Flags of our (Founding) Fathers: Displaying My American Pride

I love our American flag and the history it holds, and I love showing the pride I have of our country and its past by displaying it.
And, as you shall see, I fly my red, white, & blue bunting, my Gadsden 'Don't Tread On Me' flag, and my 'Betsy Ross' flag (as it is commonly referred).
The Flag Resolution of June 14, 1777 stated: "Resolved: that the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."
And then the Act of April 4, 1818 provided for 13 stripes and one star for each state, to be added to the flag on the 4th of July following the admission of each new state.

From a page out of an 1880's school book

I've also come to find that so much of our nation's past is within her flags. Yes...I know you knew that, but sometimes we don't really think of it very much. Neither did I until the last couple of years. So I'd like to show you a few pictures I found on the internet (and a couple I took myself) of America's historical flags and the history behind them.The information comes from numerous sources including (but not limited to) the book A Grand Old Flag: A History of the United States Through Its Flags, Wikipedia, and US History.org.

Until the time of what is known as the Betsy Ross flag in 1776, the English colonies and militias flew numerous types of flags. Some are famous, such as the Union Jack (Britain's flag still used today) and the "Rattlesnake Flag" used by the Continental Navy, with its venomous challenge "Don't Tread on Me."

Other flags were quite similar to the Union Jack or incorporated elements of it.

This is not surprising. Many colonists considered themselves loyal subjects of Britain as King George III ruled over the colonies.
But there are flags uniquely American which helped to give our ancestors the feeling of pride in not only forging a new nation, but guiding its people after becoming one. So let's check out a few of those flags and get a quick overview of *roughly* the first hundred years of flags in our nation's history...

  1766...

This flag and the one from 1775/76 (a few flags below - they're in chronological order) are considered to be the Sons of Liberty Flag. This one here was the flag of the early colonist who had joined together in the protest against the British impositions on American economic freedom. One such protest was resistance to the Stamp Act, on October 7, 1765. A delegate from each of the nine colonies formed the "Stamp Act Congress." They petitioned the king and parliament, the act was repealed on March 18, 1766.

 1775:

In 1775, General Washington decided to take it upon himself behind closed doors to commission 6 Privately owned schooners and start his own navy, (rumored to be at his own expense) it was to be called "Washington's Secret Navy" and all boats were to have "An Appeal to Heaven"  flags upon them. Also known as the "Washington’s cruiser flag", it was white flag with an evergreen tree in the middle and the words “An Appeal to Heaven" stitched across. The phrase “An Appeal to Heaven" comes from the studies of John Locke, a 17th century English philosopher, on “Natural Laws", a system of right or justice common to all humankind and derived from nature rather than from the rules of society and the only judge is that of our Creator. It is in these laws where our unalienable rights come from and the foundation on which this country was formed. The phrase "An Appeal to Heaven" means that when all resources and justices on earth are exhausted that only "An Appeal to Heaven" remains. And so is the example of our country when our rights were taken away by the tyrannical acts of King George that we as nation after countless attempts to resolve, Appealed to Heaven as our final judge before breaking ties with the crown.

1775:

The Gadsden flag is a historical American flag with a yellow field depicting a rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. Positioned below the rattlesnake are the words "Dont tread on me.” The flag is named after American general and statesman Christopher Gadsden, who designed it in 1775 during the American Revolution.

Considered one of the first flags of the United States, the flag was later replaced by the current stars and stripes flag. Since the Revolution, the flag has seen times of reintroduction as a symbol of American patriotism, a symbol of disagreement with government, or a symbol of support for civil liberties.

Personally, this is one of my favorites of all American flags for those reasons alone.

