The Burning of Kingston:

Reenactor and Sutler Information

The 2009 Burning of Kingston is now scheduled for the weekend of October 16, 17 & 18. The 17th is the 232nd Anniversary of the actual British Attack on the city.

 

Basic Information for Reenactors
Will be amended and added to as information becomes available

Registration:

Friday from Noon until 10pm at the registration tent at the entrance to the military encampment. Information packets will be available there as well as schedules. For those who arrive after hours, registration will be available the following morning (Saturday)

Encampment:

British and American ground forces will encamp in their respective areas up the hill from the registration tent.

Naval forces will encamp either on the beach across the road from the registration tent or on the grassy areas around the beach. Parking will be in the available lot next to the registration tent. Due to the landing on Sunday morning, Naval forces are requested to keep camps to the Eastern end of the beach (to the right of the lifeguard station)

If you require modern camping facilities, we need to know in advance and will provide an appropriate area.

Vehicles will be permitted in camp for set up and tear down ONLY. PLease respect your fellows keep the cars out. No vehicles will be permitted in comp during public hours or in the evenings.

Flies and Dining tents are permitted in respective encampments, American and British quartermasters will show you where to put them.

Sutlers will be set up along the fence at the entrance to the encampment begriming with the registration tent.

Amenities:

Water and firewood will be available. Toilet facilities will be both Porta-Potty and flushies. Showers may be available as well. All amenities will be positioned for each encampment (Naval and Ground)

A stipend of gunpowder will be provided at the end of the weekend for all men at arms. Gunpowder will also be provided at that time for all artillery including Naval Swivels. Boats will receive a stipend of $10 per foot for their participation.

All transportation to all battles will be provided by dedicated City busses. Transportation to the Ball Saturday Night will be on an individual basis. For those who would like to visit the Rondout District and visit the taverns, clubs and restaurants there, they will have to provide their own transportation.

Activities:

We are trying to give attendees as much as they would want to do so as to keep the event as an historical "flow" from one event or scenario to another forming a complete story of an attack on a City in 1777. The full scenario runs from the Friday evening Committee of Safety Meeting at the Hoffman House Tavern where the news of the arrival of the British fleet is announced to a mustering of the militia and a panic by the citizenry, to the morning "landing" of the British Troops on Kingston Point to begin their assault on the militia and occupation of the Stockade. The weekend progresses in a (somewhat) logical manner. The evening in camp is celebrated by the victorious invaders with libation, food, song and dance as they share the spoils of war looted from the Bogardus Tavern which they had burned earlier in the day (defenders are welcome to join the festivities - reenactors only, please) while in Town a Grand Ball attended by finely dressed Ladies, Officers and Gentlemen is held for those who prefer the finer aspects of victory (the public is encouraged to attend - period dress is encouraged but by no means mandatory*) .

The weekend continues with the actual landing of the British forces on the beach at Kingston Point where, once they drive off the militia defenders, they will "march" to the Rondout Waterfront to secure that part of the City and drive the, still undeterred militia, out of the city. At the same time, on the Rondout Creek which parallels the battle route, the British Fleet will attempt to capture or destroy the defenders lone gunboat, the Galley "Lady Washington" (who had harassed the fleet to little effect on their arrival) until she is abandoned by her crew at the head of the creek.

In between battles we will have court martials, punishments, sailing competitions, naval maneuver demonstrations, encampment tours, etc.

This has been a signature event for us for the last 12 years now, and with our emphasis on the nautical aspects of it intensifying in 2007, we feel it is one of the more interesting events available to our fellows in the hobby.

*(Quality Period Appropriate Rental Costumes are available locally at Columbia Costumes in the Stockade DIstrict of Kingston 845-229-4996)