Training Days at Old Fort #4

A view of the fort from a nearby hill. Photo/Ken Buckbee

I had the unique opportunity to participate in the Training Days muster of the New England Contingent SAR at Old Fort #4 in Charlestown, New Hampshire over the Columbus Day weekend.

The New England Contingent is an organization of Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) color guard/ living history units from across Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The Contingent works collaboratively to commemorate historical events of our region, to educate the public about the American Revolution, and to bring alive our history through its reenactment. With the exception of the national unit, it is the largest color guard unit in the SAR and currently has over 60 active members.

Our host, Old Fort #4, provided us with an ideal facility and an opportunity to truly step back in time. The fort, hugging the New Hampshire shore of the Connecticut River, is a re-creation of the actual fortified village that was first constructed on the site in the early 1700s. A party of French and Indians led by Chevalier Jean Baptiste Boucher de Niverville besieged it for several days in 1747, but the militia refused to surrender. The French were eventually turned back and the strength of the fort served as an ongoing buffer, protecting other settlements further to the south.

This year, in return for the Fort Association’s hospitality, the New England Contingent served as an integral part of its Fall Festival, which was a celebration open to the Fort's supporting members as well as the public. While visitors strolled the grounds, toured the facilities and viewed the collection of artifacts, the Contingent paraded, drilled and encamped there as our forefathers had during the struggle for American independence.

Richard Wright, New England Region Vice President General, SAR, stands by a fireplace inside the fort during last year’s muster.

In the evening the ladies of the Fort prepared a feast that was taken communally on trestle tables before a blazing fire. Only wall sconces and candles on the tables lighted the room. Following the meal, everyone rejoined in an open room that served the occasion as a ballroom. Live fiddle music, candlelight, and a crackling fire at each end of the room provided the atmosphere for a festive night of contradancing.

When the public retired and the doors of the fort closed, the Contingent held its annual meeting, electing officers and planning events for the coming year. Current plans call for participation in the Boston Tea Party, Washington's Birthday Celebration at Hartford's Old State House, the Boston Massacre, Patriot's Day celebrations, the Battle of Bunker Hill, the 225th anniversary of the Battle of Bennington, and the 225th anniversary of the Battle of Saratoga. State and local SAR branches schedule additional local events that many Contingent members participate in as well.

Following the meeting we set up barracks in the room where we had dined, carrying out the tables to make room for our bunks. Generally, no anachronisms were allowed. Plank floors, log walls, a large fieldstone fireplace for cooking and heat; I was grateful there were at least glass panes in the windows. The only deliberate allowance made was for the use of modern folding cots and bedrolls; these only being brought into view after the public had departed. The nights were cold. Each man, after making a chilling dash to the outhouse, would invariably throw another log on the fire so that for the most part we remained quite snug beneath our woolen blankets.

It was truly an experience to remember, and I look forward to attending the event again next fall. It is a rare opportunity to step back in time and experience first-hand what life was like in the 18th century. This year's activities are coming to a close, but I do still look forward to joining in the reenactment of the Boston Tea Party in December. If you are interested in learning more about the Contingent, if you're a male over the age of 18 and know of an ancestor who fought or gave assistance to the struggle for American independence, feel free to contact me at <jklaneski@snet.net> or by phone at 860-583-4086.

The New England Contingent, SAR lines up outside the fort during this year’s event.