1775:  The First Navy Jack - The Continental Navy used this flag, with the warning, "Don't Tread on Me," upon its inception. In late 1775, as the first ships of the Continental Navy readied in the Delaware River, Commodore Esek Hopkins issued, in a set of fleet signals, an instruction directing his vessels to fly a "striped" jack and ensign. The exact design of these flags is unknown.     ...and 1775/76  Here is the second "Sons of Liberty" flag (see the earlier one at the top). This flag of nine red and white vertical stripes that represented these "Sons of Liberty" became known as the "Rebellious Stripes."  On December 16, 1773, the Sons of Liberty protested the parliament's Tea Act, an action that became known as the Boston Tea Party. The colonists' believed the tax to be a violation of their legitimate economic liberty. Three and a half years after the Tea Party the thirteen colonies had come together in their decision to fight for independence and the nine stripes had grown to thirteen. The Sons of Liberty would rally under a large tree which became known as "The Liberty Tree". 1776: Much of the following comes from the Betsy Ross page: Betsy Ross would often tell her children, grandchildren, relatives, and friends of the fateful day when three members of a secret committee from the Continental Congress came to call upon her. Those representatives, George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross, asked her to sew the first flag. This meeting occurred in her home some time late in May 1776. George Washington was then the head of the Continental Army. Robert Morris, an owner of vast amounts of land, was perhaps the wealthiest citizen in the Colonies. Colonel George Ross was a respected Philadelphian and also the uncle of her late husband, John Ross. Naturally, Betsy Ross already knew George Ross as she had married his nephew. Furthermore, Betsy was also acquainted with the great General Washington. Not only did they both worship at Christ Church in Philadelphia, but Betsy's pew was next to George and Martha Washington's pew. Her daughter recalled, "That she was previously well acquainted with Washington, and that he had often been in her house in friendly visits, as well as on business. That she had embroidered ruffles for his shirt bosoms and cuffs, and that it was partly owing to his friendship for her that she was chosen to make the flag." In June 1776, Betsy was a widow struggling to run her own upholstery business. Upholsterers in colonial America not only worked on furniture but did all manner of sewing work, which for some included making flags. According to Betsy, General Washington showed her a rough design of the flag that included a six-pointed star. Betsy, a standout with the scissors, demonstrated how to cut a five-pointed star in a single snip. Impressed, the committee entrusted Betsy with making our first flag. According to Betsy Ross's dates and sequence of events, in May the Congressional Committee called upon her at her shop. She finished the flag either in late May or early June 1776. In July, the Declaration of Independence was read aloud for the first time at Independence Hall. Amid celebration, bells throughout the city tolled, heralding the birth of a new nation. On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress, seeking to promote national pride and unity, adopted the national flag. "Resolved: that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." Betsy Ross is regarded by many modern historians, pseudo-historians, vexillologists (flag experts), and writers on Philadelphia as a character befitting a fable — that the tale of her making the first flag is no more than an instructive parable. Modern-day parsers of the past suggest that several 19th-century authors and enthusiasts of American history were overanxious to champion the story of Betsy Ross brought to public attention by her grandson, William Canby, in a speech before the Pennsylvania Historical Society in 1870. That the story of the patriots of the Revolutionary Era required a deserving female role model. That magazines, textbooks, and artists uncritically have echoed the contrivance of a man who was an 11-year-old boy when his grandmother died. Some historians ignore Canby altogether and say, "There's no written record of the sewing of the first flag; therefore we cannot accept the story as truthful or likely." Historians, to their credit, always want source documentation.  Ladies "reenacting" the sewing of the first Stars and Stripes flag. However, the oral history testimony of Betsy Ross's own daughter and other family members recount Betsy's story, and historically the dates and circumstances remain unrefuted. There is even a notation that Martha Washington's granddaughter made it a point, while in Philadelphia in 1820, to visit Mrs. Claypool (Betsy Ross). This is, as author Marla T. Miller wrote in her book, Betsy Ross and the Making of America, "a tantalizing point of contact between Ross's life and her legend." It also reveals us to "check the fables that lace through popular historical memory against the historical record itself."  Evaluating the circumstantial evidence also supports her story, including the paper star found in a safe in the 20th century.   The completed flag! I'm sure General Washington will be pleased.  By the way, which one is Betsy Ross? In April 2009, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission officially recognized Betsy Ross's contributions with a historic marker in front of her house, stating, "Credited with making the first stars and stripes flag, Ross was a successful upholsterer. She produced flags for the government for over 50 years. As a skilled artisan, Ross represents the many women who supported their families during the Revolution and early Republic." Perhaps we'll never be 100% certain on who made the first 13 star flag, but the evidence, in my opinion - though going against the grain of historians (who can be mistaken) - supports Betsy Ross as the maker of the first flag. Therefore, to blow off the story as a complete fable is doing our country's history an injustice. 1780: American hopes were at a low point at the start of 1781. That changed, however, on January 17, when General Daniel Morgan won one of the most brilliant victories of the Revolutionary War at Cowpens, South Carolina. With the help of Maryland, Virginia, and Georgia regiments, Morgan stopped the attacking British dead in their tracks. Trapped by the cavalry and the militia, the surrounded British soon relented. This flag of the Third Maryland Regiment known as the Cowpens flag, which was present that day at the Battle of Cowpens, is now enshrined in the State Capitol in Annapolis, Maryland in honor of that battle.  Archibald MacNeal Willard (August 22, 1836–October 11, 1918) was an American painter who fought in the American Civil War. Willard painted “Yankee Doodle” (now known as “The Spirit of '76”) in Ohio after he saw a parade pass through the town square. For the painting, he used his father as the model for the middle character. Notable is the use of the Cowpens flag rather than the Betsy Ross flag in the painting. 