Major Bogart Speaks: Kenneth Northmore Passing

To the Washington Co. Militia,
It is with a heavy heart that I send this message. Our dear friend and reenactor Ken Northmore passed away Monday evening after an extended illness. Ken was involved in living history at Sycamore Shoals since the early days and was the driving force behind the Betsty Towne Fife and Drum Corps which has been resurected in recent years as our very own Watauga Valley Fifes and Drums. For those who remember Ken, his unmistakeable Irish lilt and contagious smile will truly be missed. below are the arrangements for Ken.
Yours in Service – Major Bogart
Kenneth J. Northmore, age 84 of Elizabethton went home to be with his Lord, Monday, January 16, 2012 at Ivy Hall Nursing Home following an extended illness. A native of Chicago, IL, he had lived in Carter County most of his life. He was a son of the late Robert and Lillian Northmore. He was retired from Holston Ordnance Works and was a member of Oak Street Baptist Church.   Mr. Northmore was a former Band Director at Unaka High School, he also founded The Betsy Town Fife and Drum Corp in 1975. He was an original member of the cast of The Wataugans which is now called Liberty. He was a Eagle Scout and former Scout Master and loved to collect model trains. Survivors include his wife of over 54 years, Chris Lyons Northmore, Elizabethton, son, Mike Northmore and his wife, Susan, Elizabethton, one granddaughter, Heather Minton, Kingsport, sister-in-law and her husband, Lillie and Richard Fergosi, Elizabethton, sister-in-law, Merle Lynch, Birmingham, AL.
The funeral service for Mr. Northmore will be conducted, at 8 P.M. Wednesday, January 18, 2012 in the Riverside Chapel of Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton with Rev. Bruce Hendrich officiating. The family will receive friends in the funeral home chapel on Wednesday from 6 P.M. until 8 P.M. prior to the service or friends may also call at the residence of his son, Mike, 1028 Broad Street, Elizabethton, anytime. The graveside service and interment will be conducted at 11:30 A.M. Thursday, January 19, 2012 at Happy Valley Memorial Park. Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Horn, O.B. Foster, Pat Lewis, Earl Slagle, Richard Fergosi and Kerry Lambert. Those who wish to attend the graveside service are ask to meet at the cemetery at 11:15 A.M. on Thursday for the service. Those who prefer memorials in lieu of flowers may make donations to the family.

The Win in the Southern Campaign: Cowpens, Jan. 14, 2012

Some of the Crew, warming in the sun

Battles can be classified as wins, losses and draws. Cowpens was certainly a win, strategic and brilliant in its scope. On January 14, hundred of people gathered to celebrate this win and honor the brave combatants at Cowpens National Military Park near Gaffney, SC.

This is the first time I was at Cowpens but felt I knew it as I’ve read so much about the battle and the place where it was held. The day was beautiful, very cold but clear. We had  a decent showing from the up-country: Chad,  Mel, Ronnie, me, Mike Coon, Travis Southers, Tim Massey, Mike and Illiana Mankin. Retha and Ken Reece and Cindy and Harry Jordan came in mufti, too.

The wreath laying ceremony was very impressive. Several DAR and SAR groups were represented and each bowed in front of the monument and again on the battlefield itself . The DAR was  responsible for the monument and helping to raise the status of this park and each year, both groups take an active part in keeping the memory of this battle and those who participated in it alive. The superintendent of the park is very encouraging of living history (as ours is) and it showed in the variety of the demos and how he was so heartfelt in welcoming all who came.

Wreath Laying

Battle plan of Cowpens, Jan. 17, 1781Behind the visitor's center and before the battlefield itself, there is a large field. Reenactors from all of the military groups that fought had their own areas. It was interesting to see the various living history demonstrations but especially look at the various uniforms, Brit, Scot, Continental and other. There was a big gun demo, a volley and a calvary demo. The calvery demo consisted of putting a cabbage on a pike and slicing it with a saber at full run. It occurred to me that the dragoons made a lot of slaw, but I wonder how frightening it had to have been for infantry to be on the recieving end of a sharp, long point.Our friends, the South Carolina Rangers , who have done so much to support the May Seige, were camped near the back trees and when members weren't taking in the sights, they found those friendly faces and warmed themselves by their fire.

