Matt comes to us on a transfer from the 42nd RHR, having served there as a Private Sentinel for three years. He is equipped with all the basic gear and does not have to dip into the slop chest. Matt Lives in South Kent, CT, and works near White Plains, NY, as an Accountant. He is married and has two children. Matt always answered the drum and fit right in as if he had been a member for years. We appreciated his good attitude and additional fire power. We think that Matt will be a great asset to Peters' Corps based on his excellent performance at the GTE.

Thanks to Brian Zawodniak who loaned us his mosquito netting for Saturday night. It protected three of us from the 3" long mosquitoes we found in the area. Without it we would have been in big trouble. It is recommended that more of these be obtained as the unit loaned by Brian covers only three people. it is also recommended that they be kept in cloth bags to hide their true identity. Thank you Brian for your thoughtfulness.

Chris and Justin visited the Indian camp on Saturday night to cadge some victuals and returned some hours later in the evening proper fusticated. No harm was done since the Provost Guard was probably already in the sack.

Not one lantern hook was to be seen in either camp.

The wood cut by Chris Kennick and Our Sergeant was pretty much consumed, especially in the upper meadow where the Company of Select Marksmen and Our Brothers were encamped. Being part of the Host Team, we not only provided wood but Danny Moraski and Our Sergeant helped John Muller and Major Edmund Moderacki lay out the Crown camp. On Friday, Danny, Justin and Bill manned the Registration Table until pitch black night descended.

After the last scenario Chris, Bill, Justin and Matt picked up a zillion cartridge papers at the site of the hottest fire fight (the Redoubt) and later took down all the BAR (Spontoon) signs on the way home. I personally want to thank all of you for your efforts to make this last weekend a real success.

Jim Matthews of the Queen's Rangers has agreed to make up some breech Cleaning " wedges" for us. I do not know what the price will be but the workmanship is excellent and the purpose of the wedges is to clean the breech as worm and tow cannot do effectively.

This event was well attended by Board Members including: Col. Richard Patterson, Lt. Cols. Paul Ackermann and Peter Schaaphok, Maj. Edmund Moderacki, & Lts Robert Allegretto and Todd Post.

Among the units on the field we had the following:

• 22nd Regt. of Foot

• Company of Select Marksmen
• Indian Department personnel and Our Brothers
• Queen's Rangers
• Peters' Corps
• Regt von Specht

For Congress, et le Roi.

• 85 ieme Regiment (St. Onge)
• A combined Bn of New England Troops
• Six mounted Banditti, posing as Cont'l Lt. Dragoons
• Corps of Light Infantry
• Several rifle nuisances

The above is correct as far as I can tell.

Sergeant for the Day was Justin Kennick who did a fine job as usual. Justin was patient with us when we gave unwanted and unneeded advice. Thank you Justin.

Incidentally, if you visit Old Sturbridge Village don't forget to drop into the Coopers' Shop where Justin will be artfully plying his trade as a tight cooper.

 As you well might imagine we really did not know what was going on. The officers told us in general terms what to expect and what the plan of the scenario was supposed to be. However, after the first shot was fired it was play it by ear. We tried to do our best but soon everything was a blur of sweat, and aching muscles, of thirst and fatigue, smoke and volleys. Sometimes we understood the orders sometimes not. Often we were abandoned and had to make up our own minds what to do next. An understanding of our basic role helped. At one point we burst from cover to surprise the Combined Bn who were just standing there with eyes like onions and empty muskets. Naturally our muskets were charged.

Sunday morning was the low point in the weekend! What seemed like a busload of French troops arrived with grins and looking all fresh and mean. The two Sunday scenarios were made unnecessarily miserable by them.

To add insult to injury the Cont'l Light Dragoons were very active, too active for me. They disrupted our formations regularly and one chased me in circles.

After five scenarios on Saturday we were exhausted. It was a quiet evening and unlike Wethersfield we were not kept awake by revelers into the wee hours.

Between scenarios we lay in the shade and looked up at the mountain to our east. It was steep and covered with a green mantel of trees. Above the mountain there was about seven large hawks or eagles catching a "thermal" and circling upwards and upwards. There were no modern features anywhere, except those we brought. One day perhaps we will have screens around the portajohns and camo netting over the water buffaloes to keep from spoiling some of the scenery.

What did we learn? That's easy.

1. bring more food,
2. dive for the woods if you see horses,
3. or, when in a field form two ranks and give the rear rank a right about to face any cavalry charge,
4. keep quiet when the officer has something to tell you, then keep quiet when he does not,
5. the enemy cheats,
6. send out flankers and a point man when moving down a trail,
7. as soon as possible stop the drum and have the drummer keep an eye to the rear,
8. have the Monitor time how long it takes a rifleman to load. They were pumping out shots as fast as is possible with a musket which is not right.
9. when in doubt as to what to do, go for the gun fire,
10. keep a thick (or padded) bag to protect your left hand when the barrel gets too hot to touch.

