Vermilion Creek: Revolutionary War and Spending Time With the Native Culture

Sons of the American Revolution -
West Michigan Chapter
is celebrating America's 250th~

This post is dedicated to the United States of America,  land that I love,  whose 250th birthday celebrations have just begun...

~~~

It's a bit of a drive to travel from where I live to Laingsburg,  Michigan.   I mean,  not extremely far - only about an hour and a half - but it's far enough with high gas prices.  And it's in the middle of nowhere - true rural Michigan.   It is well worth the drive because reenactor host,  Scott Mann,  is always upping the game for this Revolutionary War event,  taking it beyond the average reenactment,  and the good folks at Peacock Road Family Farm,  a haven for fall lovers,  allows this event on their land.  

So my son,  Robbie,  and I arrived around nine in the morning,  the autumn sun shining down,  cooler temps,  low humidity.   Perfect weather for this hobby. 

A great camp shot by B & K Photography

We arrived in time for Robbie to participate in the morning colors.

Morning colors is a military ceremony that involves raising the national flag in the morning.

It's a time-honored tradition that's part of the daily routine for military personnel and civilians.

At Revolutionary War reenactments,  you can expect to see soldiers wearing a variety of uniforms,  depending on the period and era of the war,  the unit,  and the soldier's role.

I very much enjoy this time-honored tradition.
And it is done here with great respect.

Throughout the day there were a variety of historic activities to witness.

Tom,  2nd from right,  was learning more on firing the cannon.
He had recently acquired one and has gained an interest.

My son,  Robbie.  1st Pennsylvania.

There were two battles that took place on Saturday,  with the first beginning at 11 in the morning.

There is a little cabin in the woods in the area where the battle was going to occur.

Peacock Road Family Farm is so much more than a cider mill destination,  for they have a cabin and an altar  (for weddings),  pumpkins,  a petting zoo,  and,  though I've not gone there at Christmas,  I read that they really do the Holidays festively.  

So once I was settled in on the cabin porch,  out of the way and unobtrusive,  I could take some photos,  capturing the Continentals as they marched down the rocky road.
I only have a point-and-shoot camera for easy concealing,  but I think it does very well for the most part - sometimes as good as those highfalutin professional cameras  (lol). 

I think battle scenarios are so very important.  Mock battles help both reenactor and audience to have a better understanding of the the hows and whys of warfare in numerous ways,  the biggest of which is to learn our history - to learn what the men in battles had to go through,  and what the women & children left at home had to go through as well.  It is not a promotion of war,  but more of an education.

As per usual with many reenactments,  this was not any one particular battle,  just more of a skirmish in the back woods when two opposing sides collide.

This is one of my favorite shots:
Looks like I captured nothing but flames coming from the muskets!
Even without being loaded with musket balls,  you still wouldn't want to be standing in front of one of these weapons - not with the flames shooting out.

Yes you see the muskets aimed at high elevation.
You can never be too cautious when it comes to guns.

The skirmish lasted about a half hour. 
This one was more for the reenactors than for the general public.

Chris Hanley.

When I was a teen back in the 1970s,  I knew nothing about reenactments.  As far as I knew,  those guys who portrayed the soldiers were paid museum interpreters.  I had absolutely no idea anything like this existed.  I believe it was in the early 1990s before I made it to my first bonafide reenactment.  And even then,  I wasn't quite sure what to make of it.  I only knew it was cool and I,  somehow,  wanted to be a part.

"Where Robbie fits,  Robbie sits!"
That's my son!

Something I very much enjoy at the Vermillion Creek event is that there is a Native American presence.  And they play a large role in the reenactment in a variety of ways.

Our Native ladies recalled utilizing the pumpkin patch a few years back,  so they were very willing to recreate the scenario again this year for me.

The ladies here are either from the Odawa  (Ottawa)  tribe or are portraying the tribe.