When it warmed up a little, Mike, I, Cindy, Mel and Retha walked the battlefield itself. I’ve been to several different battle sites up and down the Thirteen Colonies and in all of them, I’ve sensed the echo of distant guns, of resounding struggle. In some places like Saratoga, Gettysburg, the Carillion, Antietam, one can almost smell the blood and dung, hear the screams. At Cowpens, Doug Walsh said that the weather was identical to the day- cold but sunny, so clear, each remaining leaf cast a shadow. When I looked up and down the historic road, stepped (literally) in the footprints of a soldier, strolled up and down the rolling hills, visualzing the battle plan, I had absolutely no sense of this place as being a battlefield. I could clearly see why Morgan picked this particular place to make his stant. I could see the importance of militia. Anyone who sees “The Patriot” , the last scene, gets a sense of Cowpens. What I felt in this place, was an overwhelming  peace, a great place to raise children, a quiet place to walk. I guess there were some really happy spirits there, though none of them would be British.

After we left the Park, We all went closeby to a little greasy spoon that Ronnie called the “dishpan restaurant”. They serve delicious food, country style, in dishpans . I never saw such big servings! They served the salads in washtubs, for goodness sakes!

Ronnie was the chauffeur we went on a little history tour on the way back. One very interesting thing was to find Chad’s great grandfather’s (10 generations back) grave. I couldn’t tell you where it was near but it was a solitary grave in a grove of woods at the side of a cow pasture. Mel went on “Find-a Grave dot com” to get an approximate location but it was a local lady who pointed the way. It was exciting to see the connection between a living man and a distant ancestor who fought in the war. From there we drove to Gilbert town, stood in the field where the militia camped.We stood before King’s Mountain, looked up to see the hill they climbed and where Ferguson is planted. Finally , we visited Britton’s Church cemetery, established in 1768- man, you talk about some old plots there.  I kept wishing I had rice paper and charcoals!

It was snowing when we went over the mountain late that night but Oh, what a fabulous day it was!

(Doug Walsh, Tim Massey and Retha have terrific pics of this event on Facebook. These pics are theirs)

Chad wrapping his molars around a monster burger- and this was the junior version.

God is Good: Christmas, January 7-8, 2012

Christmas hospitality

January is usually a crazy weather month for reenactment. We can testify to this by thinking about the last few years before this, when we were all shivering our tooki (what’s the plural of tookus) off , celebrating Old Christmas in single digit weather with snow ankle deep on the ground. This year, however, God truly blessed us. Old Christmas was last weekend, the Battle of Cowpens was this weekend, with the major events being held yesterday and in both cases, the weather was cold but superb. The cabins were decorated beautifully; I know I say this every year but truly, these were the best yet. Mike Mankin and Dave Shook transformed the Tavern in to a Scotsman’s paradise; Rachael, Lisa and Worley Bennett made the Talbot House look so veddy English that even Gail and Richard Ellis in Ludlow couldn’t tell where it was. Mike and I paid a holly tree to puke on Cabin 4- holly, ivy and pine were everywhere transforming the cabin into something from the Tirol. Chad’s cabin was a study in delft and pewter, warm (well maybe not thermally) and inviting. Finally, there was the Irish cabin. Col. McCroskey and Tony Devault sprigged it with green and it looked like a wee cottage in the midlands. Then there were the intrepid: Earl, Jacob, Kim, Chris, Scot and Tall Bear camped in the primitive area and from the looks of it were pretty comfy.

