Schedule Change

Dave Bernier sadly has announced that the planned September 26-27 event at the Colonel Ashley House in Ashley Falls, MA is a "No Go" for this year. Please make note of this in your schedules.

Winter Walk

This past winter, Justin and I went on a winter walk with the Company of Sellect Marksmen, in upper New York. Although the weather was actually warmer than the last few weeks of March, during the day, there was still plenty of snow.

Snowshoes were a necessity, and made travel slower; but luckily we only had about a mile and a half to walk in to a lean-to that was our Saturday night stay. Christian Cameron was the leader of the group, and had set a goal for Saturday of a few miles (without packs) to rebuild a foot bridge on one of the trails on his several hundred acres of land. Two scouts were sent out ahead of the main party, and after about an hour of travel, they had made their reconnoiter, and had come back to report to Cameron. The walk was cut short by some distance on account of the snow conditions; warm and sunny, the snow was mushy and heavy. The two scouts went back to camp to start building a shelter for the night. And the main party went on to a hemlock stand near the boundary of the Adirondac Park. While there, we made a fire (thanks to quick fire building by Justin) and boiled up some coffee just for a fast drink; all this took only about twenty minutes. It was great to see 18th C. clad and equipped people going about their rangerly duties, and practicing their proper marching techniques in the winter. As we started back, the snow was really weighing our footsteps, and we were glad to get to camp as soon as we did.

Camp was to be the lean-to, a very well built log structure of about twelve feet deep by eighteen feet wide and seven feet tall on the inside. The original plan was to construct a shelter outside, of boughs, but , again , the snow being wet, would have frozen us to the ground before sun-up.

Dinner was started at about five, I think, and everybody cooked up their own things and then shared it with the rest of the group. I was stuffed, and just in time, it was getting dark and cooling down. I think it was only seven by then , so we got our bedding together, sharing blankets with as many of our neighbors as possible. I must have woken up two or three times during the night , and was glad to see the sky lightening up, signaling the mornings arrival .

Breakfast was a combination of dried fruit, coffee, beef jerky, anything left in the haversack. We packed up and made our way back out to the cars; on the way prepared or an attack from the two scouts that had left camp ahead of us; an attack that never came until a few shots were exchanged at the end of the walk. Pictures were taken and thanks to our hosts for the invitation. And then we all went to the local diner for breakfast/ lunch. Some lessons learned: meal preparation and packing up gear always takes longer than you want, so constantly be thinking of ways to cut down on the amount of STUFF you bring without sacrificing the needed items. Also, sharing is a nice thing to do, but in doing so you also get ideas for the next time. Keep those moccasins well oiled , those of us that had them. As a personal observation, the Fooslappen worked well over a felt inner boot.

Respectfully,

Pvt. C. Kennick

A Message from the Sergeant

If Peters' Corps really wants to make money they should seriously consider to individually branch out into developing a pertinent craft/chore/fatigue that would have been part of their normal work in camp. Remember that most of a soldier's life in the service was simply mundane work. If we can make this next hurdle we can GROW, make MONEY, accept new CHALLENGES and STRENGTHEN our mission. In fact, that is going to be my push for the current year.

One thing that we might try is to provide some impromptu music. We have several musicians in the group who, if the Union allows it, could perhaps get together for their own amusement and play / sing something period.

Another idea is to have someone try to RECRUIT from the visitors. Giving all the reasons that ardent patriots would want to join Peters' Corps. Offer paper money to prospectives as a symbolic taking of the Shilling. I think our best bet is to do things which involve the visiting kids. They love to be taught the drill and if we had some wooden muskets it would be a real fun thing for the kids.

We have a good many sewers and someone between drills could develop a craft out of repairing clothing/gear as an integrated part of the camp scene. If another guy could do something with FIRE STARTING for instance that would be great.

Making fascines, gabions or a Cheval de Friese would be interesting and would keep the lads busy between drills. THAT is perhaps the problem...our competitors, who style themselves craftsmen, can point to us as often just standing around BEING soldiers in camp instead of DOING what soldiers do in camp.

We cannot rest on our laurels. We have to provide more to strengthen our position and attract more money and recruits. To sit on our hands invites decay.

