to the clinic. At least two other men were treated for heat exhaustion, and later we learned of some Doodles who were throwing up after the battle from heat exhaustion but were not treated and who should have gone off in an ambulance.

We also learned that some bored children had set fire to a bale of hay in the afternoon, and that someone had got a puncture wound from a hawthorn thorn (isn't that from the Department of Redundancy Department?) in their hand or foot. And we learned that one reeanactor had had his haversack stolen, wallet inside it, from a sutler's tent while he was trying on a shirt. Not good!

I think it was the moon causing problems. The moon came up late that night and though only half-full, it seemed to have it's high beams on -- it was so bright, and cast such shadows... one friend told me he did not have the night-time privacy 4am in the open field at that he normally enjoys when he needs to pee, because the moon was so bright. (Now that I know that, I won't walk barefoot in the grass anymore!)

Anyway, that evening we enjoyed baby-back ribs for dinner, plus fresh corn and salad with Robert Rogers' favorite Ranch-style dressing. At dusk, the Ticonderoga Fife & Drum Corp performed. Have you heard them? These are all highschool students who audition in April for the summer season. When they audition, they must play 20 typical military pieces from memory plus 15 other colonial tunes. Once selected, and once school gets out, they play two concerts a day at the fort, they play for reenactments (including small things like funerals of an 18thC officer), and they are there when the flag goes and comes down each day. So it's a full-time job. Not a bad place to have to work. And they are GOOD!

At 9:00pm, we were treated to night-firing of all 6 cannons together (the Royal Irish Artillery and 4th Battalion Royal Artillery, plus 4 rebel cannons). Those of you who saw "Then Again" will see this in the video. It's very cool to see them firing down the line or all together into the darkness.

When that was over, the festivities began. We had the idea to make up a punch bowl but Alan really wanted to use his shiny new bucket. So while John-Eric shared a bottle of champagne, Alan and Paul poured out quantities of rum and lemonade and stuff, and turn it into "A&P's Bucket Brew". We had invited a number of guests to join us, and so the bucket which had been half full was almost entirely emptied. And THAT was in spite of the fact that Paul, Alan and Bill dominated Dunning's Tavern. I think Bill didn't quite destroy the tavern sign he knocked down when he bumped his head....

On Sunday, a breeze was blowing but the humidity was up and it was still hot. Alan and Bill weren't up for the battle, as Alan had to leave early and Bill wanted to go to Mount Defiance. And the heat had something to do with my decision not to got out that day; I guess Chauncey died on Saturday and so Sarah hung out with the distaff side on Sunday. Thus, Paul went out with Butlers' Rangers, leading a potential new recruit for us named David Busick who used my musket and war belt. I now regret missing THAT battle, but I watched from the fort walls. Here's the story from Sarge:

"We waited in the goldenrod (on the west side of the field) for our prey. It was very hot laying in the sun. The Lights (20th, 21st, and 23rd) were laying in ambush about 10 yards in front of us. The cannons were a-blazing back and forth from each side. The regulars were on our right giving them fierce volleys. Then, when the colonial scum were close enough, we popped up and fired one volley and retreated into the woods. As we retreated 3 company of lights popped up from their hiding position ahead of where we were and gave the enemy a massive volley. We then went through the woods to flank them on their right. As we come out of the woods, the 6th Conn. was in front of us. We proceed to split them off from the main body, and we surrounded them and captured Richard Swartwout and two of his men. We then turned our attention on the main body. It was over within and few minutes." We won.

Watching from the fort walls, I couldn't see the Rangers because they were in the low ground beyond the rise, but the rest of the battle was very interesting. The Continental's 2nd NH Lights were directly in front of us while the 53rd of Foot and a Grenadier company facing them maneuvered up the hill and then flanked them entirely on the left (the lake side). These two companies, at slight angles from each other, fired near-perfect volleys at a group of rebel militia and about 12 or so Doodles sank to the ground while three more ran away (they must have left their Kevlar behind). We all gave a big HUZZAH watching that! The Doodles wisely conceded shortly afterwards.

Bill watched from the top of Mount Defiance and said it was pretty amazing. He could see the canons firing and then hear the boom seconds later, and could see the whole battle. I think everyone should watch the battle from above at some time or other, just to get a better understanding of what really happens.

I did hear at least one more person was carried off in the ambulance from heat exhaustion -- one of the Lights who asked to just help with the artillery but still was overcome from the heat and humidity.

So that was that, but I really think that was enough. Much more and we would have seen serious injury somewhere. As I said, a weird but wild weekend.

Looking forward to seeing you all at the Lake, Fort 4, or Pound Ridge!!

YHOS, Sarah aka Pvt. Chauncey