Difficutly in accessing internet from the boat, and inertia keeping me from camping out at the library has resulted in a gap with the blog. I resolve to do better, as we have been having a great time with sight-seeing, and also learning a lot about preparing a boat!

In mid-October we noticed in the local events paper that there was to be a re-enactment of The Battle of the Hook. It is described as follows: "The events leading up to the Yorktown Campaign and the subsequent victory of the Allies that insured the independence of the United States are well known. Less well known is the battle that took place across the York River from Yorktown sixteen days before the British capitulation, but one that led immeasurably to that final outcome."

The reenactment was to take place at Warner Hall, and the whole spectacle was provided for free, apart from a $1 charge for a round trip to the site by shuttle bus.
There was to be a procession through old Gloucester the Friday night, but the weather was so cold and the rain so heavy that it was cancelled. Saturday's weather was also terrible, but the skies cleared enough on Sunday that we decided to risk it.

It was a wonderful day, and although Wilmington offers a similar experience, the fact that this was all done by enthusiasts from around the country giving of their time and money made it unique. There were over 1500 re-enactors there for the three days and two or more nights required for the event. They slept in tents like the original soldiers did (though one did confess to us that he used a couple of sleeping bags!)and dressed in the manner of the time. There were reenactors of French, Spanish,English and Scottish soldiers(and possibly others), as well as American troops and raggle-taggle recruits. There were women and children camp followers, and merchants who set up a tent village with goods as they would have in the past. The reenactors prowled these tents looking for items needed by their alter-egos. From weapons to haberdashery, it was all represented.
There seemed to be more reenactors than onlookers and that further served to give the impression that we had stepped back in time. It certainly brought it home to me how many different nationalities were involved in the conflicts, as well as the mix of Americans from backwoodsmen to plantation owners and statesmen.

Scenes from the Encampment

Scenes from the merchants

Assembling the Troops

Scenes from the Battle

The Battle itself was interesting, as I had never thought about how very like a strategy game these earlier disputes were. One side made a move, then the next assessed it and made a counter move. The men pulling the cannon on wagons took long agonizing minutes to load, before firing on command, and the lines of infantry seemed to stand ready for ever until they were ordered to fire as a group. If you read of the losses suffered, they seemed minimal compared to some battles of the Civil War.. "The British withdrew to their lines with the loss of their infantry commander and 12 men, and a wounded Colonel Tarleton. The Americans lost 2 killed and 11 wounded, and the French suffered 3 killed and 16 wounded, including Lauzun's second-in-command, an Irish brawler and duelist named Robert Dillon."
Of course, I don't know how many they started with!

The Battle of the Hook:
http://gloucesterva.info/pr/events/bhhistory.htm
http://www.battleofthehook.com/history.html