"Every picture tells a story" I stole from Rod Stewart. That's because in previous posts on this event I gave the history of what occurred. So, aside from a few bits here and there, I'll let the pictures tell the story.
Last year - 2025 - was the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington & Concord.
This year, of course, it's the 251st anniversary.
This year is also America's Semiquincentennial - America 250 - of the Declaration of Independence. Meaning a year-long celebration of being American!
And I'm a ready teddy!
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| Group shot~ |
Thank you to the many photographers for taking so many wonderful pictures!
Lisa Arseneau
Barb Baldinger
Charlotte Bauer
Karen DeCoster/KDC
Karen Dunnam
Michele & Stu Eddy
Brent Kemmer
Jennifer Long
Marko Tomko
Knute Wales
Chris White - Representative of the Detroit Metro Chapter SAR (Sons of the American Revolution)
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| The official flyer for 2026~ |
Well, we did it again!
Last year, 2025, was our commemoration of the
250th anniversary of the beginning of the American Revolution, and it went like gangbusters - better than I could ever imagine (click
HERE).
This year?
Man!
We did it again!
After a week of pretty fair weather - sun and 60s & 70s temps - the night before the event we had rain.
Of course!
But on the morning of, the rain ended. It remained cloudy all day, and the temperature was on the cooler side...in the lower-to-mid-50s - but it stayed dry!
Imagine my happy surprise when I showed up about 90 minutes early and there were already two dozen or more reenactors there for this one day event. I mean, that's probably my biggest worry: how many participants will show. One never knows...but perhaps the idea of this year being America's 250th birthday added to the excitement of celebrating our great US history. We know last year - 2025 - was the 250th of Lexington & Concord, which we did up very well, but this year is the Semiquincentennial of our country!
It wasn't just the large amount of reenactors that showed up, but a great many spectators also came out as well! I believe for both this was one of our grandest Patriot's Day events yet!
And none of it could have been done without the help of so many people, especially the reenactors who participated, and those who willingly took charge of different segments:
Tony Gerring & Brent Kemmer oversaw the American Militia, while
Doug and
Dalton Lee oversaw the Redcoats.
Charlotte Bauer was in charge of the Tavern - our rendition of Buckman's Tavern - as well as a historic scenario of some of the ladies of Concord hiding their valuables from the King's Regulars for fear of ransacking and theft. And, of course, the fine people of historic
Mill Race Village in Northville, Michigan, including
Sue Marie and
Traci.
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Toward the end of the event I was even interviewed
by the local news station, WXYZ!
Man! Am I looking old.
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First, let's check out some other scenes:
It was a proud moment for me to be interviewed by our local TV news station, WXYZ. I received plenty of messages from friends on my Facebook page who saw the clip as they watched the news - most were unaware and were shocked to see me on the news. A former co-worker actually snapped a picture of her TV with my mug larger than life! She wrote to me, "I just sat down to drink my tea and watch the news this morning and seeing your smiley face, we're so proud of you!!"
I must admit, this was a proud moment for me. I was honored and am so glad to be recognized in this manner.
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Charlotte captured me "in action" as I was being interviewed by channel 7 news!
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And from there we'll move to the Buckman Tavern.
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| Charlotte's sign~ |
The original Buckman Tavern still stands in Lexington, Massachusetts. So, between a few of us, we did our utmost best to give Mill Race Village's Cady Inn that very same look and feel.
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If you haven't already done so, please meet Charlotte, our own proprietress.
She asked for, and received, snack donations: |
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Cider, wassail, and nuts, berries, breads...and other snacky-stuff.
No...there was no liquor there - we cannot do that. But the men/patrons
did not seem to mind. |
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The ladies truly did a marvelous job in all they did!
I love when we have the best!
And I mean you! |
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In history, the militia gathered over night. I don't think we could get our reenactors or even the public to come out in the nighttime. And I don't blame 'em!