1794: The Revolution is over! Or is it...? Oh say can you see by the dawn's early light... Mary Pickersgill stitched this 15 star flag (with her daughter, two nieces, and two African American servants) from a combination of cotton and dyed English wool bunting. The flag has fifteen horizontal red and white stripes, as well as fifteen white stars in the blue field. The two additional stars and stripes, approved by the Flag Act of 1794 represent Vermont and Kentucky’s entrance into the Union in 1791 and 1792 respectively.  The stars are arranged in vertical rows, with five horizontal rows of stars, offset, each containing three stars. At the time, the practice of adding stripes (in addition to stars) with the induction of a new state had not yet been discontinued. This Star-Spangled Banner Flag (or the Great Garrison Flag) was the garrison flag that flew over Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812.  Seeing the flag during the battle inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem “Defence of Fort McHenry” later becoming “The Star Spangled Banner,” which is the National Anthem of the United States. As the story goes... On September 3, 1814, following the Burning of Washington and the Raid on Alexandria, Francis Scott Key and John Stuart Skinner set sail from Baltimore aboard the ship HMS Minden, flying a flag of truce on a mission approved by President James Madison. Their objective was to secure the exchange of prisoners, one of whom was Dr. William Beanes, the elderly and popular town physician of Upper Marlboro and a friend of Key's who had been captured in his home. Beanes was accused of aiding the arrest of British soldiers. Key and Skinner boarded the British flagship HMS Tonnant on September 7 and spoke with Major General Robert Ross and Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane over dinner while the two officers discussed war plans. At first, Ross and Cochrane refused to release Beanes, but relented after Key and Skinner showed them letters written by wounded British prisoners praising Beanes and other Americans for their kind treatment.  Because Key and Skinner had heard details of the plans for the attack on Baltimore, they were held captive until after the battle, first aboard HMS Surprise and later back on HMS Minden. After the bombardment, certain British gunboats attempted to slip past the fort and effect a landing in a cove to the west of it, but they were turned away by fire from nearby Fort Covington, the city's last line of defense. During the rainy night of September 13, 1812, Key had witnessed the bombardment and observed that the fort's smaller "storm flag" continued to fly, but once the shell and Congreve rocket[4] barrage had stopped, he would not know how the battle had turned out until dawn. On the morning of September 14, the storm flag had been lowered and the larger flag had been raised. During the bombardment, HMS Erebus provided the "rockets' red glare". HMS Meteor provided at least some of the "bombs bursting in air". The 15-star, 15-stripe "Star Spangled Banner Flag" which inspired the poem. Key was inspired by the American victory and the sight of the large American flag flying triumphantly above the fort.   The flag later came to be known as the Star Spangled Banner Flag and is today on display in the National Museum of American History, a treasure of the Smithsonian Institution. It was restored in 1914 by Amelia Fowler, and again in 1998 as part of an ongoing conservation program. Great, great American history that so few of us have been taught.  I am not sure where to place the Bennington flag, for though it was thought to be from the Revolutionary War, history is showing that it could very well be a 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. That being said, here is another story behind it - - - The Bennington flag is a version of the American flag associated with the American Revolutionary War battle of Bennington. Like many Revolution era flags, the Bennington features 13 stars and 13 stripes, symbolic of the 13 American colonies that were in a state of rebellion against Great Britain. The Bennington version is easily identified by a large '76' in the left corner recalling the year 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed. Another distinctive feature of the Bennington flag is the arrangement of the 13 stripes, with white being outermost (rather than red being outermost as in the current flag). Also, its stars have seven points each (instead of the current five) and the blue canton is wider (higher) than on other flags, spanning nine instead of seven of the thirteen stripes. The Bennington flag is a popular version of the American flag, and many historic flag dealers carry it. The large '76' makes it easily identifiable as banner evoking the Spirit of ’76 nostalgia. 1818: Realizing that the addition of a new star and new stripe for each new State was impractical, Congress passed the Flag Act of 1818 which returned the flag design to 13 stripes and specified having the number of stars match the number of states. It also provided that subsequent changes in the number of stars be made on July 4 – Independence Day. This rule stands to this day, as does the basic lay out of the flag. 1837: Here is the 26 star flag from 1837 when my home state of Michigan was welcomed into the Union. In just over 40 years the original 13 colonies doubled to 26. 1859: 33 Stars 1861: Entering the Civil War... From this point, there are the additions to the stars as more states are added. Other than that, the changes are not too far off from what we have today. (Please note that I did not include the Confederate flags. The reason for this is that I wanted to stick strictly with the United States, and since during 1861 to 1865 the southern states formed their own country and flew their own flags, I felt it didn't fit with this particular.idea) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ And, finally... Here is the front of my not-so-old house with the bunting I bought close to ten years ago and the Betsy Ross & Gadsden flags my kids bought me for Father's Day this year. The spinning wheel and flint-lock musket? Just to add aesthetics, I suppose. As a final comment: why no modern American flag on my home? One reason is that the one I had for years had become tattered and torn, which is disrespectful to fly. The other reason is that I am a historian of American history, and by flying the flags of the early days of our Nation I can not only show our country's past, but I can give passersby a little lesson of a very important time in history as well and (hopefully) get them to think and maybe even do a little research themselves. I do plan to finally get a new one...this summer! .

