Newtown Battlefield event brings Revolutionary War to life
Elmira, N.Y. — The re-enactors staging this weekend’s Revolutionary War event at Newtown Battlefield State Park take their craft seriously.
They’re always in character, and they pay meticulous attention to detail in the handmade period clothing they wear, the weapons they carry, the 18th century army camps they set up.
“They enjoy the living history aspect of it,” said event chairman Paul Perine. “You’ll find that most of the participants have researched their role as a Continental soldier or a sutler (merchant) or a camp follower, who were an essential part of the armies back then.
“They’ve researched not only their clothing, but the lifestyle which that individual would have lived,” Perine added. “A tremendous amount of time goes into it.”
This weekend’s event, set for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, is staged by the Chemung Valley Living History Center.
A tradition at Newtown Battlefield for nearly 20 years, it typically draws hundreds of re-enactors and crowds of approximately 1,000 people a day.
The park is near the site of the Battle of Newtown in August 1779, when the Continental Army fought with the British, Loyalists and 1,000 Iroquois warriors.
It was the decisive clash in one of the largest offensives of the American Revolution, the Sullivan-Clinton campaign against the Iroquois, who had been attacking white settlers in upstate New York and were supporting the British in the war.
Perine will have nearly 500 re-enactors on hand, with about 150 soldiers on both the Continental and British sides, along with about 50 Iroquois interpreters. The rest will portray civilian camp followers.
“All of the re-enactors travel from a great distance, most drive three or four hours to attend,” he said. “We’ve got units coming from Massachusetts and Connecticut, several from Pennsylvania, and a lot from New York. I’m also expecting a couple units from Virginia as well.”
There will be full-scale battle re-enactments at 3 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, captivating onlookers with cannons booming, musket fire and the shouts of charging soldiers.
Visitors can also wander through both sides’ army camps, buy goods from 18th century merchants, and see demonstrations of 18th century life, including a blacksmith, tinker-peddler, spinner, horn maker, and leather worker.
There will also be re-enactments of a court martial proceeding, captive exchanges and an execution by firing squad.
Kids can participate in training drills with wooden muskets.
Another highlight will be Saturday morning’s “woods walk,” in which attendees will be taken on a guided hike through the woods, accompanied by a regiment of Continental Army soldiers. Those interested should meet at 10 a.m. Saturday at the park monument.
“I won’t divulge too much, other than to say you’ll be walking through the woods, and just about anything can happen,” Perine said. “Could be an ambush, could be a battle going on, you may be taken hostage by an Indian. Who knows?”
Admission is $5 for adults, and $3 for kids and senior citizens.
Because of construction on Interstate Highway 86, the former park entrance is blocked off, and visitors should get off Exit 58 in Lowman and follow the signs.
For more details, go to http://chemungvalley.org.