Respectfully Submitted,

W. Wigham, Sgt.

 During the 70s and 80s ED THOUIN of Easthampton was a member of Peters' Corps and rec'd an Honorable Discharge after years of valued service. He has donated a number of items of clothing and gear to the Queen's Loyal Rangers which we will certainly be able to use, ever mindful of the donor. Ed was a member of the U. States Marines for many years and was active in the Second World War. Thank you Ed for your generosity and thoughtfulness:

List of items received:

• 1 Small , round hat, needs blocking and liner
• 1 pr. coarse linen (half bleached) trowsers, about a 32" waist, 28" inseam
• 1 brown woolen waistcoat, lined w/ linen, medium size
• 1 coarse linen haversack of civilian pattern
• 1 wooden canteen by "Chief" Jim McMahon marked "ET"
• 1 pr. Shoes size 8 1/2 to 9...need buckles or ties
• 1 coarse linen work shirt, half-bleached
• 1 small wooden plate
• 1 pick & brush
• 1 soap dish, wooden (Ticonderoga pattern via Geo. Woodbridge)
• 1 belaying pin
• 2 belt buckles, brass
• 1 fine white linen shirt, one long side seam needs to be re-sewn

All items listed above are in good to fine condition except as noted.

Thanks again, Ed Thouin.

 The Sergeant & I represented the Regiment at Mt. Independence near Orwell, VT the weekend of July 25 - 26. This was the first visit to the site for both of us and we were greatly impressed. The site is a gem!!

We arrived on Saturday morning and had great weather all weekend. We set up The Sail at the edge of the Crown Camp. Crown Forces were small for the event, but we more than made up for it in spirit and audacity. On Saturday, our friend Mike Barbieri took us on a personally guided tour along the Orange Trail where we saw:

• the site where a crane hoisted materiel up a cliff face to the troops
• a beautiful view of Mt. Defiance
• a commanding view of Ft. Ticonderoga and the lower battery of Mt. Independence.

 Mike also shared some information with us regarding past archaeological digs at the site. He told us about the underwater cribs & footings for the bridge across the lake linking Ft. Ticonderoga to Mt. Independence, the three boats still intact underwater across the lake at Ft. Ticonderoga, and many other things too numerous to mention here. Thanks again to Mike!!

We had tacticals on both days. We lost on Saturday, and won on Sunday. After the tactical on Saturday, Jim Casco stamped my musket as had done previously for members of the Regiment at Hubbardton. Thanks Jim!! The weather was great for sleeping on Saturday night and we woke to another great day on Sunday.

The Sergeant & I explored some more trails at the site and kept remarking about the beauty of the site and the sensation of being on "hallowed ground." From what we’ve seen and heard, the site is constantly improving and next year promises to be an even better and larger event. I can’t imagine is being better, but I have a feeling that it will be bigger as more members of our Regiment are sure to attend.

Thanks to Dave Bernier for inviting us to this gem of a site and all the efforts he and the LHA made in our behalf. Three Large Huzzahs to you!!!

 After our wet weekend at the Hartwell Tavern, I set upon an experiment.

My hunting frock, supposedly designed to shed the rain, bled its green dye on to my beautiful white huckaback waistcoat and work shirt. The dye, despite bleaching, remains on waistcoat and shirt. Although things like this probably happened a lot in the 18th century, I was not thrilled. I like to look authentic, but at my discretion and not the weather's. . .

Then I overheard Bill talking about the existence of 18th century hunting frock capes treated with linseed oil. Bill had received this information from a trusted friend. Well, that was good enough for me.

I thought about linseeding the complete frock, but I did not want to become a potential walking fire starter. I treated both upper capes, and now I laugh, theoretically, at the rain!

Of course, it did not rain at the GTE on Saturday; so I left in disgust (Actually, I was not feeling well, and I did in fact leave).

I will let everyone know if my experiment is successful. Can anyone say La Nina?

God save the King!

*Pvt. L. Zawodniak

 *L. standing for linseed, of course. . .

Kudos to Brian Zawodniak for his having created the first repro of a Hunting Shirt with "painted" capes. His diligence at sewing and his creativity have been noted and applauded by Peters' Corps. We hope his students appreciate the richness of the impression of the Revolutionary War soldier that he brings to liven up their class room.

We are usually forced to bring certain things to an event that are clearly anachronistic. Naturally we hope to eliminate farb items by finding that we really do not need them at all. In the meantime we try to mask the coolers, and other modern items with chests seeming to be the way to go until we ask ourselves the question, "Who would carry such a thing on a march?" A step closer to better authenticity might well be the <bag> of any coarse material which will be light, and hide the anachronism just as well as the wooden chest. Bags can certainly mask the Gatorade bottle, the mosquito net, & ca. The same embarrassing question still arises about how such things would be transported. One can only say that the quest for authenticity is a process and the goal as distant as a star. We can and should enjoy the challenge of seeking out excellence whereever possible, guided by the concept that "less is better".

YOS,

W. Wigham, Sgt.

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