2008 Boone's Homestead

The 4th Coy traveled to the hills of Pennsylvania onto participate in the British Brigade - BAR - Continental Line sponsored event at Daniel Boone's Homestead in Birdsboro on 17 and 18 May. We had the pleasure of being joined by an equal number of members of the 1st Foot Guards who traveled all the way from the city of Boston in the colony of Massachusetts. The combined Guards formation fielded 12 muskets, one Sjt, and two officers and proved without a doubt that a composite formation can effectively integrate at events.

The weather forecast was for rain, and the forecasters were right on that count. The days leading up to the event were rainy, leaving the site swampy. And rain came again Saturday evening, again making the campsites a muddy mess. But it didn't stop the event from taking place on Saturday.

Boone's Homestead offered more space and varied terrain than a typical event. And the organizers took full advantage to stage a wide reaching battle that had the Guards detachment defending a bridge against the Continental forces, then moving to protect the left flank of the Union Brigade against another formation of Continental soldiers. By the time the battle ended over an hour after its initiation, just about everyone had an empty cartridge box and the Guards detachment had attached themselves to all three British brigades at some point.

Unfortunately, after a very enjoyable Saturday, the rain came again and forced the cancellation of Sunday activities.