My Living History Back Story

I am going to preface this posting with a couple of questions followed by some commentary about reenacting:
First: Why do you reenact? 
 and
What is your life like in the reenacting world?
I ask this because to many, it's all about the clothing and very little else.
Now, wearing accurate period clothing at an event cannot be stressed enough. That is the first thing the visitor will see and will be their first impression they will have of the reenactors. So when any of us are found in inaccurate fashions, that sets the stage for bad examples all around.
But to many...to too many...it's all about clothing and fashion and little else. They can tell you just how many stitches are needed for an accurate hemline, whether a collar is a quarter inch too wide, if the length is too short. and if the "darts" are as they should be, but have no idea what their station in life is, or what type of seasonal food they would eat any particular time of year, how much something may cost while shopping, or even their daily routine of wash day, mending day, bake day, etc., which would have been infinity more important to them than how wide their collar was.
So many reenactor's knowledge on what their lives would have been like is slim. They may know all about the minute details of battles or of the ladies this or that, but what they know about their period daily activities is nil.

This young poor domestic servant girl knows her lot in life, and Carrie portrays her marvelously and accurately. She really does work when we enter the immersion world. By the end of the day she has a very real idea of what it was like to be a servant girl.

I realize I am probably ruffling a few feathers here, but what I am saying is true: we, as reenactors and living historians need to have more meetings and spend more time researching about daily life and what living life was actually like, not just what toiletries would have been in a bed chamber or whether our clothing is good enough for the fashion show. We need to understand that most people of the time - both men & women - cared more about their chores and living their lives as best they could than about the clothing they wore.
Men: in your modern 21st century life, you know what your wife does - her daily routines and chores.
Ladies: in your modern 21st century life you also know about your husband's daily activities and chores as well. You both (hopefully) converse about your day during your evening meal, right? Well, my wife and I do, and have done for nearly thirty years.
Don't you think that men and women conversed much in the same manner back then?
They certainly did! They knew about what they needed to do as well as what their spouse's duties were.
If we spent half as much time researching daily life in the varying classes as we do on clothing, imagine how amazing our reenactments could be! 
And that's the premise for this week's posting.

~Part Two of My Living History Back Story: Farm Life/City Life~

  

Many visitors, and even other reenactors, often ask me about my "back story"in my living history world.

A back story for living historians, in case you are unaware, is the biography - or autobiography, rather - of yourself in time...you in whatever era in the past you are representing. It's understanding that your story isn't only a few facts and names and fancy clothing, but a life lived and all it entails, just as the actual people who lived "back then." It's not just something in your mind but a story that can be told in an interesting and factual way, as if you were speaking casually to a new friend.
Just like your life today. 

