Published: July 04, 2008 10:51 pm            

HISTORY: Fort Niagara re-enactment brings history to life

YOUNGSTOWN — Friday just wasn’t Jim Cummings’ day. After an hourlong battle with French and American Indian forces, a musket shot finally got the best of him.

“I ended up dying at the end,” Cummings said.

Cummings, like more than 800 others, descended upon Fort Niagara this weekend to recreate life during the French and Indian War, from battles to living accommodations.

An Ohio photojournalist in his real life, Cummings played the part of a British solider trying to seize control of Fort Niagara from French troops.

The battle re-enactment is the closest to the real thing anyone will see in 2008, said Robert Emerson, executive director of Fort Niagara.

“This is the very spot it happened,” Emerson said. “So the public can see what we’re doing, the ranges are closer together. In reality, the artillery battery and the men were firing muskets from further out, but this is not something we made up. We’re trying to recreate the events that took place here in July of 1759.”

Though it’s a big draw for history buffs playing the part of soldiers, the annual French and Indian War Encampment, which runs Friday through Sunday, is also the historic fort’s biggest spectator draw too, Emerson said. As many as 2,500 visitors are expected to see the re-enacters this weekend.

Daniel Smith of Buffalo brought his children, 6-year-old Jacob and 8-year-old Emily, to come watch the battle unfold. Smith thought it would be an interesting and educational trip.

“You can’t just go anywhere and see this kind of thing so I thought it would be neat to check out,” he said. “It’s also educational too, so anything that can get my kids interested in history is a good thing.”

That’s exactly why John Hughes, a re-enacter from Virginia, has been participating in events like Friday’s for 20 years. As a history buff, he loves sharing history with people who may not be as enthusiastic about it, he said.

“I like to do it because you get to expose the public to some history, particularly on a site like this where many visitors will be from around here,” he said. “They should know what took place here.”

Though the battle each day is one of the highlights, the re-enacters will live in 18th century-style camps for three days. From the food they eat to the clothes they wear, they are living a 1750s life — for the most part.

Cummings admits they do allow themselves some minimum comforts, like modern restrooms and better food supplies than the British soldiers would’ve had, but mostly, they stay committed.

“We don’t come out of character — we stay in the game 24 hours,” he said. “As soon as we get here and get set up, we’re playing. We try to live the live that they would’ve lived.”

Their living arrangements are open for the public to explore, something Cummings said the re-enacters like about the experience.

Amanda Lipps welcomed visitors to her camp as they asked her questions about 18th century cooking. Lipps had a full menu planned for the soldiers who had just gotten out of battle Friday: Roast beef, poached sea bass with white wine and grilled sweet potatoes — all true 18th century recipes, she said.

She knows that the thrill of a gun battle is appealing to male and female re-enacters alike, but she prefers to stay true to the role that a woman would’ve held in that time period — the role of wives who cooked, cleaned, did laundry and other tasks around camp.

“It isn’t easy doing the jobs that women actually did at that time,” she said. “I think celebrating the women who did this is far more important than pretending you’re a man to go to battle.”

She’s been coming to Fort Niagara for the annual French and Indian War Encampment for nearly 20 years and said women played a vital role in the war helping troops survive.

For the three days of re-enacting, she doesn’t mind playing the challenging role of a woman in the 1750s — even if some of the men find it tough.

“The guys will feel guilty — their 21st century thinking tells them they should help with the dishes,” she said. “But the women do the dishes here. They go out in battle and they have to clean their guns.”

Contact reporter Caitlin Murrayat 282-2311, ext. 2251



Events continue this weekend. Highlights include:

• SATURDAY: Artillery and rifle vs. musket demonstrations starting at 11:30, children’s games at 1 p.m., live battle at 3 p.m., children’s drill at 4 p.m.

• SUNDAY: Period church services at 10 a.m., native council at 2 p.m., weapons of siege at 2:45 p.m., battle at 3 p.m., musket demonstration at 5 p.m.

• For a complete listing of events: https://oldfortniagara.org/events/

• For more information: Call 745-7611

        

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