At first it was sporadic musket fire from behind the tree line.  We caught glimpses of red and blue uniforms.  Plain clothed militia men exchanged fire with the Hessian sharpshooters.  The British Colors emerged along with a row of soldiers and two cannon.    Half of the soldiers of South Carolina and Virginia Regimens emerged from the trees to our left to set up their cannons and flank the British.  The remaining Patriots fired on the British, retreated, fired, retreated, until they led them into the line of fire of the American cannons.  The cannons roared so loud I could feel it in my chest.  Smoke rolled and stung my nose.  The British Cavalry charged and retreated attempting to disrupt the American’s strategy.  Ultimately the British conceded defeat.  Weapons fell silent.  Pretty cool.  It was small I suppose compared to the full blown reenactments in places like Gettysburg but it is a great way to bring history alive.

We just happened upon a reenactment of the Revolutionary War battle of Camden.  British and American encampments were set up at the Camden Historical Park just outside of Columbia SC.  A couple hundred individuals were there in full period costumes reenacting lives of soldiers, their families, support personnel like the black smith and cooks/bakers.  Besides the battle, we got a glimpse into life in the encampments.   Open fire cooking, linsey-woolsey weaving, tools and utensils made from horn and iron.  There was a Sutlers row where I could have bought nearly anything needed to transport myself right into this world.   We crossed paths several times with an absolutely adorable little two year old running around in dress and bonnet with little wisps of curls peeking out from under her bonnet.  It was obvious that these folks really get into this stuff.

A grenadier demonstrated this really cool mini grenade launcher/mortar.  He fired a 2 ½” shell 75 yards or so.  This little puppy is what allowed the Grenadiers to move to a safer vocation.  They no longer needed to be the crazy guys who ran right up to fortifications and lofted grenades over the palisades.  With this nifty mortar they could wreck havoc from (relatively) afar.

There was a fife and drum demonstration.  Here’s a did you know: “drummed out of town” came from the military tradition that the drummers’ other duty is to mete out punishment among the army ranks including drumming the unsavory from the ranks.

The day ended with a cannon volley for each re-enactor that had died in the past year and a four cannon salute to the Bounty (the replica tallship that was sunk duringSandy) and her captain.  This is a tight knit group of more than slightly fanatical folks.

We sampled hearth baked bread and cookies and home made ice cream.  It was a fun afternoon.