By Beth David, Editor
The Fairhaven Village Militia held its fall encampment at Fort Phoenix on 10/22/22, without shooting off the big cannons, but still with plenty of fun Revolutionary era activities.
Visitors to the fort saw period dressed men and women cooking over the open fire, and demonstrating a variety of skills a soldier of the Revolution would need.
Wareham Minuteman and Militia Companies member Gary Franklin melted pewter over a small fire, and made buttons and 69 caliber musket balls from it. He said that during the 1700s, they would have used lead for the musket balls.
Tinsmith John Garcia made a barn lantern, which is completely enclosed by tin to be safer in a barn. He punched holes in the tin to let the light from the candle out, which makes a pattern on the wall.
FVM Commander Wayne Oliveira gave tours of the ammunition bunker. Built in 1865, the bunker held the gun powder. It is brick on the inside, walls and curved ceiling, then has a layer of granite slabs, then earth work over that. He said the structure was designed to withstand a direct cannon ball hit, and to be able to absorb an explosion if the gun powder somehow got detonated.
Sandy and Matthew Orr said they wanted to enjoy the good weather outside on Saturday.
Ms. Orr said it was good for young people to see what it was like a couple of hundred years ago.
“We just put things in the microwave,” she said, “It’s alls so easy.”
Activities also included lawn games, musket firing demonstrations, and the firing of the small cannon.
Both militias are always looking for members. Find them on Facebook to learn more.
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- Commander Wayne Oliveira talks about the history of the ammunition bunker during the Fairhaven Village Militia’s Revolutionary War encampment on Saturday, 10/22/22, at Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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- Claire Smith of the Wareham Minutemen and Militia Companies shows the kinds of utensils soldiers would have used in the Revolutionary War during the Fairhaven Village Militia’s Revolutionary War encampment on Saturday, 10/22/22, at Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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- Wareham Minuteman and Militia Companies member Gary Franklin shows the finished 69 caliber musket ball he made from pewter during the Fairhaven Village Militia’s Revolutionary War encampment on Saturday, 10/22/22, at Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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- Wareham Minuteman and Militia Companies member Gary Franklin carefully pours liquified pewter into a mold for a 69 caliber musket ball during the Fairhaven Village Militia’s Revolutionary War encampment on Saturday, 10/22/22, at Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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- Lori Richard (CENTER) enjoys some chicken soup that was cooked over the open fire while she and members of the Fairhaven Village Militia and Wareham Minuteman and Militia Company demonstrate life in the 1700s during the Fairhaven Village Militia’s Revolutionary War encampment on Saturday, 10/22/22, at Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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- Lori Richard demonstrates carding wool and explains how it then becomes thread for knitting, or can be put on a loom to make fabric, during the Fairhaven Village Militia’s Revolutionary War encampment on Saturday, 10/22/22, at Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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- Jeff Lucas shows a button like the one he lost that will be replaced by melting pewter over an open fire and then placing it in a mold at the Fairhaven Village Militia’s Revolutionary War encampment on Saturday, 10/22/22, at Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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- Tinsmith John Garcia explains how a barn lantern is completely encased in tin to be safer in a barn, with holes in the tin to let the light out, during the Fairhaven Village Militia’s Revolutionary War encampment on Saturday, 10/22/22, at Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
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Click here to download the entire 10/27/22 issue: 10-27-22 Encampment
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