So daytime it was for us. |
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| What I did like seeing were some of the smaller details most don't notice but adds accuracy to the eye: wonderful period-looking chairs! |
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| Tavern Talk. |
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Hey - a Red Coat in the tavern!
I wonder what he wanted?
No problem---all reenacting participants are welcome~ |
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| My son Robbie took advantage of some quiet time to do a bit of writing with quill & ink. |
So here I am as Paul Revere
Unfortunately, due to extenuating circumstances, there was to be no horse for me to ride as Paul Revere this year. However, Revere's story of his famous ride was told by me, and I tried to make the story as exciting as if there was a horse in the picture as well~~~
I also was the narrator of the two battles that took place.
More on that to come later in this post.
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Walking into our "Lexington" with lantern in hand...
I let the spectators know that when this originally happened 251 years ago, it was very late at night.
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It is always my honor to represent my founding hero, Paul Revere.
If it weren't for him, much of what occurred on this April 18th and 19th in 1775 may not have happened. |
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| So I explained what lead up to the first "official" battles of the American Revolution, and the role Revere played in it. |
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| So, I still had townsfolk ring the church and school bells as a warning to the citizens that the King's Regulars were coming out - - they were on the march! |
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| There were a good many interested history-loving spectators. |
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| Accuracy as best as we can, and teaching the public, especially to the kids, is of utmost importance. I had a number of questions directed my way, and I gladly answered them the best I could. And if I did not know the answer, I directed them to the one who knew. |
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| After hearing the warning bells, the Lexington militia formed up on the Village Green. |
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| Marching all night long from Boston, the Red Coats saw the Militia and went to the opposite side of the Village Green. |
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| Major John Pitcairn, commander of the British advance guard, ordered the militiamen to lay down their arms. |
"Stand your ground," Militia Captain, John Parker, ordered. "Don't fire until fired upon! But if they want to have a war let it begin here!"
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| Frustrated that the Militia would not throw down their guns, Pitcairn went back to his men filled with frustration. |
Then suddenly, seemingly from out of nowhere, a shot rang out!
The shot heard 'round the world!
(The following is from The Andy Griffith Show - Season 3, Episode 23):
Andy - "Yeah, they had the craziest gun."
Opie - "What gun?"
Andy - "Oh, they had, they had a gun that fired a shot that was heard clear 'round the world."
Andy - "One time, a long time ago this country was a part of England, and we wasn't gettin' along with 'em too good. Fact, we was thinkin' about breakin' away and startin' our own country but the king over there in England he says, "you do that,
and I'm gonna send my redcoats. They was British soldiers and he was gonna send 'em over here to whup us."
Barney - "Of all the nerve!"
Andy - "Well, so, your great-great-great-great-great-granddaddies all got together, you know, to think about it, and they argued about it back and forth a while and finally one of 'em says, 'let's do it. Let's start our own country.'
Somebody says, 'how you do that?'
Says, 'I don't know. I reckon you just start."
'What'll we call it?'
'Let's call it... Let's call it the United States of America!'
Now, about that time up in Boston, Massachusetts, there was a fella livin' up there named Paul Revere.
He was a pretty good ol' fella, just as poor as Job's Turkey, but he was a pretty good ol' fella and he owned a real good ol' horse named Nellie. Now, Paul, he was wandering around the streets up there one night and he come up on a friend of his and he says, 'howdy. What's new?'
His friend says, 'what's new?' Says, 'the British is coming. That's what's new. What's the matter with thee?'
And Paul says, 'you're kidding.'
He says, 'it's a fact.'
Paul says, 'what we gonna do?'
Fella says, 'I'm gettin' outta town.'
Paul says, 'we got to spread the word.'
He says, 'you spread it. I'm gettin' outta town.'
It happened that they had planned if the British was ever to come over here that they'd put a light
up in this high church steeple and Paul went down there to look and sure enough, there was the light burning brighter'n day.