Pumpkins are native to the Americas.  European settlers were not aware of the fruit until they first sailed across the Atlantic,  and it was the Indians - the Natives here - that introduced the Europeans to the fruit  (yes,  pumpkins are a fruit!).  
On the other hand,  the Indigenousness peoples were unaware of apples until the adventurers brought them over from Europe.  As one of the American Indians said to me on this day:  "It was a good trade." 

“The most popular pumpkins today are grown to be porch décor rather than pie filling,”  says history professor James E.  McWilliams of Texas State University and the author of Revolution in Eating. “They dominate the industry because of their durability,  uniform size  (about 15 pounds),  orange color,  wart-less texture,  and oval shape.”  Mass production of these poor-tasting pumpkins is a  $5 billion a year industry today.  McWilliams calls them  “a culinary trick without the treat”  and accuses them of being  “food in name only.”

Edible pumpkins have not been entirely forgotten.  Heirloom pumpkin seeds are available for those who want to grow the old-fashioned kind,  and farmer’s markets and upscale grocery stores sometimes carry older,  tasty varieties.

(from THIS site)

The pumpkin selected for their camp.

As pumpkins turned into holiday decorations instead of food,  Americans largely forgot how to eat them.  Save for the occasional pumpkin pie  (which these days mostly comes from store-bought processed pie filling in a can),  the fruit wasn’t seen much on dining tables other than as the aforementioned decoration.  But recent years have seen a modest pumpkin revival.  

Pumpkin pie originated in the early 17th century,  but the original pumpkin pie was not as neat and aesthetically pleasing as the modern pumpkin pie.  The first pumpkin pies were hollowed-out pumpkins filled with milk,  spices,  and honey,  and were roasted by the fire.  It wasn’t until the late 18th century that the modern pumpkin pie began to take its form.  In 1796,  Amelia Simmons published a cookbook titled American Cookery.  Simmons’  pumpkin puddings were baked in a crust thus creating an early recipe for the present-day pumpkin pie.

(from THIS site)

I enjoyed the opportunities to visit with friends.

As part of the day's activities,  a trading council / scenario took place between soldiers of England and the local Odawa tribe:

A blanket and trunk were loaded with trade items.

The council at Vermilion Creek was stemmed on the reaffirmation of alliance and trade with British and local Anishnabek  (plural for Anishnabe -  i.e.,  the Odawa,  Ojibwa,  Botawatomi,  and other Algonquian-speaking groups).  Their dialects are similar and generally grouped and called Anishnabemowehn.  

Tom  (Black Mouth,  Mukaday N'doon),  speaking for the local natives,  and Maynard,  who is representing and speaking on behalf of the English soldiers,  both men being versed in the language of the Odawa / Ojibwa,  as were others there,  and that gave this the realism in an emersion manner.

Maynard Lockwood,  an Englishman,  would take the lead for the English as 
Black Mouth,  Mukaday N'doon moves up to speak.
They both spoke to each other in the native tongue of the Odawa.  And as they spoke,  Maynard explained to the audience what they were saying and what they were doing.

It was fascinating to see this.  This was not Hollywood - - this was a historically accurate presentation.  As it would have been.

This council was based on the diplomatic and protocol which seems to be Iroquoian  (Hodenosaunee)  origins which became a developing pattern through the 18th century.  

The council was opened with the a council fire and presentation of wampum strings by Maynard:  "With the strings I wiped the sweat & dust from their bodies,  opened their eyes,  ears,  and minds,  and offered condolences for those that had passed since our last meeting."

This was fascinating to watch as it unfolded.

Then introductions of the principle speakers and subalterns. 

The presentation of the first wampum belt signifying  "The dish with one spoon"  i.e., 
we all eat from same dish...a metaphor that we all share territory in common.

The second belt signifying the four locations where food and trade goods can be found.  Maynard wrote:  "I added Lockwood Hall,  Ft.  Michilimackinac,  and Ft.  Niagara!"

The third belt is the covenant chain belt that signified the colonial governors and the Six Nations.  This belt I used to  "brighten the chain of friendship"  between the British and the Anishnabe.

