Red Horse Tavern 2016

Saturday was the battle of Red Horse Tavern an annual event hosted by my friends in the Sudbury Company of Minute and militia at the Wayside in in Sudbury MA .  As I was an active participant I was't able to get many pictures. Above you have my section 8 soldiers from the 4th Middlesex and the Lincoln Minutemen. Was acting as Sargent.  The First Scenario was a holding action by the Americans if we could keep the British from crossing form on field to another we would win.  My buddy Dana Rock was in over all command and sent us forward aggressively.

The aggressive approach worked as a unit of American Light infantry took the Crown's gun and an isolated company of Redcoats formed square for a desperate last stand.  

Smiles all around from my company.

Our Second battle we were the attacker but first we had a bit of standing around... When things got going it was less well coordinated. My small group got split up by our commander and though we tried we never were able to coordinate our movements.  These things happen on the battle field.

After the second battle we had lunch then the sky opened up with torrential rain (though nothing compared to Friday night).   Every Officer and NCO immediately order the men back into the large wedding ten were lunch had been served and then began a quick look at the 21st century technology. We concluded that if we waited 20 to 30 minutes things would probably clear up and they did so the 3rd battle was just delayed a little.

For the 3rd action I was demoted to corporal in order to give one of the Lincoln guys a chance to command.  The third action was a meeting engagement slug fest in full line of battle (this was the battle that was promoted to the public though we had spectators for all three).  Lots of powder was burned on both sides.  Here you can see His Majesty's  10th Foot still in good order if a little ragged most of the other Crown units were down by this time.

The Americans have greater numbers at the tend but as you can see our formations are shot to pieces Dana an Paul had the battle called a draw at this point and both sides backed away from each other... to rally at the Inn for Drinks, discussion and frivolity. The Party was still going strong (among those who live near the inn or are too young to care)  when I headed home three and half hours latter(or there about).  You can see more pictures and even some videos of the action on the 4th Middlesex/85eme Regiment Saintonge Facebook page

Battle Road 2013 photos

 Some pitcutes form the National Parks Tactical demonstation at Heartwell Tavern in Battle Road National Park.

 Members of the 4th Middlesex Regiment

 Atemeted panarmor shot of the minate companies

 His Megesties 10th Foot

Battle of Red Horse Tavern

I promise I will have a real gaming report soon! In the meantime I have to plug another local reenactment event this time for the Revolutionary War.

The battle of Red Horse Tavern is a great local event in its Third or Fourth year.  You'll get to see some of very exciting battle portrayals with a Historic 18th Century Inn as the backdrop. A few years ago I lead a section of Militia that executed a near perfect ambush in the woods... Then got over run by the entire British Army.

Not on location

http://www.sudburyminutemen.org/redhorsetavern.htm

Saturday, October 27, 2012
Wayside Inn, Sudbury, MA
11:30 am

Come to the historic Wayside Inn for an experience like never before. Start the day by listening to colonial music, visting sutlers, observing cannon firing demonstrations and more.
Then tensions will boil over and muskets will ring out as the Colonials and Regulars battle for control on the Red Horse Tavern.
Afterwards feel free to tour the grounds, visit the Inn, grab a bite to eat or join in singing an 18th century song or two.

Battle of the Red Horse Tavern Schedule

11:30 am-12:30 pm

Cannon demonstration, fyfe & drum music, 18th Century fashion, show, sutlers, mix-n-mingle with the re-enactors

12:45 pm

Formation & inspection of troops

1:00 pm

Battle of the Red Horse Tavern – east fields

2:15 pm

Battle of the Red Horse Tavern II – south fields

 

Sudbury March 2012

Salute at Barret's Farm

Advanced Party on part of the original Sudbury Road

For the crew at Adler hobby my apologies for not attending last Thursdays game night. I participated (for the 2nd time) in the Sudbury march on April 19th.   I consider this event to be one of the most insightful a reenactor can participate in.

There is no battle just a walk of about 8 or 10 miles (I have had both quoted to me but have not had the chance to measure the route I cannot say for sure).