Well, Paul, he jumped on his ol' horse and he lit out.
He didn't know where he was a-going but he knew he had to go somewhere.
Oh, I wish you coulda seen it. That ol' horse with his ears laid back and his nostrils wide open was suckin' in wind like a jet engine, feet poundin' on them cobblestones, a-strikin' off sparks, Paul a-holdin' on for dear life and a-hollerin' at the top of his lungs. He says, 'the British is comin'! The British is comin'! Get you a gun! We gonna have us a revolution!'
And them farmers come a-pilin' outta the hay like bees out of a beehive. Minutemen, they was called.
They grabbed their squirrel guns...They was fellas that had to be ready at a minute's notice."
Okay, so they gotta few things wrong, but this is one of my very favorite episodes of The Andy Griffith Show, and I wanted to include a bit of the script here for a bit of traditional American fun.
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| The Regulars, who thought they were being fired upon, retaliated. |
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| A few Americans were struck and fell to the ground. |
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The Americans fired back.
They, too, did not know who fired the first shot. While the Redcoats thought it was the Militia, the Militia, in turn, thought it was the Redcoats, so they, too, retaliated. |
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| Major Pitcairn tried to get his men to stop firing. |
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| One of the Lexington Militia who met his fate on this day. |
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| With gun smoke still wafting in the air, the Lexington Militia, made up mostly of farmers, scattered for fear of another possible attack. |
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| Off toward Concord the King's Regulars then marched... |
Following this first battle of the American Revolution, the Regulars continued to march toward Concord while the citizens of Lexington were left to figure out just what had happened. Eight of their own were killed while ten more were wounded.
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| Lydia and Charlotte attended to those who were shot. |
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| It's this sort of thing that adds that extra bit of realism. |
The engagement at Lexington on April 19, 1775, is best described as a skirmish rather than a full-scale battle, often referred to as the opening act of the "Battles of Lexington and Concord". It was a brief, chaotic encounter involving roughly 80 militia and over seven hundred British regulars, resulting in a quick dispersal, rather than a prolonged fight.
Following this first encounter at our reenactment, we took a group picture. Sadly, not everyone who participated is in the photo - the greater majority are, but some either didn't hear the call or were not at the reenactment yet. I apologize for those who missed it. Next year we'll have a re-do.
The image captured is at the bottom of this post.
So, next up on the agenda was a bit of period musical entertainment by the always amazingly wonderful Plymouth Fife & Drum Corp, made up of kids aged 12 through 18:
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| Plymouth Fife & Drum Corps |
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| The Plymouth Fife and Drum Corps are made up of 40 to 50 students ranging in ages 12 – 18. |
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| Their music spans actually the 17th to the 20th centuries, though there is an emphasis on the music played during the Revolutionary War. |
The citizens of Concord and surrounding areas hid their valuables and even military supplies before the Redcoats arrived on the morning of April 19, 1775. With advance warning, they actually were able to bury cannons, muskets, and, what we are showing here, family valuables, such as silver, money, and even important document in fields, as well as in the woodlands and swamps to keep them from being captured or destroyed.
Charlotte organized a few of the ladies to follow in the footsteps of the brave women of 1775:
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| Charlotte, Jennifer, Amy, Lydia, and Abby heard about the Redcoats soon to be marching into their fair town of Concord and decided to hide their valuables so the King's men would not steal them. |
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| I so appreciate Charlotte setting this scenario up. |
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| (from left): Charlotte, Lydia, Abby, Amy, and Jennifer. |
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| Charlotte began to dig. |
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| Off to the local fields and near the stream. |
Another interesting historical story is that Colonel James Barrett was instructed by the Provincial Congress to hide cannon, musket balls, powder, and other supplies on his farm. So it was on April 19 in 1775 that colonists at the Colonel James Barrett farm in Concord, Massachusetts, hid weapons and ammunition from the searching British troops by burying them in freshly plowed furrows, hiding some items in the attic, and also concealing them in local fields. According to accounts, muskets were buried in furrows to resemble a freshly planted field.
