Footage

Found this snazzy video of the raid at Martin's Station, not sure who shot it, but it is well done. It's shot like a combat photographer... lots of shaky camera work and sepia tones ala 'Saving Private Ryan' &c.

Unfortunately, it's SO 'arty' that it's hard to get a feel for the lay of the land, and anything that might resemble a sequence of events. It's also hard to focus on any of the details, buildings clothing, people or otherwise.

RAID AT MARTINS VIDEO

Course Plotted

According to my Mapquest directions, my trip is calculated to take me 4 hours and 39 minutes.

I am avoiding 65N as per Bill's instructions and heading east on 40 to Knoxville, then swinging North on 75 until I get to Cumberland Gap. From there, it's said to just be 7 miles to the park.

The Local Savage

I was doing a little looking around this morning and found some images from the Raids at Martin's in the past. There always seem to be tons of indians in attendance at the event. The above image would appear to be a group of indians preparing to burn one of the outlying structures at Martin's Station.

In my search I also found several images of what I believe to be the 'Indian Camp'. In the image below, you can clearly see one of their dwellings in the background.

The Doctor answers the call to arms

...a small, strong cabin of Captain Martin's, being a little detached from the rest, and locked, having a table and some other things in it, I climbed up to the top of the chimney, and flung it down until it was so low that I could drop into the house without hurting myself, not being able to support myself with my feet against the logs, and cut the lock of the door loose. By this time my friend had got his hog-he being best able to walk - filled a keg with water, and collecting some wood, getting in some corn, we barred (the) door, knocked out some port-holes, set the table in the middle of the floor, and spread our arms and ammunition in order, and waited...

-George Rogers Clark, 1776


The raid on Martin's Station reenactment can be better described as an "on-going living history demonstration" rather than a "reenactment" by its usual definition. While the event is hosted, and coordinated by the Wilderness Road State Park, it is sponsored by the parks friends group, the activities associated with the raid and trade fair are the combined efforts of the local civic, community, and school groups, 18th century suttlers and merchants, and various military and native reenactment groups.

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I have been invited to take part in this very large, juried event. I got my acceptance letter from Mr. Heck himself a few days ago. Having been invited by Lt. Wm. Maddox and approved by Capt. France, I shall be joining Capt. France's company in a small camp a little ways away from the station proper.

I do not know much about the lay of the land, but I did discover a map that might be of some service to me:



I believe that the Lieutenant told me that we will be near the area marked as 'Hunter's Camp'. We will be in the woods a bit, that I know for certain. There should be ten in our company, some of them I know, Lt. Maddox, Mr. McKaye, but most will be new to me.

I have much work to do to make ready for the trip. I have to fashion a sturdy leather strap to bind my blankets and simple pack together for travel. I also have to make a few small bags in which to carry some food for myself. I believe I have enough spare linen to get the job done.

The last order of business is to fix my wig and patch my shirt. It will not do for me to meet Capts. Martin and Titus with a threadbare shirt... I may even have to break down and wash it.

Spring Camp 08, part 2

More pictures from the Spring encampment... taken by another of my former students who just happened to wander out that way.

They turned out really great, I just had to show them off a little. He then took the pictures and incorporated them into a project for his college photography class where they take pictures of a street sign someplace, and then photograph life ON that street.

They then have to spin that into a page layout that looks as though it might end up in a magazine. Below you'll find his finished version of the 'magazine' page layout.



Great work Eric, it looks fantastic!

FOR THE JURY (new)

Mansker His Station, 9 April, 1780

GENTLEMEN,

THIS may inform all whom it might concern, that herein is contained the most accurate description of the gentleman known as 'DOCTOR B. JONAS' as can be assembled. Please bear in remembrance that much of this knowledge comes from several of his known companions, tax receipts, ship manifests, apprenticeship contracts &c. as well as testimony from the Hart family & other eye witnesses to the deeds of 'the Doctor'.

Born in England, spent his youth in York and speaks very good English : Had on an old linen Shirt many times mended, the right arm of which still bears the warpaint from the face of a savage he dispatched some time ago, a pair of green Trowsers, a walnut dyed Waistcoat with black leather buttons upon its face, and a fine black wool Coat which is white on its interior and missing several of its pewter buttons, a pair of heavy brown Stockings with either a pair of riding boots or wax covered shoes, with a good Hat and Wig. He is often known to travel with a blue box that is believed to contain a few of his personal items as well as the medicines used in his craft.

THIS JUST IN...

Mansker's Station Wins Tennessee Association of Museums Awards

At the recent Tennessee Association of Museums Conference in Jackson, Mansker's Station picked up two awards. The first went to long time volunteer and friend of the site, Joy Mayfield. Congratulations Joy!
 
The second award recognizes the Colonial Fair 2007 Poster. Created by graphic design artist and volunteer Albert Roberts, the poster "was instrumental in the overall look, theme, and feel of Colonial Fair." 
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This is pretty exciting, I put a viewable version of the poster on here if you cared to see it. If you look hard enough, you might recognize a few of the folks on the bottom row.