A request by Maynard was that the Anishnabe continue to trade and ally with the British who will take care of them for there wants and needs.  Their French father has grown old and infirm,  has been conquered by the British,  and will not be able to care for his children,  the Anishnabe.  Therefore,  they are to think of the British King as their father.

Their father has sent many gifts for his children that was gladly distributed.

The Odawa people's relationship with the English has been complex,  with periods of cooperation as well as periods of conflict.  In 1763,  Odawa Chief Pontiac led an uprising against the British occupation of Indigenous lands.  The rebellion was unsuccessful,  but it led to the Royal Proclamation of 1763,  which recognized Indigenous land rights.  In the American Revolution,  the Odawa sided with the British.  Chief Egushawa led the Odawa in the American Revolution.

A pipe was presented to solidify the proceedings.
The Odawa people use sacred peace pipes,  or ceremonial pipes,  in ceremonies to honor spirits and ask for peace.  The pipes are traditionally made of wood and covered with rawhide or buckskin,  and are often decorated with fringe.

Although many people associate Native American pipes with the term  'peace pipe,'  this is a misnomer.  Early American settlers and soldiers took note of the pipe being smoked at treaty signings,  resulting in their misunderstanding of the pipe as something done only to symbolize peace.

Upon conclusion the wampum belts,  gifts,  were accepted with the cry of Yo haa. 

The Anishnabe stated that they will return with an answer whether to side with the British for an upcoming skirmish.

The council was concluded.

The information Maynard gave to me very much clarifies the council they presented.  "True councils can be extended time and impossible for a modern historical reenactment.  So a basic format of diplomacy and protocol was followed.

All in all,  I think it went very well.  Next year's council will be even better!"

I'm sure it will!

My hat is off to Maynard and Tom for the splendid and well-researched
reenactment / living history of the trade council.
And many thanks to Maynard for the council information you have
just read - most of the words in the description are from him.

What is a pipe ceremony? 

First Nations believe that the most powerful way of communicating with the spirit world is to smoke tobacco in a sacred pipe.  Even before the tobacco is put into the pipe,  the prayers have already begun. 

There are sacred rules that come with a pipe.  A pipe should be kept away from alcohol,  and no alcohol should be drunk for twenty four hours before a pipe ceremony is held.

Mukaday N'doon and the pipe he made.

The Indians typically smoked a mixture of tobacco and herbs in the peace pipe during ceremonial occasions.  The specific contents varied by tribe,  but commonly included kinnikinnick,  which was a blend of dried tobacco leaves,  bearberry leaves,  and other plants.

I was told this pipe is a prayer pipe.
After exhaling,  the participants would wave the hand through
the smoke,  waving / bringing it to their body.

For the Natives it is a religious experience.

 A pipe should always be shown great physical respect.
Since I do not smoke at all,  I did not take part in that respect,  though I
was told what to do in the non-smoking situation.

Members of the 1st Pennsylvania in a moment of relaxation.

Thanks to Scott Mann and all who helped to make this such a great reenactment - Vermillion Creek is truly a bang up event - no pun intended - and,  for many,  it's the last of the season.  But what a way to end:  in the fall at a cider mill in rural Michigan!

Yep---it's true,  to many reenactors,  the end of summer signifies the end of the reenacting season---the major Revolutionary War reenactments are done and over for 2024,  though you will still see me live history in the coming weeks and months,  for I have numerous other opportunities coming up,  and then the new year begins with more smaller events.

Of course,  stay tuned for updates for our 250th commemoration of  our version of  Patriot's Day  (Lexington & Concord)  coming up in April.

The one thing I am very happy about is the fact that we continue to share our historical knowledge and to entice others to study our nation's past.  And I delve and strive for the truth,  as far as current knowledge  (and not opinion)  allows.

I hope you'll come along for the ride right here on Passion For the Past!

Until next time,  see you in time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~