And once you discover it, it's like an eye-opening experience.
Kinda like someone with amnesia who has 'awakened.' 
But it took a while for me to "find myself."

A few years back, as I did my usual speech about the postal service and mail in the early 1860's, I found myself getting a little tired of going over the same old stuff repeatedly. I could feel it becoming stagnant, monotonous. So over the last few years I began to expand from speaking strictly about mail to adding a bit more color by including a little about traveling on a stagecoach and describing what it was like to stay at a tavern. Things really began to form as I delved more into living history during certain reenactments, beginning with the immersion events of Christmas at the Fort 2012 and 2013 and Charlton Park 2011, 2012, and 2013. And then finally this year my partner in "Our Own Snug Fireside" and I formulated the outline for our historical presentations that we do, which was based on the immersion events.
And then it all just kinda hit me;

"Hey! I found my past!  I know who I am...er...was!"

So, would you like to know what my back story is?
Well, the early roots to the "me" who lives in the 1860's can be found HERE.

But the information about the rest of the 1860's me can be found...well, read on...
My life in the 1860's - - well, anyone's life in the 1860's - could include most, if not all, of the following aspects of living:

It's farming or any other occupation or chore one might have.

It's visiting the photographer and having my tin type taken.
It's cleaning the house.

It's visiting a tavern.

It's celebrating Christmas and the 4th of July.

It's mourning.

It's going to the doctor.

It's shopping.

It's going to school.

It's visiting friends.

It's cooking.

It's music.

It's taking grain to the gristmill.

It's surviving life in each of our four seasons of winter, spring, summer, and fall. 

It's...well, it's so much more than names and dates and fables of glory, just as our modern lives are.

It's everything that you do today, but only the way they did it "back then." It's many of the subjects that I write about in this Passion for the Past blog.

As I said, my back story encompasses as much as possible about my life as an adult living in the 1860's.

It's taken only 10 years for me to finally figure that out. I've tried numerous other so-called autobiographies of my 1860's life, but I've never really felt comfortable with any of them. These stories just did not depict me the way I feel I really...um...was, mainly due to the fact that there wasn't enough of a story to tell. But over the last few years, however, I've been able to naturally formulate a sort of narrative that makes sense.

That's because I have been researching and presenting information on daily life activities for so many years that it's all been instilled in my brain, just waiting to be utilized.

And now I am.
Even better, I have made it more personal by localizing it and using the place I've lived nearly my entire life as my backdrop.

To reiterate a bit of what I wrote HERE: in the mid-part of the 19th century, the area here in Michigan where my modern hometown of Eastpointe now sits was once a part of a larger settlement known as Erin Township. Over the years the township subdivided up into four villages that eventually became the cities of Eastpointe, Roseville, St. Clair Shores, and Fraser.

I have a few books telling the story of Eastpointe and Erin Township in general, and as I was perusing a couple of them it hit me that there was enough social history available right in my own backyard to build on my 19th century past.

Add to this the scenarios of Christmas at the Fort and Charlton Park as well as "Our Own Snug Fireside" presentations that I do for historical societies & schools, and, without fully realizing it, I've found my back story:

I'm a farmer!

Simple eh?

A farming couple eking out a new life on the frontier of rural Michigan. Yes, we can tell you of our lives in this era, both inside and outside the cabin.

Well, not quite as simple as you might think. I like to take my living history to the fullest extent that I am able - into immersion when possible - meaning that my presentation is going to be more than to speak a few sentences in a feeble attempt to explain a farmer's chores ("Good day, I'm a farmer. I feed the animals, plow the fields, and then harvest everything in the fall. I hope we have a good growing season.").

Because I'm more than that.

I know I am.

At least, I think I must be.

So let me repeat - I'm a farmer.

But I'm not just a farmer.

I'm a farmer who was born in 1811 and so I've lived the life of a man from the 19th century.

I'm a farmer who has done more than only farm, just as a farmer 'back then' would have done.

I'm a farmer who celebrates Christmas and the 4th of July, has mourned the loss of family members, has gone to the store to make purchases, has had a tintype taken, has had grain ground into flour at the gristmill, has stayed overnight in a tavern, and has hauled manure...