Chad estimated that there was between 350 to 500 people joining us on the Saturday of Old Christmas. I have no doubt the top end was the number, maybe more. Everyone said they ran out of food on Saturday and there was contemplation of a Walmart run for those who lived away, and a baking night for those who lived close or like Norma, were going home and coming back. Prime example of this was the cabin were Mike and I were installed. I brought 12 doz. Springele, cinnamon, tumbles and star cookies, had one rather large stollen, one substantial loaf of wheat bread, fruit and candy canes galore. Norma added a a lovely homemade pumkin bread (she calls it bread but it’s delish like cake). As people, literally between 4 to a dozen at a time,  were piling in, we started to become a little concerned as we tried to figure out how to make things stretch to the end of the day. I was cutting the baked goods as thin as communion wafers but at the end of the day, I had 2 doz. cookies , a few dozen candy canes and some apples left. Norma baked another cake for Sunday, I put out the rest of the cookies and didn’t have to worry about one left over. Rachael went home and baked mountains of cookies for the Sunday crew as Lisa said that they were tapped. I heard the identical thing from every other cabin so I think this was  SUCCESSFUL and the community  really  partook of the Christmas cheer which made everyone very happy. To add to the atmosphere, the Fife and Drum played throughout the day and we had two wonderful guest fiddlers, Sara Miller and her friend, Brian, friends of Sherry Shook, who played off and on all day.  What was very excellent was that several visitors were from the Knoxville and Kentucky area. They had read about the event in the Knoxville paper and came. This muster is usually one to socialize with each other but with the weather being so good, everyone was pretty much chained to their cabins welcoming the public and cooking, of course, for the festivities later on.

Music all day long

Sherry and Travis in the Tavern

After the people left, everyone let out a collective sigh, relaxed and prepared for the dinner that Mike Mankin and Dave Shook were hosting in the Tavern. Dave spent the day cooking and he and Mike put on a Scottish spread fit for Bobbie Burns. From Tatties and Neeps to venison stew to Mike’s fresh oaten bread, it was simply wonderful. After everyone ate, Sara and Brian fiddled and I bet the ghosts of those who came before were tapping their feet, hearing familiar music and the sound of voices resonatiing throughout the fort.

Sunday was busy as well, mostly after churh, ours and elsewhere. Mike Mankin reminded me of the best part of Sunday! ” and not to forget our Piper Lt. Com. James Gee and his lovely wife Linda, who visited with us on Sunday, friends of Bill Abernathy from over the mountain in N.C.  We started off Sunday with a few pipe tunes and James played ‘Amazing Grace’ for our church service.   Made tears come to my eyes, as that was my Father’s favorite tune, especially when played on the war pipes.  Hopefully they will join our Militia and become members of our group.    Every one enjoyed their company, militia and visitors all.”We were lucky that it didn’t start raining until promptly at 3 PM. People came through and we all enjoyed the last of the wonderful season of Christmas.

Der Deutsch Kabine

Dave, Bill and Doug in front of the Irish camp Lisa welcoming a guest

Thanks to Tim Massey and Doug Walsh for the great pictures.

Ranger Jennifer Says: Nat and Sherry Hyder’s son passes This Past Monday.

Dear Friends,

 

It is with sadness that I send this message. Early this week Nat Hyder lost his son, Jeremy Hyder.  Most of you know Nat and his wife Sherri, very well.  Nat and Sherri were both instrumental in the forming of Friends of Sycamore Shoals, and are active in the Washington County militia, and the drama, Liberty.

 

The family will be receiving friends at Hathaway Percy Funeral Home in Elizabethton on Saturday, January 14th from 10 am – 11 am; service at 11 am.  The complete obituary is printed below.

