Went to Cantigny Park today for a Revolutionary War reenactment – – it does not look good for the fighting colonists!

Here the colonists are marching into position against…

The British regulars, aka red coats.  These are the career soldiers who knew their stuff and had the best weapons.

The cannons weigh about 350 pounds; no easy task to move but critical to keep the other side from nabbing them.  And the sound they make!!!  Soldiers primarily fought with muskets with bayonets attached for close fighting (stabbing?) since they were able to fire and reload 4-6 times a minute.  The speed meant sacrifices in accuracy, though.  So your choice would have been to shoot a lot and miss or only get a few shots in with a rifle, but make them count.  Also, rifles weren’t able to have bayonets attached (I’d rather have a knife to stab and a rifle). Tough call.

’cause the only good red coat is a dead red coat

Some of these people were actually looters; if a soldier’s dead or dying, no need for any shoes, right?

First one to the golf cart wins!!!!!

The Hessians (blue coats) were German auxiliary forces hired by the British when unable to recruit enough soldiers.  There were also Hessians wearing bright yellow/gold cone-shaped helmets…must be from a little town in France.  But speaking of money:

Here is some info on the origins of two bits and four bits – so now we know what Shave and a Haircut…two bits actually costs!

In addition to Hessians, red coats and colonists, there were also colonists loyal to the Crown eager to impede the rebels (as DH called them – – I said, not when you win, you’re not!).