It was later April - planting season---such a great idea!
Though the Regulars aimed to seize these stockpiles, the weapons had been largely removed and well-hidden following a warning from Dr. Samuel Prescott, who rode for a bit with Paul Revere the night before, making the search unsuccessful.
Afterward, Mrs. Rebeckah Barrett fed the soldiers breakfast but refused payment, calling it "the price of blood".
Since we're in between battles, let's take a moment to see many of the reenactors...without whom...
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Ken and Xavier.
Ken normally has portrayed Captain John Parker of the Lexington Militia, but time and a hip replacement has forced him to cut back a bit. And Xavier comes here from Canada to take part. |
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| Deb and Mark |
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| Opposite sides of the conflict, yet still friends. |
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| Conversations occurred throughout Mill Race Village |
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Norm portrayed Lexington minister Jonas Clarke
He just got an awesome new robe - talk about perfection! |
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A thorn between two roses~~
(Yep--that's me betwixt Theresa and Abby) |
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I don't feel like I say it enough, but I do so very much appreciate every single
reenactor who came out and participated. It is an honor for me. |
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| Jenny and Amy. |
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EJ, on the left, came out for the first time in years.
Good to see him!
And there Doc Bloodsworth, who is also a toyman. |
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| Ben Franklin chattin' up the ladies... |
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| There's my lovely wife spinning at her heat's content. |
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| Spinning was a patriotic act in the later 1760s and through the Revolutionary War. |
Spinning wheel boycotts, known as the "homespun movement," began in earnest around 1767–1768. These protests directly responded to the Townshend Acts of1767, which imposed taxes on British imported goods, prompting colonial women to produce their own cloth, or "homespun," to protest British taxation by holding these "spinning bees".
Thank you.
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Here are true patriots!
"Chase 'em Redcoats back to Boston!!!"
and
"Yankee Doodle keep it up!"
It was wonderful to have these (and other) kids there. |
The Redcoats marched into Concord at approximately 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. on April 19, 1775. After marching from Boston and engaging with militia in Lexington around 5:00 a.m., the main British force continued to Concord to search for hidden military supplies.
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If you look, you can see the Redcoats a-marching into town.
They made a "noble appearance" as they approached, noted colonial militia from afar. |
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| While the first shots of the day occurred earlier at Lexington, the firing at Concord escalated the fighting. |
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While the fighting began with a small, local group at Concord's North Bridge,
they were part of a collective response to a regional alarm. |
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Here is the engagement at the "North Bridge."
Well, at least, our version of The North Bridge. |
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| Shocked by the sudden gunfire, Major John Buttrick of Concord screamed out the fateful order "Fire! For God's sake, fire!" This was the first time colonial militiamen were ordered to fire on British soldiers. In all, two colonists were killed and four wounded. Twelve British soldiers were hit, three of them fatally. |
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| oooo---my son displays a very dramatic death! |
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While the North Bridge was the site of a key 11:00 AM confrontation, the "Concord Fight" involved several locations.
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| Great shot! |
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An awesome flash in the pan capture!
"Keep your powder dry and your hatchet sharp" is a 17th century idiom urging one to remain calm, vigilant, and fully prepared to act. It combines the need for maintaining dry gunpowder (readiness for action) with a sharpened tool. |
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| Redcoats~ |
British soldiers searched for supplies, and some skirmishing occurred during the arrival and departure of the troops, specifically around locations like the Wright Tavern.
While the main fighting was at the bridge, other British companies searched for munitions at Colonel James Barrett's farm, about a mile from the bridge, before returning to the main force.
The Retreat/Battle Road: Following the bridge fight, the British began their march back to Boston. The fighting became a running battle (known as the Battle Road) lasting for hours as militias attacked from behind trees, stone walls, and houses along the road back through Lincoln and into Lexington.
