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Wish you could have watched the battle at Lexington Green on April 19, 1775? Want to know just how red those redcoats were? No problem.
Just search the Internet for a list of Revolutionary War reenactments. Companies of reenactors regularly “fight” Revolutionary War battles all over again. Now, of course, no one gets hurt, and you know how it all ends. Still, it’s living history, and you are there.
◀ The Revolutionary War was a family event. So are many reenactments. Members of the Living History Association must supply their own authentic period gear. They also must go through a training period. Then they can take part in reenactments. “Colonial” women and children help pound tent stakes and gather firewood. They also bake cherry pies over coals and weave.
▲ It wasn’t easy to see Washington cross the Delaware on Christmas night, 1776. The whole point was to cross in darkness so no one would see the boats. Nowadays, you can see the crossing in broad daylight at 1:00 p.m. every Christmas Day. About 125 reenactors stand in for Washington’s 2,400 troops. They parade on the Pennsylvania side. Then they cross the river. You can also see a full dress rehearsal on the second Sunday of December at 1:00 p.m.
▲ Many Loyalists fled to Canada during and after the war. The last group of refugees landed in St. John, New Brunswick, in 1783. Each year, Canada honors them by reenacting the landing.
Where can you find a good-as-new Continental Army uniform? Try Jas. Townsend & Son, Inc., in Pierceton, Indiana. The company supplies reenactors and other history fans with authentic uniforms and accessories. It also publishes a catalog, which can be seen online at www.jastown.com. ▼
◀ On December 4, 1783, George Washington said farewell to his top officers. This sad, mostly silent meeting was held at Fraunces Tavern in New York City. It’s still there to this day! Five times a year, 130 members of the New York American Revolution Round Table meet there. They share knowledge of the revolution.
British General Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia, on October 19, 1781. The war went on for two more years. But this American victory is considered crucial. So when October 19 falls on a weekend, Yorktown has a parade. It also has tactical and artillery demonstrations. ▶
The Lexington Minutemen
▲ The Lexington Minutemen were formed in 1773. It’s the only colonial militia that still exists. They reenact the battle on Lexington Green. They also reenact the British retreat to Boston after the fighting at Lexington and Concord. They march in many parades. But they don’t reenact any other battles. That wouldn’t be authentic. After the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Lexington Minutemen joined different units of Washington’s Continental Army. They didn’t fight together as a group for the rest of the war.
Nowadays there’s more gunfire than there really was—just to add drama to the event. And the reenactment is only held on Lexington Green. The real battle spread to nearby areas.
Want to see the Lexington Minutemen in action? Go to Lexington in April. Each year, more than 1,200 people from 22 states re-create the first day of the American Revolution.