Do you see where I'm going with this?
The best part for all of this is that people are genuinely interested in my daily life activities, because by speaking of everyday routines of the past the visitor - men and women - can personally relate to it in a sort of comparison way: their 21st century life to my 19th (or 18th) century life.
And that's what draws them into our world of long ago.

Whether I'm in the 19th century or 18th century (as shown here), I hope to present everyday life as authentically as I can, through fashion and activities.

Researching is half of the fun in all of this, and then bringing that research to life is the other three quarters (yes, you read that right! I'm messing with your head here!). This is why when I post historical information here I try to list (and link) the sources/books from where that info came - usually more than one source is used, in case you hadn't noticed - just to criss-cross and cover more ground.
I know, I know..."who are you, Ken, to tell us how to reenact?"
I'm not telling you anything---you are entitled to reenact anyway you see fit---I'm just offering my thoughts and opinions is all. You see, to me it's important that we present our ancestors as more than fashion plates, for they truly were much more.
And I would LOVE to hear your back story!

By the way, if you are interested in reading in greater detail of my farming life, please click the following links:
Winter
Spring
Summer
Autumn
as well as 
Autumn Food Pleasures
Autumn - A Taste of History
Fall Harvest in Photographs
and Thanksgiving

If you are interested in finding your back story, maybe some of what I wrote in past postings can help you:

Farming. 

Visiting the photographer and having my tintype taken.

Visiting a tavern.

Cleaning House.
Celebrating Christmas and the 4th of July.

Mourning.

Going to the doctor.

Shopping.

Going to school.
Visiting friends and neighbors.

Cooking.

Music.

Taking grain to a mill.

And generally making do in each of our four seasons.

Hope you find your way soon!
Til next time!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two Centuries / One Weekend

Yes, you read the title right. I reenacted in two different centuries over one weekend: Saturday I was in the year 1864 and Sunday I was in the 1770's.
And what a 'time' I had!
While in 1864 I was at a small town located nearly an hour west of Detroit called Dexter. This is a quiet little event that seems to be growing - this was our third year participating. What I like about Dexter is that we can have a more relaxed conversation with the visitors about history. And since the patrons must pay to enter the grounds, these folks are genuinely interested in history and have sparked some well thought out conversations. They really listen to and enjoy what we have to say, and we enjoy their enthusiasm.
As usual, I had my camera ready, so I will let the pictures tell more of the stories here.
Yes, with captions, too!

Greeting us as we walked to the campsite was this wonderful group of musicians playing fine old tunes of the mid-19th century on period correct instruments. They could be heard throughout the area. I am sorry to say I did not get the name of this string orchestra.

Here is a photograph of me with my wife and daughter. One of the biggest pleasures a living historian could have is to time-travel with their family. By the way, I was told by numerous people that I looked like a plantation owner. 

This is my beautiful daughter. Yes, I may be a bit biased, but she truly is beautiful, inside and out.

Life is grand in Michigan in early June. Though it was Saturday, it felt like Sunday. So we relaxed - family and friend - and enjoyed the weather and company.

A few of us from the 21st Michigan posed for a tintype taken by our very own wet plate photographer Mr. Robert Beech.
Having a tin type taken is one of the best ways to have an authentic "souvenir" of your time at a Civil War event.

This is the negative before the collodion was added.

But look what happens when the collodion is poured upon the negative...

...it begins turning into a photograph!

And there you have it, though it still needs to dry for an hour or so. Mr. Beech certainly does a fine job at his craft.

Here is the finished image. I think we look pretty 1860's, don't you? The tin type itself is actually a little clearer than this photograph shows, but since I have no scanner I have to take a picture of whatever photograph I want to digitize. It can be rather trying to take a photo of a tin type without getting some back reflection.

These two ladies from the 26th Michigan take their doctoring practices seriously. They come all the way from near Traverse City to take part in the Dexter event. (For you who are not familiar with Michigan, that's around a four hour drive.) They had an authentically scary collection of doctoring tools. I'm glad I didn't need to visit them on business!

Meet the man who worked closely with President Lincoln in the drafting and passing of the 13th amendment abolishing slavery, Michigan Senator Jacob Howard (aka Dave Tennies). Mr. Tennies does an amazing job as Senator Howard, who served from 1862 to 1871.

Senator Howard speaks with President Lincoln about the issue of the 13th Amendment. Say...just what is that thing he's holding in his hand??

