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BAR units and members are invited to participate in one of the central events in the 300th anniversary celebration of the Town of Needham, Massachusetts.
The event will be held at Ridgehill Reservation, in Needham, Mass., on Saturday and Sunday May 21st and 22nd, 2011.
Event Coordinator Ken Siegel (23rd RWF) and host unit, the Tenth Massachusetts Regiment, promise that if you want an action packed weekend, you will not be disappointed!
The event is a BAR invitational event, meaning that non-BAR units will be invited. Why? Because we need troops, and recent turnouts suggest that we need to augment BAR participants. We wish we didn't have to do so, but that's the way it is. The local invitees are some of the best units that participate in the Battle Road event each year, and this is the BARs way of thanking them for inviting the Brigade to their event in 2010. That said, we strongly encourage BAR units to make the trek to participate in this memorable event, and Brigade units will have priority of place on the field of battle.
Arrival and set up will be possible from Friday morning on, but everything must be done before the event site opens to the public at 10 am, Saturday morning, May 21st.
Normal camp amenities will be provided to include water easily accessible close to each camp, ample firewood, straw for tents, and plenty of portable latrines, to include the larger ones beloved of the ladies.
There will also be a good number of high quality sutlers present, under the supervision of Roy Najecki of the 40th Foot.
Parking will be about 300 yards away, through the woods, and entirely out of sight... SO... the Needham Police WILL patrol the parking area, to include at night!
The American camp will be a focal point of the event on both days. It will be a well set up, fortified encampment a la Steuben, as per the camp seen in Charles Willson Peale's portrait of Walter Stewart.
We hope to have the entire 100 yard front- age of the camp fortified with a fascine wall, augmented by fleches or gabioned embrasures for artillery at the front and corners of the camp.
Guards will be mounted in camp and troops on duty will be 'manning the lines', patrolling, or working to complete the fortifications or other camp duties.
Musick will practice their duties in the front of the camp or as directed by the Drum Major.
During Saturday's battle, the defense of the lines around camp will be a critical element of the actions. Pioneers bring your implements, and start making fascine bundles this spring, if not sooner!
We plan to have period camp kitchens as have been used successfully at Monmouth, Green Spring, Charleston, and other first rate events.
We ask that unit kitchens be kept to a minimum. We are working on having brush available for arbors so you don't have to erect a large dining fly.
If you must bring your dining fly and other impedimenta, your kitchen will be located behind the main camp, where there will be room for such things.
Because the American camp will be the principal attraction for the public on both days, we need your help to make it come alive!! In addition to the usual military activities described above, we need a camp laundry, petty sutlers or traders, visitors to camp, etc., all of which can combine to create vignettes that will be sure to challenge the order of the camp as well as its officers! On Sunday, order will be restored as the Chaplain will hold a drumhead service at the head of the
camp that is being advertised to the public, to which will be attended by all troops not on duty.
The Crown camp will be an authentic marching camp, set up so that the Crown Forces participants have a place to sleep, cook, eat, and relax when off duty. As with the American camp, we are working on having green brush available on site for the construction of arbors, wigawams, or other shelters. The camp will be out of sight of the public, especially on Saturday morning, when we ask all crown participants to remain in camp, or to remove your coat and equipment if you wish to leave the camp area, in order to preserve the drama of your "arrival" in the afternoon. On Sunday, the camp will be open at the discretion of the camp commander, since the British will be the 'occupiers' of the town.
Modern camping will also be available in the parking area. A separate area will be set aside and a porta-john will be provided since this is three hundred yards from the main, encampment area. This area will be suitacampers, trailers, and RV's. Men of the 10th Mass. Light Infantry company
Here is the historical setting which will be well advertised to the public, very well in advance in the local media, and also will be explained at the event to include explanations by the narrator and 'role playing' by the American forces.
The War for American Independence was in its fourth year. The main British Army, now commanded by General Sir Henry Clinton, was preparing to leave Philadelphia and march North to join the British garrison in New York City.
The main American army, commanded by General George Washington, had passed an unpleasant winter at Valley Forge. After the American victory at Saratoga, and the surrender of Burgoyne's army in the fall of 1777, France came into the war and immediately began sending badly needed supplies and equipment to the Americans. Washington's men were no longer a so called rabble in arms, but were experienced, battle hardened soldiers who, though still not trained to the level of the British Regulars, were far from the woefully inept amateurs of two years earlier. And the British, though still confident of their superiority, knew this.
In the fall of 1776, General Henry Clinton was sent North from New York to capture Newport, Rhode Island. This provided the British with a seaport close to Boston and posed a constant threat to all of New England. By May of 1778 the British forces in Newport were commanded by Major General Lord Robert Pigot. His three thousand men were watched, but not particularly bothered by the one thousand man American force commanded by Major General John Sullivan, headquartered near Tiverton. The closest other American force was in and around Boston, which was defended by strong artillery and a sizeable militia force. Although General Sullivan had some good Continental Line troops, and Light Infantry, the elite of the American forces in 1778, plus decent artillery, his main force was comprised of local militia units. Most Continentals were serving with Washington so the New England colonies were largely on their own.
The "it never happened but it could have" situation, May 21, 1778.
General Pigot has learned that a large amount of newly arrived supplies and equipment provided by French ships that have reached Boston, is currently being moved Southwest toward the Hudson Highlands in New York, where they will greatly aid the American forces guarding the Hudson River North of New York City.
