French and Indian War re-enactors train for the Founder's Day living history events at Lighthouse Point
French and Indian War re-enactors from across New England, Canada and even Europe carried out battle drills at the site of a former French fort. Wearing wool uniforms and tricorn hats, re-enactors from the colonial-era re-enactment group Forsyth's Rifles and several other units met on the Ogdensburg's historic Lighthouse Point to train for the annual Founder's Day living history events. Founder's Day will be held July 18-19 at Lighthouse Point - which will also host the state's 250th French and Indian War Commemoration events in 2010. Re-enactor David A. Clarke made the trip from Coventry, England, to play a French soldier: "I prefer the French side. You get to be the bad guy at home." (watertowndailytimes.com)
British General John Forbes' campaign to take Fort Duquesne
The French and Indian War, 1754-1763, wasn't even really a "war," but rather the American front of the Seven Years War, an 18th-century war between England and France. Their hunting grounds besieged by immigrants, many American Indians joined forces with the French forces, which had a stronghold at Fort Duquesne. The British army's first attempt at taking this location, led by General Edward Braddock in 1755, ended in disaster. 3 years later, British General John Forbes launched a second attempt to take Fort Duquesne. The story of his expedition is told in "Pennsylvania's Forbes Trail: Gateways and Getaways along the Legendary Route from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh". (altoonamirror.com)
Fort Loudoun gives taste of frontier conflicts
75 French and Indian War-era re-enactors will gather at Fort Loudoun on June 21-22 to reenact the Cherokee Council, an event that lasted for 2 days in June 1758. Re-enactors will do shows about historic weapons, Native American customs and military drills. Cherokee Council will be re-enacted, and David Dixon will speak on "Indian Diplomacy with the French and British in the Ohio Valley, 1758-1763." --- If you go: Travel guide "Pennsylvania's Forbes Trail" focuses on gateway communities across the state through which General John Forbes passed on his 1758 expedition to capture Pittsburgh's Point. (post-gazette.com)
Cherokee Indians and frontiersmen battle in re-enactment at blockhouse in Scott (Article no longer available from the original source)
Tensions between the Cherokee Indians and frontiersmen boiled over in battle Saturday, marked by the booms of a cannon, rifles and muskets. Neither side "won", but the Native Americans got an edge because one frontiersman was wounded by a Cherokee musket ball and a frontier woman seized by the Cherokee chose to stay with her captors. It was day one of a 2-day living history lesson "Siege of the Wilderness Road Blockhouse" by the Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Association at Natural Tunnel State Park near Duffield. 250 people attended the event, which included a horse race, the siege battle, storytelling, 18th century battlefield surgery, frontier cooking and a night battle. (timesnews)
Guide spotlights history, beauty of Central Pennsylvania
Travel writer Christine H. O'Toole wasn't surprised by all the historic locations she found in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh - the start and end points for the Forbes Trail, the route that British General John Forbes marched in 1758 to drive the French from Fort Duquesne. This campaign ended in the British taking control of the Forks of the Ohio and the naming of Pittsburgh. "The surprises for me were in the small towns, many of which have a well-defined sense of history. Carlisle and Bedford are 2 of my favorites." They are among the 7 "gateway" communities in "Pennsylvania's Forbes Trail" history and travel guide. (post-gazette)
Re-enactors, vendors gather for 18th Century Market Fair at Fort Frederick State Park
It was like going back to the 18th century: Re-enactors were dressed in clothing that would have been common during the French and Indian War during the first day of the 14th annual 18th Century Market Fair at Fort Frederick State Park. However, shoppers looking for uniforms, blankets, weapons and other items were talking about the price of gas. Lt. Angie Hummer, park manager of the Fort Frederick complex, said she expects 8,000 - 10,000 visitors throughout the 4-day event. Ruth Konrad - one of the 135 vendors - is selling linens, fabric and sewing materials. She sells mainly to re-enactors. (herald-mail)
Historians re-enact the massacre at Sabbath Day Point (Article no longer available from the original source)
Serving in the military could be lucrative for young men from New Jersey who left their farms to spend a season fighting in the French and Indian War. 350 soldiers in 22 whale boats were traveling north on Lake George on an expedition on July 24, 1757 when they landed near Sabbath Day Point for some unknown reason. American Indians allied with the French ambushed soldiers as they landed. One theory is that American Indians drew the soldiers to shore by wearing red arm bands used to id American Indians allied with the British. 150 of the soldiers were killed, more casualties than in the Fort William Henry massacre a few weeks later. (poststar)
Washington's only surrender: Ceremony marks Fort Necessity battle (Article no longer available from the original source)
A group of 50 people showed up to mark the anniversary of the battle between George Washington's Virginians and the French force and their American Indian allies at the Fort Necessity Battlefield in Farmington. The battle was George Washington's only surrender. "This was a very ugly place on July 3, 1754, 253 years ago," said historic weapons supervisor and park ranger Brian Reedy. "33 men lost their lives here." Reedy, dressed in historic uniform, went on to talk about the events, as Washington and his men fought the French and American Indians on a very rainy day. After an 8-hour battle, Washington and Captain James Mackay agreed to the terms of surrender. (heraldstandard)