 

Please keep the Hyder family in your thoughts and prayers,

 

Sincerely, Jennifer

 

 

 

 

Mr. Jeremy “Keith” Hyder, 39, of Knoxville, formerly of Erwin and Johnson City died Monday, January 9, 2012 in Knoxville. A native of Johnson City, he was the son of Tim Bailey, Erwin; the adoptive son of Nat Hyder, Hampton and the late Teresa Ann Bennett Hyder. He was a landscaper. Mr. Hyder loved working outdoors and fishing with his boys. In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his paternal grandmother, Jean Miller and his great-grandmother, Rhoda Hyder. Survivors include his wife, Elka Hyder; two children, Bryson Hyder and Kelton Hyder; his biological father, Timothy Bailey, Erwin, TN; his adoptive father, Nat Hyder and wife Sherri, Hampton; a step-sister, Heather Blackburn, Benhams, VA; a step-sister, Ashley Garst, Johnson City; a step-brother, Nathaniel Hyder, Fairfield, CA and grandparents, Dr. N.E. and Elizabeth Hyder, Johnson City. Several nieces, nephews and cousins also survive. Funeral service for Mr. Jeremy “Keith” Hyder will be conducted at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, January 14, 2012 in the Sunset Chapel of Hathaway-Percy Funeral and Cremation Services with Rev. Richard Richter and Minister Mike Hyder officiating. The family will receive friends from 10:00 – 11:00 A.M. on Saturday prior to the funeral service. Interment will follow the funeral service in Happy Valley Memorial Park. Active pallbearers will be selected from family and friends. Honorary pallbearer will be Mickey Masters. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be sent to the family through SunTrust Bank, 7426 Chapman Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920 Telephone (865) 573-2161.

Old Christmas/ Jan. 7-8 Pictures on Webshots

Colonial  Table

  Tim Massey, Doug Walsh and Jennifer Bauers took some spectacular picture of the goings on and decorations of Old Christmas. They each captured the essence of  the holiday and the weekend the the fun we all had. I posted them on Webshots for your viewing pleasure.

MAJOR BOGART SPEAKS: UPDATE ON OLD CHRISTMAS NEXT WEEK

To the Washington County Militia,

 

As of today all of the cabins are spoken for. Here is the rundown of who will be presenting in each cabin.

 

Tavern – Scottish – Dave & Sherry Shook and Mike Mankin

Talbot House – English – Lisa & Rachel Bennett

#3 – Irish – Bob McCroskey & Tony DeVault

#4 – German – Ramona Invidiato & Mike Coon

#5 – Dutch – Chad Bogart

 

If one of these cultures interests you and you would like to help out please feel free. If you would like to present a different culture in the fort courtyard or the other camps that would be great also. Looking forward to seeing you this weekend. In the meantime I hope you all are continuing to enjoy the 12 days of Christmas and I wish you all a very Happy and prosperous New Year.

 

Take Care,

 

Major Bogart

Webshots Albums: Editor’s Choice

Webshots Featured Album

A few weeks before Christmas I was bombarded with several emails from all over the world. These were people I didn’t know, congratulating me on something I didn’t know I did. For several years, I’ve had a paid subscription to a photo service called Webshots. It does several things which I need not go into now but since I’ve been doing this blog, I’ve uploaded my photos,Retha’s and Ken’s, Doug Walsh and Randy Curde’s photos as well, to share with the membership. I was notified that the albums were featured on the Homepage of Webshots and was seen by hundreds of thousands. WOW!

Major Bogart Speaks: Old Christmas Next Weekend

What did you say we had to decorate?

To the Washington County Militia,

 

Here is an update on the cultures being presented in the fort for Old Christmas

Tavern – Scottish (Dave & Sherry Shook and Mike Mankin)

#3 – Irish (Bob McCroskey & Tony DeVault)

#4 – German (Ramona Invidiato & Mike Coon)

#5 – Dutch (Chad Bogart)

The Talbot House has not been spoken for yet.

