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The Burning of Kingston
On October 16, 1777, during the British campaigne to control the North (Hudson) River & effectively split the New England Colonies/States from the South, a fleet of 23 ships & 2000 troops were sent North to rondezvous & support General Burgoyne's push South from the Champlain Valley to Albany. After Gentleman Johnny's defeat at Saratoga, the support fleet under General Vaughn stopped at Kingston, then capitol of New York, to punish this "nest of villians" & the badly outnumbered Militia had no choice but to flee as
the Brittish troops burned every building they could reach in the time allowed them.
Every two to three years The First Ulster Milita, in cooperation with the City of Kingston, commemorates this event with a major weekend reenactment. Begining Friday evening with a Committee of Safety Meeting, traditionally held at a present day tavern in one of the original stone houses that was burned in the attack, the event moves to the landing of the Birtish troops the next morning & the attack on the Historic Stockade District. This year (2007) drew the largest collection of 18th century wooden boats of any in the Northeast & on Sunday we were able to recreate the persuit of the gunboat galley "Lady Washington" on the Rondout Creek by members of the British fleet with our new vessel, Pettiauger "Mercury", portraying "Lady Washington".
The next Burning of Kingston Reenactment is now official. It is planned to coincide with the Quadricentenial of Henry Hudson's discovery & exploration of the Hudson in 1609. The Dates will be October 16, 17 & 18, 2009.
This page will provide all details to registration forms, schedules & special events pertaining to the 232nd anniversary of the Burning of Kingston in 2009 through the links at the top of the page under the header graphic. As soon as these details are available, these links will become active.
If you or your group would like to be advised as to when new information is available here, contact us at: HD18thCent@aol.com and we will put you on our Burning of Kingston email list.
