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Living History in the
Lake Champlain and Lake George Region

by James P. Millard

Committed to realism and historical accuracy!

We here at America's Historic Lakes are not re-enactors. It is not something we have been drawn to, and to be frank, in the past we haven't paid much attention to the many gatherings that have taken place at regular intervals throughout the area. That all changed on a hot day in June, 2000 when we attended The Grand Encampment of The French and Indian War at Ticonderoga. We came away with a new appreciation for Living History- and the many dedicated individuals who pursue it with such zest and passion. We think these photos tell the story quite well. Nothing else comes quite as close to showing what it was really like...

The Grand Encampment
of the French and Indian War 
Ticonderoga New York
 June 2000  (or is it 1757?)

(Click on thumbnails to see a LARGER photo*)

     
Camp views
The encampment was something to behold, if anything shows the dedication these folks have towards historical accuracy and realism while they are attending these events it is the camps. To step into the camp is to step back in time... we felt out of place with our cameras and other modern-day gadgets- trespassers in an ancient time.

         
French Marines march

We assume they were Marines- we know they were impressive. Disciplined, stately, heroic in their white uniforms with dark tri-corn caps. They marched onto the battlefield to the cadence of their regimental drummer. Their ensign- we think it read "PER MERE ET TERRAS," was majestic in the hot summer breeze. Occasionally, as they waited patiently for the order to advance, they would break into an unfamiliar French tune.

             
       British troops, Colonial militia, Rangers, on the march

The English speaking soldiers were represented, as in colonial times, by a variety of groups. There were the Grenadiers- impressive in their huge, if impractical, hats. The Rangers proudly took the field, marching up in their distinctive green garb. The Colonial militia, looking as they truly were, like individuals- less disciplined and regimented than their colleagues in the regulars. The Indians- proud, certainly distinctive, unruly and undisciplined, accustomed to their own manner of communicating and warfare. 

         

          
The Battle- The British advance
   

 
Battle scene: below the Fort.  British advance  

         
French Battle lines

Capitulation, with honors
           
French parley with Indians

We know there were Mohawk and Abenaki present... some struck the warpost with the Francaise, they were usually accompanied by the Black Robes of the Jesuits, others aligned themselves with the Great Father in England, others still took a "wait and see" attitude.

         
French Marines, Indians

      
Black robes, Indians

Want to know what's coming up?
Bulletin Board and Schedule of Upcoming Events
As a public service, The Lake Champlain and Lake George Historical Site is providing a Bulletin Board and Schedule of Upcoming Events to the History Re-enacting Community. If you would like your event listed at no charge on one of the leading history-related websites in the country, simply send us an email with the details to: webmaster2@historiclakes.org