| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Fitz Williams |
Posted - April 19 2004 : 12:12:59 PM
I just returned from the French and Indian War Encampment at Fort Toulouse. I would recommend this to anyone who can make it. For those of you who may not know, Fort Toulouse is a reconstructed French fort from the early to mid eighteenth century and manned by the compagnies franches de la marine and some milice. There is also an Indian village near it, a few really fine merchants, and enough camping space where you can camp as primitive as you like and never see another person! Or your group can camp as a unit. There is also a modern area which will accomodate a LOT of the 21st century variety of campers, but is separate from the other areas. Frontier Days in November is a circus, but the April encampment is much smaller, and you can get more of a eighteenth century experience, especially in the fort at night, and around the Indian camp. And we were treated very well (which equals good food, lots of it, and beverages to match). This is not, I repeat not, Frontier days. I went through 40 rounds of cartridges in the battles and could have fired more if I had had them. As I guess you can tell, I had a really great time. We were short on British intruders (of which I am one), so it would be nice to have a few more next year. Maybe even some from the Marion, NC area. |
| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Theresa |
Posted - April 20 2004 : 5:25:18 PM
I KNOW...I KNOW!! We had a conflict with scheduling...daughter needed some help with yard work and repairs so we headed NORTH!! ARGH! Next year...at the encampment...I'll see to it I'm there. |
| Fitz Williams |
Posted - April 20 2004 : 10:56:00 AM
You should have been there anyway! Saturday night, after the feast, I changed into my new white stockings and shirt and my best waistcoat, and went back to the fort. By then it was dark, and there was a candle or two in the barracks but no one around. I went into the main room looking for people, but there was only a small fire in the fireplace and a single candle burning. I helped myself to some wine and walked around the side of the stockade, past the bastion, toward the Indian camp. They had a large bonfire (feu de joie) built and it was surrounded by Indians, French, Spanish, and others. One Indian started the song, then others came into the dance. It was something to see. It made me wonder what a person from the parishes around Charleston would have thought the first time he witnessed a dance like this. Imagine Cameron's cabin, Fort William Henry, and Montcalm's camp all rolled into one. And you were only an hour and a half away? |
| Theresa |
Posted - April 19 2004 : 5:32:05 PM
DAMMIT!! Fitz, why didn't you let us know you were going? Just an hour and a half down the road and we're there! ARGH!! |
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