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I've been to many "reenactments" down here in the Carolinas

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I remember Guilford being on the NPS land

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Originally posted by scotranger

Make's a guy wonder why Mr. G threw in his two cents only to put up negative remarks on Bushy Run. If memory serves me correctly highlander and some of his acquaintences were more than happy to do educational programs at Bushy Run or Ft. Pitt a short time ago for a fee. I only posted the Bushy Run Topic to give any persons interested in reenactments a date to add to their calendar. Some people only feel good about themselves when they are putting someone or something down. I guess some people just need a soap box.

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Originally posted by scotranger

Bushy Run Battlefield is celebrating the 240th Anniversary of the Battle of Bushy Run on August 2 & 3, 2003. If you haven't had the chance to see the reenactment in previous years, please take time out of your schedule to see it. I'm sure you'll find it enjoyable. Granted, it's not a Gettysburg size reenactment but we like to think we put on a great living history event. Wonderful living historians bring to life the pivotal battle that occured during Pontiac's War. The event has 2 battle tacticals. The morning battle portrays the action of August 5 and the afternoon engagement lays out winning tactics of Col. Henry Bouquet of August 6, 1763. British Encampment, Native Village along with Sutlers and Demonstrators takes the visitor back to the Eighteenth Century. Hope to see you there.

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Originally posted by Seamus

Are you guys going to declare war or are you just going to continue to use weapons of mouth destruction against each other?

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Originally posted by giant greman

sorry you guessed wrong my name is fred and although I have worked at both sites I have no interest in scoring brownie points I only am interested in the sites that I have volenteered at since I was 16 and have worked at for 5 years. I have nor have I ever held or wanted a permenate position at the sites but work as a seasonal while I go to college. what your missing is that these things did happen, teh ram rod at sommerset, the cannon at fortpitt, I have seen video of a civil war reenactment where a canon prematurely fired due to use of under age under manned gun and launched a ramrod and a young man 25yrds, severely wounding the boy and splintering the ramrod all over the field. safety is a progressive thing and as such they are trying to see what they can do safely and this year allowed ramrods, as for Fort Pitt being the site directors decision it is, and although he doesn't have a reputatoin for liking reenactors he hasn't always gotten the kind of encuragment from his local group that would make him change his mind. in the end if some one gets hurt it is his fault, and you can't deny that reenactors starting with out their safety officer and reports of previous instances were field cannon where fired by a 3 man crew instead of a 5 and on the recess yeard of a public school are not great confedence builders. If you really look at the rules Fort Pitt doesn't comply with the safety guidlines, they are not rules they a guidlines and each site director will make up his own mind and take his own chances. but how reallistic of a reenacment can you have on the open flat 12ft higher point between the parkways can you have. I think that a well designed drill presentation can do alot to tell the story and there is enough space and safety officers to handle that.
as for the incident at summerset if there wasn't a ram rod in the first place could it even have been shot? I just feel you must remeber not every reenactor on the field will experience drilling like many british units do. you have indians who all want to be individuals, and rangers and pack horse drivers that are marching on the field as scirmishers who may not be trained, we have to protect every one even the stupid.(like when you buy a knife and it has paper work telling you that it is sharp and can cut!)
You can compair every one you want with chuck and say what ever you want but I will say this since i worked there in 98-00 there are more people coming to the museum now than ever. admittedly most are there because of the secound floor, but its some improvment but there is a hell of a long way to go. I will end this with a memory of mine that I have never forgotten.
when I was a young kid my parents brought me to the colonial fair back when it filled both side of the point and the thing I remember the most was drilling a hole into a log with the guy reenacting a carpenter, and fred trelffal telling stories to groups of kids. although I remeber the soldiers I don't remember the battles. but Iknow about them now.

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Originally posted by giant greman

I will say this but must preface that it is not the opinion of the PHMC, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or any one other than my own opinion.althought it has been established that I have and currently do work for the Commonwealth, I do not represent their voice.

Highlander you are correct to agreee with me that people are coming because of the secound floor, and they may be leaving disapointed but the site director can do very little about that. the schedule to design and construct the exhibits was set long before the current director even saw the site. I will also agree that the state moves slow, but slow and steady worked for the tortoise. Private sites have many opertunities to succeed and out shine the state sites, but they also can fall prey to the many curves of the capitalistic martket system, the whole point of the state sponsored site system is to preserve history and some times that takes time. as much as we would all love to see Ft. Pitt back to its hay day in the years after the bicentenial it doesn't happen over night and it requires a great deal of support from people interested in the goals set for the site. it has taken sites like ligoneer many years to develope the community support necessary to accomplish what they have done. and it will take Ft.Pitt many years to reclaim its spot in the minds of young pittsburghers like it did to me over a decade ago. hopefully some day I will see it happen and be able to have been involved untill then supporters have to struggle with the difficulties of regenerating interest in the history of a town many of its inhabitants want to forget! as much as we would like to think that our great modern Ideas are new most are just our past rehashing it self again in new contexts. some day people other than us will remember that some days you can go farther ahead by looking behind you.
as for the PHMC being suprised, as long as PA is part of the United states of America, and some one some where has some interest in history they will be there rain or shine and they can wade out the storms. and if the reenactment can't be succesfull they can try some thing else to help educate the public because that is thier goal not necessarily attracting reenactors. the public doesn't pay to provide the sites as an outlet for a small percentage of the populations interests, but as a source of data for the greater good, a way to preserve the memory of what it has taken to become the nation that we are.
you also address the expectations of the public. the general public has no expectations most Pittsburghers don't even know that anything happened in thier fair city, let alone that there is a plethora of historic sites to tell them about it. The history isn't going to change so there is time to develpe the redources neccessary to reeducate the public of its history.

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Originally posted by Gadget Girl

CT Ranger, I think you make an excellent point!! Perhaps semantics is the problem here. Having seen only one reenactment that did have casualties, I'm not sure I would find a display of "periord tactics" without the casualties very moving. As Rich said, the smell of gunpowder and, to me, THE SOUND, made the display so real. ...
Di

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