Bill

Light Infantry School

May first, a sunny early afternoon, Justin and Chris Kennick and Elizabeth MacNaulty loaded up Chris' Subaru wagon and headed off to Canada. Fort George is just across the Niagara River from the Buffalo, N.Y. area . And despite any predictions as to the time it would take us to get up there, it only was six hours; a real fast trip as far as WE were concerned !!!!!!! (Elizabeth says it's on account of the "lake effect", whatever that is). So about 9 PM we rolled into the parking lot of the fort; having passed through the Canadian checkpoint easily.

As we walked through the dark, unfamiliar, setting on our way to find out where to stay for the night, I couldn't help thinking what Justin and Elizabeth had been saying to me just a half hour earlier. I had been nervous about crossing the boarder, but they said "you're home; the land where Peter's Corps. would be welcomed; we were meeting with other LOYALISTS". OK now the dark was not so unfamiliar.

Upon entering, we could see the parade ground; you could fit Ft. Stanwix in there neatly. Then we could see three BIG block houses to our left; and just beyond them and to the right was the one story, yellow painted, officers dining hall. Not too much else popped out at me just then, as we went into the center blockhouse to the second floor to find our bunks. In the semi darkness, I found a note tacked to a set of four bunks that read " This Bunk Reserved Peter's Corps. G.H." The G.H. was George House, one of our contacts for directions etc... Having never met the man, I thought this a very nice thing to do for us wayward New Englanders.

There were a few people in the room that paid little attention to us as we settled in, but as I recall, they were quiet and respectful of others I could just barely make out who were fast asleep.

At about 5 AM Saturday, I got up and got dressed and took a brief look around the interior of the Fort. Aside from the afore mentioned buildings, there was a covered pit saw, a garden, a stone powder magazine, and cook houses, all very nicely built and taken care of.Upon returning to the blockhouse I met Steve, one of The Company of Select Marksmen , Christian Cameron's group.

Steve had one of the classes that weekend on cleaning your 18th C. musket. He did a very good job of it; and never once mentioned modern rubbing compounds, such as Dupont #40, or steel wool; instead, he showed us his tin of BRICK DUST. Take a hunk of towe, dip it into oil, and then dab it into the dust and clean up any steel parts of the piece. For the brass bits he uses vinegar and salt, comes out real nice. Again, I think he did an outstanding job !!!!!!

Some of the other classes that weekend were cooking without using half a ton of cast iron. Actually no iron, cooking bread on a rock leaned up to the fire; meat on a ramrod or in a frying pan, or on a stick. Roasting coffee beans in a fry pan, crushing them, and then making your coffee.

Elizabeth was our guide to these culinary delights, and did a good job considering the time she had, and the fact that the one small fire was used by 15 to 20 people in ach class. There were classes on your health as a LIGHT infantryman; tactical positions to use in different types of cover; and , of course the ever present DRILL.

In the afternoons we did three battles to practice some of what we learned in the mornings. This went pretty well. It would have worked much better had we been attacking a Doodle army with our united light infantry; instead we found we were stale mating ourselves because both armies knew the same things.

During the weekend, Justin and I fell in with The Company Of Select Marksmen, and were welcomed by them as usual. What a joy to work with this bunch. We have invited them to some of our events, and I hope they come, it can only bring us closer together.

Also during our stay there we were asked by the higher ups, what OUR opinion of the event was. This is the second event of its kind, at this location, and I think they just needed to know if we would think of coming again. I assured them I would be back!! And I would do my best to get the rest of Peter's Corps. there next year.

At the close of Sunday afternoon, we were given permission to take off early if we wanted to, because we had the furthest to go for home. But we stuck around for most everything, and had a light meal at a local sandwich shop with Christian Cameron, and Gavin Watt's driver (sorry, I can't remember his name), before heading out. The drive home took about eight hours, but that was on account of several things like rain, different drivers, tired drivers, etc...

Yes I am going next year, and I would love to have my comrades with me; so lets get our brick dust, and our coffee beans in preparation. We have the rest of this year's slate of events to practice what we learned.

As Always, Your Pard,

Chris Kennick

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