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These men were not a disorganized mob but rather local companies, such as the Acton Company led by Capt. Isaac Davis, who answered the alarm and operated under the authority of colonial leaders.
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| Little did the King's Army know that there was buried valuables right beneath the ground they tread upon. |
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Again, another fine capture of a moment.
As are all the photos posted here. |
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| A bit of a tussle occurred during the Redcoat's retreat. |
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I've always liked window shots, for to me it adds a large touch of realism.
It gives the impression of you are there. |
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| One of the houses on the road back to Boston witnessed some of the carnage the Redcoats received from the militiamen hiding behind fences, houses & barns, brick walls, and trees. |
Jonas Clarke (1730–1805) was a highly influential clergyman and Patriot leader in Lexington, Massachusetts, during the American Revolution. He is best known for hosting John Hancock and Samuel Adams at his home on the night of Paul Revere's famous ride.
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Norm did a stupendous job as the Reverend Clarke!
The pastor served as the minister of the Church of Christ in Lexington for 50 years. He was a vocal advocate for colonial liberty, often using his sermons to inspire resistance against British oppression.
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Clarke helped shape the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution and the United States Constitution.
Norm will once again present himself as Jonas Clarke during our 4th of July bash at Mill Race Village this Semiquincentennial year~ |
Right after Reverend Clarke ended, up came Ben Franklin.
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And he gave a speech on what he was doing during the beginnings of the Revolutionary War.
Yes, that's my friend, Bob, depicting Ben Franklin. |
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| Channel 7 News also filmed Dr. Franklin! |
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Here is the 49th Regiment of Foot
Many, many thanks to the Lee family and all involved! |
Even though Historic Mill Race Village is solidly Victorian, it can still pass as a colonial town to a certain degree, especially the Cady Inn, which we use as Buckman Tavern.
Of course, we had to have our group picture! You should have seen all of the cameras and phones come out for this. Hundreds of this same photo are floating about.
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I think a few folks may be hiding behind the "Liberty Tree"!
But I believe this is the largest group of reenactors we've had participate in this event so far! |
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| The 1st of two group shot sections. |
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| The 2nd of two group shot sections. |
Many do not understand all of the hard work that goes into hosting an event. I am literally blessed with the good folks who help me out, and I am very proud of all who played a part - as far as I know, this is the only reenactment in Michigan commemorating this historical event. But it would not happen without the following:
I also need to thank SueMarie and all the folks who run
Historic Mill Race Village in Northville, Michigan. If it wasn't for them, none of this would happen.
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| Celebrate America!! |
And every single person who participated. Yes, I may head it up but it's all of us together. Unless one has hosted such a reenactment, I don't believe most realize just what it takes to put an event like this on. It's everyone working together that makes it a success - every single participant made this a success. And I thank each from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you (again) to the many photographers for taking so many wonderful pictures!
Lisa Arseneau
Barb Baldinger
Charlotte Bauer
Karen DeCoster/KDC
Karen Dunnam
Michele & Stu Eddy
Brent Kemmer
Jennifer Long
Marko Tomko
Knute Wales
Chris White - Representative of the Detroit Metro Chapter SAR (Sons of the American Revolution)
Until next time, see you in time.
Here are a few links you may be interested in checking out:
April 18th & 19th, 1775 - The Battle of Lexington & Concord: As Seen Through the Eyes of Those Who Were There - click
HEREThe True Story of Paul Revere's Ride -
HERE
The Midnight Riders of April 18, 1775: Prescott, Cheswell, and Dozens of Others -
HERE
Lexington & Concord - Massachusetts Vacation - Click
HERE
Concord Museum - Massachusetts Vacation - Click
HERE
Patriot's Day 250 - Semiquincentennial - at Mill Race Village: 1775 - 2025 - click
HERE
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