 

Take Care – Major Bogart

_______________________________________________________________________

A little Old Christmas history:

Old Christmas Day

 

Until the time of Julius Caesar the Roman year was organized round the phases of the moon. For many reasons this was hopelessly inaccurate so, on the advice of his astronomers, Julius instituted a calendar centred round the sun. It was decreed that one year was to consist of three hundred and sixty-five and a quarter days, divided into twelve months; the month of Quirinus was renamed ‘July’ to commemorate the Julian reform. Unfortunately, despite the introduction of leap years, the Julian calendar overestimated the length of the year by eleven minutes fifteen seconds, which comes to one day every on hundred and twenty-eight years. By the sixteenth century the calendar was ten days out. In 1582 reforms instituted by Pope Gregory XIII lopped the eleven minutes fifteen seconds off the length of a year and deleted the spare ten days. This new Gregorian calendar was adopted throughout Catholic Europe. Protestant Europe was not going to be told what day it was by the Pope, so it kept to the old Julian calendar. This meant that London was a full ten days ahead of Paris.  By the time England came round to adopting the Gregorian calendar, in the middle of the eighteenth century, England was eleven days ahead of the Continent. A Calendar Act was passed in 1751 which stated that in order to bring England into line, the day following the 2nd of September 1752 was to be called the 14th, rather than the 3rd of September. Unfortunately, many people were not able to understand this simple manoeuvre and thought that the government had stolen eleven days of their lives. In some parts there were riots and shouts of ‘give us back our eleven days!’ Before the calendar was reformed, England celebrated Christmas on the equivalent of the 6th of January by our modern, Gregorian reckoning. That is why in some parts of Great Britain people still call the 6th of January, Old Christmas Day. © Alan Williams 2000

Source:  http://www.christmas-time.com/cp-old.html

 

 

 

 

 

2012 Tentative Schedule of Events Up and Running

Ring in the 2012 Revolutionary War Season!

The tentative schedule of events for the 2012 season is up and rolling. I still have a few blank dates to fill but  if you see anything missing or know of any dates that are different, please drop me a comment. While scouting around event by event, I happen to come up on 2012 lists from other groups we know. You might want to consult with these as well to see what other things are  happening in the areas.

This be us ) :      http://www.sycamoreshoalstn.org/Special%20Events%202012.htm    Please note the Friends meetings once a month on Thursdays.

Our friends, the SC Rangers :       http://www.scrangers.com/

The Jaegers:                                     http://www.jaegerkorps.org/Schedule2012b.html

Eat , Drink and Be Merry For Tomorrow….:Christmas Menu in Colonial Va.

Cooks job is never done: Cover from Jane Austen's Cookbook

Christmas brings out the nesting instinct in me; you know, decorate, cook, wrap, ho,ho,ho. I’ve been reading a lot of recipes lately since I’ve been home and stumbled on some really interesting sites. I know this should be on the “Let’s Burn Something” page but thought a wider audience would enjoy this.

Timeline for Christmas meals from 17th Century England to 1960′s America- The food hasn’t changed all that much.  http://www.foodtimeline.org/christmasmenu.html

Check out what the Colonial Virginians were eating for Christmas.

[1770s] Christmas Day: Wassail, Cheese Wafers, Williamsburg Inn Chilled Crab Gumbo, Roast Young Tom Turkey, Fresh Mushroom Dressing, King’s Arms Tavern Creamed Celery with Pecans, Heart of Lettuce, Russian Dressing, Eggnogg Pie and/or Ambrosia, Mince Pie with Rum Butter Sauce.” —The Williamsburg Cookbook, Traditional and Contemporary Recipes Initially Compiled and Adapted by Letha Booth and the Staff of Colonial Williamsburg with Commentary by Joan Parry Dutton, updated and enlarged [Colonial Williamsburg Foundation:Williamsburg VA] 1975 (p. 15) [NOTE: Christmas in Colonial Virginia, Colonial Williamsburg]

Also, check out the “Christmas in Colonial Virginia” site for interesting Christmas things. 

Housekeeper's book: 1782