St. Maries Citty Militiaman

Transcription

1 1 St. Maries Citty Militiaman Ancient and Honourable Order of the Followers of Calvert s Black and Gold in the New World St. Maries Citty, Ancient and Chief Seat of Government of the Lord Baltimore s proprietarie Colony of Mary-Land, Number 320, April 2013 Editor: Ernest J. Willoughby TIME TO PLAN FOR MUSTER AT HISTORIC JAMESTOWNE We shall muster again at Historic Jamestowne in the Colonial National Historic Park near Williamsburg, VA for their Jamestown Day celebrations on Saturday and Sunday, May 11 and 12. Last year we made good use of a new camping area, where we had more visitors than before, and we ll do the same this year. Diane Depew, our Supervisory Park Ranger, tells us to leave all of our gunpowder home, as the Park Service will provide us with what we ll need. Again we ll need to provide our own lodging. Accordingly, Ruth Zalonis has arranged with the hotel we used in previous years to provide a block of rooms at a favorable rate for us. The hotel is Quality Inn and Suites (formerly Clarion Inn) at 5351 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, VA The telephone number for reservations is or Be sure to mention our Group Reservation for St. Mary s City Militia. The Cutoff Date for reservations is May 1. Hotels are usually fully booked for that weekend, as it is commencement at College of William and Mary. Therefore, do not delay in making your reservations. You may register for any number of days within the span of Friday, May 10, to checkout Monday, May 13. We plan to meet around 4 PM on Friday, May 10, at the Visitor Center, and set up camp before the evening meal. If the schedule runs as last year, we should be present in camp both Saturday and Sunday by 9 AM for weapons inspection. We ll have several weapons demonstrations both Saturday and Sunday, and on Sunday afternoon we ll pack up camp and depart. Some of us may wish to leave early afternoon, while others stay later and depart for home on Monday. Ernie will notify you by before the event as more details become available. MUSTER AT CHARLES TOWNE LANDING STATE HISTORIC SITE, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA Founders Day is scheduled for Saturday, April 13. We ll meet at the Visitor Center by 4 PM, on Friday, April 12, and set up camp. Camp will comprise our dining fly and quartermaster tent. If you arrive by 1 PM you ll be able to take the artillery training to be on the great guns from 1 to

2 2 4 PM. Manning the crews of the culverins and demi-culverins has always been an interesting experience for us during the Saturday programs. Rob Alley lives in North Carolina, and can shelter you overnight on your way to and from Charleston if you need to stop part way there. His address is 202 Governor s Road, Windsor, NC 27983, telephone , 1ralley@comcast.net. REPORT ON MARYLAND DAY On Thursday, March 21, three of our Militia gathered at the Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore for an evening program and reception celebrating the arrival of the first English settlers to Maryland on 21 March, Musketeers Larry Bopp and Hugh Pry were joined by Ernie Willoughby acting as ensign to present the colors of the Baron of Baltimore during the singing of the Maryland anthem, Maryland My Maryland. Henry Miller of Historic St. Mary s City delivered a lively talk on the subject of when Maryland actually began. The photo below, from Larry Bopp, shows those three rogues after the ceremony.

3 3 The muster at Historic St. Mary s City for Maryland Day 2013 took place Friday through Sunday, March The following 13 members mustered there: Alice Brylawski, Mark Meader, Viet Nguyen, Diane Pry, Hugh Pry, Bill Stevens, Ernest Willoughby, Paul Willoughby, Paula Willoughby, Wesley Willoughby, Jason Wyatt, Mark Zalonis, and Ruth Zalonis. Several members met at the State House at 4 PM Friday, March 22, to take equipment down from storage and set up camp in our usual area near the State House lawn. We put up the new dining fly and the wall tent. Then we gathered at the Willoughby plantation for the evening meal. Next morning, around 9 AM, we were joined at camp by Lee Offen, Kathleen Offen, and Mark Ross of the Kent County Militia. They helped build our cooking fire, and set up their own camp, cooking fire, and 17 th -century camping display beside our own. While our distaff prepared midday and evening meals in camp, comprising a pottage of mixed meats and vegetables (a real hodge-potch), cornbread, oyster and ham pie, boiled eggs, bread, cheese, salad, dried fruits, etc., the men took part in the ceremonies at the Visitor Center and Brick Chapel. Our camp had many visitors throughout the day as they wandered between the various activities and explored the areas near the Maryland Dove and 1676 State House, so even when most activity centered on the Visitor Center, many came our way with their questions. After 4 PM, we packed up camp and gathered again at the Willoughby plantation to eat the evening meal indoors out of the cold, windy weather. Although the sky was sunny throughout the day, the brisk breezes and temperatures in the 40s F made for somewhat uncomfortable eating in camp. On Sunday morning, March 24, those of us who stayed overnight gathered at the 1676 State house to assess the number and condition of our tents, to see which ones if any we may be able to dispose of. We identified four wedge tents, all in good condition with poles, ropes and stakes. We are only sure that three of them belong to the St. Maries Citty Militia. It is now our task to determine which ones we may be able to dispose of, and what their fair value may be. At 10:30 AM, the last of our members departed toward their home plantations. PAYING THE BILL AT THE TAVERN The painting below by Pieter de Hooch, painted in the late 1650s, shows a scene in a tavern, with the innkeeper s wife disputing the charges with a soldier. The soldier, wearing his breast- and back-plates over a buffcoat, has his hand in his pocket, fishing for the right amount of coinage, while the woman explains what is owed. In the window corner behind them, we see two welldressed civilians seated, accompanied by a standing young woman, perhaps the serving wench. The establishment is a substantial one, as we can see by the plastered walls, drapes, glass

4 4 windows, tiled floor, and respectably dressed clientele. The woman is wearing mules (heel-less slippers) on her feet, and the soldier, evidently a cavalier, has on his riding boots and spurs, on his way out to his ride.

5 5 THE EDITOR S PAGE Your editor reminds you that he is looking for short articles, announcements, and items of interest pertaining to our St. Maries Citty Militia and to Maryland and other English colonies of the 17 th century. If you have anything that you would like to see in The Militiaman, send it in! By ejwilloughby@aol.com; by postal service: Hartman Drive, Lexington Park, MD 20653