The Patriots, according to Loyalist spies, are moving these supplies slowly and carefully, with guards provided by the various towns as the caravan moves, along with an assigned force of Continentals and some artillery. General Pigot sees an opportunity and believes that a fast moving raiding force might be able to find, capture, and destroy these supplies.
Even more intriguing is the possibility of finding and rescuing the 'Convention army', surrendered by Burgoyne, which is believed to be held somewhere not too far from Needham. Therefore, Pigot has selected an experienced officer to lead the raid. His choice, Brigadier General in America Kenneth Siegel, is from a military family that came to England along with King George the First, when that Hanoverian ascended to the English throne in 1714. A veteran of the French and Indian War, Siegel has many years of experience in North America and in fact served with his opponent, the commanding officer of the Supply caravan's guards, Lt. Col. Bradford Chetwynd, during several campaigns in 1759 through 1763. The two were, in fact, friends but now they are enemies. Both men are seasoned soldiers who have fought well and hard since the very beginning of the war. Although each would regret it, they will not shrink from doing that which may be necessary even though it might result in the death of the other. Neither knows that the other is, in fact, the 'enemy commander'.
The same Loyalist spies that informed General Pigot of the supply movement have kept General Siegel informed of the location each day as the caravan moved. Siegel knows that the supplies arrived in the town of Needham on May 1st, and that they are still there because Lt. Col. Chetwynd has not yet gathered the necessary draft animals he needs to continue. Too many horses and oxen have died along the way, and the local farmers are reluctant to part with their animals because they need them for plowing and planting. Chetwynd has established an armed and well defended encampment just outside the town of Needham where he waits with growing impatience and concern for the needed draft animals to be collected. He also has received his own reports that a British force is moving somewhere to his South, but not exactly where. Although the Americans are prepared to move out of their camp and resume the march quickly, they have, as soldiers always will, turned what had been a temporary marching camp into more of a garrison fort. Many Continentals and Militia have their families with them in the camp. This constantly provides Lt. Col. Chetwynd with discipline problems which he could very well do without.
It is May 21st, 1778, and very soon the residents of the town of Needham will indeed know that the British are Coming!
The one on Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon will be staged for the public. The third, which will be a war game, will be held on Sunday morning and is optional. The site has been walked, looked at, discussed, and all planning done on the ground by the commanders, and other key officers from Crown and American Forces. Essentially, Saturday will be 'Redcoats Rule', and Sunday will be 'Revenge of the Rebels'.
During each day's battle, there will be roles for camp women and period civilians in the scenarios.
The Sunday morning war game will be for those who want to play and both 'armies' will assign commanders and bring the 'players' to a start point, point them at each other, and off they go for no more than an hour. This will be at 8am! No artillery, no bayonets fixed!
About the battles: One cartridge box for each, main battle will be sufficient. The battles will involve lots of maneuver and not a lot of standing in place exchanging volleys. Those taking part in the Sunday morning war game will be asked to carry only ten rounds, a normal thing for such activities.
There will be a formal, ball Saturday night in Needham, with live, 18th century music, and a dance instructor/caller, with open bar, etc.
The ball is a FORMAL AFFAIR. It is designed to provide an opportunity for those ladies and gentlemen of quality to show off their finery, and for officers and their ladies to mingle with the local citizenry. The ball will be open to the public for $10 per person (free to us of course)... BUT... the public will know that they must have either rented or acquired a costume or, if they come in modern clothing, it is black tie formal!
For those without the finery to attend the ball, there will be stuff going on in the camps at night, and once the public leaves, you will be free to mingle. We are working on having appropriate "jollification" for the troops in camp. Regarding the ball, Saturday night... it WILL be a problem walking back from the parking lot in the dark, along a trail through the woods, particularly for ladies in their finery, to the camp after driving back from the ball site. And if you drink a bit at the ball... well... not a good idea to drive and it is about 3 miles away. SO... we're going to provide a bus to shuttle people to and from the ball and camp. Those motelling it are, as usual, on their own.
Website: www.needham300.org (There will be NO participant information included. Since this is an invitational event, all information will come from this invitation.)
Saturday, May 21 - Site open 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Battle at 1:30 pm
Sunday, May 22 - 10:00 am to 2:30 pm, Battle at 1:00 pm
Ridgehill Reservation, Charles River Street, Needham, MA 02492
From the West: Take I-90 East to Route 128 South which is also I-95 South, to exit 17, Route 135.
Take 135 West toward Needham for 0.5 miles to a traffic light.
Turn left onto South Street.
Stay on South Street for a total of 2.3 miles, bearing left at a fork (marked with a green sign on a tree, High Rock right, South Street left), and crossing Chestnut Street at a traffic light, continuing straight on South Street to Charles River Street.
Turn right onto Charles River Street, and travel for a total of 1 mile, crossing Central avenue at a traffic light and continuing straight on Charles River Street. Ridgehill Reservation will be on your right.
Turn right into the event site and drive to the registration area.
From the South: Take I-95 North to exit 17, Route 135. Proceed as above.
From the North: Take I-95 South to exit 17, Route 135. Proceed as above.
For those who wish to motel, it is best to act quickly, since there are several local colleges in the Boston area with graduations around that time. The website below offers the largest selection of nearby motels:
www.allgetaways.com/hotels/hotel-city.asp?state=MA&city=Needham
Officer in Command, American Forces, Brad Chetwynd: (978) 368-6949
Event Coordinator for the Town of Needham, Revolutionary War Weekend Event, and Officer in Command, Crown Forces at Needham: Ken Siegel, (781) 444-2589
Emergency Contact: TBA