My wife, Patty, and our daughter work on spinning and crocheting during a Ladies Aid Society gathering.

Patty claims she doesn't like to speak in front of people, but I have plenty of pictures proving otherwise. Here she is at Dexter allowing a patron to card wool by using carding paddles.

The next day my time machine whirled me 80 years further back in time, to the 1770's. This is the second year for the Colonial Days event at Historic Fort Wayne in Detroit. Last year I attended as a patron and it was then and there that I decided the next time I would attend as a participant.
So here I am, at my first actual colonial reenactment; I finally bought clothing of the era in March and, due to conflicting schedules, had to wait this long before I was able to wear them.
Well...that's not totally true...I did wear them back on April 18 and visited Greenfield Village, which was very cool indeed! But this was the first actual colonial reenactment opportunity for me.
Did I enjoy myself? Oh you bet I did!
The clothing I have is British rather than French, though French seemed to be where most of my colonial friends interests lie. But I am of English descent and therefore am paying tribute to my colonial ancestors.
Historic Fort Wayne was built in the 1840's, so it was not around in the 18th century, but it works well as the backdrop for Colonial Days. I would love to see this event grow; a suggestion I had made to the powers-that-be is to associate it more with the 4th of July holiday coming up in a few weeks to garner the Independence Day interest.
Speaking of Independence Day, my interest of late in our nation's founding continues to skyrocket, and the occurrences during the time of our founding fathers along with their lives and times really has taken a hold of me.
As I have mentioned in previous posting, I have no interest in leaving the Civil War era; I am only interested in expanding my living history opportunities to other areas of great interest to me.
And the colonial period is such a time.
So, without further ado, here are some photos of my first actual colonial reenactment.
Hope you like 'em:

Here I am, front and center, with my country's flag flying behind me. Yes, living in colonial America, I am still a British citizen (we are in 1770 and the Revolution has a few years to go before occurring). Since part of my heritage is English, I have chosen to reflect that in my colonial ventures.

Don't be fooled - these fine ladies are not angry. They are only waiting for the rain to stop and the sun to shine, which it did later in the day.

Jeri Grover and her husband portray weavers and have authentic replica looms to do their craft upon. Like Civil War reenacting, farbiness is a no no and their presentation is top-notch. Many thanks must go the Grovers for their kindness in allowing me the use of their campsite for my very first event. Yes, Jeri and Ross portray French colonists, and I, as a British colonist, am indebted to their kindness.

Friends also weave, helping to show colonial history.

Mrs. Paladino looks over the finished product from the weaving.

To help cheer us from the blustery rain, a fife and drum trio performed the music of the period.

With the rain coming down, Mrs. Paladino snatched an opportunity to find a moment's respite inside the local gathering spot for gentlemen and gentlewomen.

The only way to not be a stranger in a new venture is to walk around and meet the locals, which I did. In my travels I befriended another colonial couple, the Church's, who, like the Grover's, have been involved in this hobby for quite a long time.

Mr. and Mrs. Church had a fine set up in their campsite.

Kids are kids no matter what era, whether it's the 1770's, 1860's, or the 21st century. This young lady enjoyed splashing in the puddles in her bare feet. Who doesn't?

What? Did you expect because I'm new to the 1770's reenacting world that I would sit idly back like a wall flower?? Ha! If so, then you don't know me very well! Whenever there is an opportunity to take period photos, I do my best to make it happen.

Yes, I grabbed friends old and new for a photo opp. But posing isn't enough if you're just...posing...

...so we decided on some sort of a historic alignment between Patriots and a former loyalist. You see, initially I was a loyalist like so many others. But, although I am of British heritage, I, too, disagree with the King and his many acts, and we had a great discussion about what should be done.

After much discussion and debating I was convinced the King was wrong and willingly aligned myself with the other Patriots, especially upon hearing of the growing discontent of many of the other citizens of the colonies. 

Now the stage was set! What will the future bring...the Good Lord only knows.

Okay, so the captions under these last few pictures are corny. What the heck, right?
I enjoyed being in the 1770's. The other reenactors seemed very friendly and willing to have newcomers join them.
I was invited to participate in more colonial/Rev War events, and I plan to do so as time permits. As a proud patriot, I am very excited to be able to portray a citizen from the birth of our nation.
Yes, I am.
And so it goes...













.