We start the day at 5:45 AM out side Sudbury's town hall and march to Concord bridge, this year we arrived at about noon (an hour behind scheduled but more on that latter.)  Feeling for your self the cost in sore legs and sweat it takes to cover a long distance really makes you appreciate what soldiers of this (or any) period endure on the march. (and those guys didn't have rest stops with doughnuts!)

I set out with my Friends Steven Tascovits, Dana Rock, Brian Mixter, Tommy Tringale, Brian Bausk and Kieth Downer.  We (and a few other I do not know as well) made up advance guard moving at a faster pace ahead of the main-body and the music, the music is very loud and we didn't want to have to listen the whole way to the bridge.  We were hardly moving at what anyone would all a fast pace maybe 3.5 to 4.0 Miles per hour but we out ran our police escort (which had to stay with the main body) had plenty of time to take a few side routs were the old road as been bypassed by time (and the desire for straighter roads).

Each sucessive stop resulted in a longer and longer wait for the advanced party.  This was a source of some satisfaction to us but there is a down side.

Barrett house Front

Members of Sudbury and 4th Middlesex regiments.

For me marching is not a problem as long as we keep a certain pace and I can stay hydrated.  My friends in the advanced party agreed with this after more than an a half ours break at Barrett house (which is in the process of restoration) we had stiffened up and were wishing we had just gone the last two miles without waiting (not an option due to the need for Nation Park inspection before advancing to the bridge).  The last bit was the hardest and despite the fact that I assuredly was hurting I really felt I was actually in better shape at the end of this march compared to the one I did three years ago.

Barret House Back

This is a great event and I wish there were more opportunities of this sort.  Its very humbling to walk ten miles, feel how much it hurts, how heavy the gear gets and then to realize... that for the men of the Sudbury militia the day was really just starting at Concord bridge, not ending like it is for you.  We got to the bridge about noon fired our tradtional salute and headed off to Dana's uncle Ed's house for beer and lunch.

Main-body arriving at Barret house

Battle Road 2012

That is me at the far right in the red coat

Battle Road usually marks the official start of the battle reenactment season. As the first part of the day is at Minuteman  National Park there are some oddities. The Park service calls reenactments "tactical demonstrations" I'm not sure what they have against the term reenactment but there you have it. Now they also believe that its disrespectful in some way(?) for us to shoot directly at the red coats and and for them to shoot directly at us.  So the result is we engage at relatively long range and oblique our fire a bit to the right or left so that opposing lines do not actually shoot at one another.  To someone watching the event it should look like the troops are engaging but they really are not. Simulating deaths is also not allowed on park property for the same reason... I'm not a fan of either policy but its a lot better then what used to happen.  Back in the late 90's both sides would fire a "ceremonial" volley one after the other but they would not actually see each other leaving reenactors annoyed and spectators confused.

Francis, Will and Steven taking a break.

This year 4th Middlesex was at the far side of the orchard field to the right of Hartwell tavern.  This provided us with the awesome experience of hearing the 'battle' approach us.  Reenactors often talk about an experience called "period rush" a feeling just for a few seconds or a minute that you have time traveled back to what you are portraying. Well listening to single shots and volleys ringing out for an indeterminate period of time, getting close but not seeing any thing beyond smoke hanging over the trees it was easy to imagine the men of 1775 in the same position. When the Redcoats did make their appearance we very quickly got off 10 rounds (all we had be issued) and then fell back as they came on.

The fight at Tower Park was fairly standard except that my unit was in the field at the start and I hope we will get some more pictures as a result.  I was a regular grunt early on as we traded shots with the Redcoats slowly giving ground and falling back to the right into the woods.  Casualties are allowed here and as they mounted I was detached with 4 others to fill a whole that had opened up.  The action was very hot and we quickly found our selves running short of powder.  At one point with the 4th foot pressing in on us I actually resorted to having my party fire individual shots on my command so as to make sure we were not caught empty if the decided to push us. This sort of resource management is absent in most war games (and should be) but its one of those things that separates 'reality' form gaming.

The English moved on and we were "safe" so it was time to chase them (just what you want to do with an empty cartridge box) rejoining our company and becoming casualties to their rear guard.

Good start to the season. I hope to have more pictures to add soon.