My kids and I excitedly arrived in the historic area as a full-fledged 18th century family, since I was finally in full costume!
The opportunity to play 18th century about an event that really happened with reenactors who bring their A game, is chance for us to practice our wits and enjoy some good natured teasing.
Thus, I present to you, my dear Readers, an accounting of what I experienced…Under the Redcoat.
TIME TRAVEL TO WILLIAMSBURG 1781
The skies were sunny. The weather wasn’t too warm. Our friends were charming as always. What could possibly go wrong?
After all, in 1781, Williamsburg is a quiet little hamlet on Virginia’s middle peninsula.
The flurry of activity at the capital has moved to Richmond Towne.
Away with the burgesses went the hustle and bustle.
Between that and the war, the economy is not good.
Not so many taverns are open in town anymore.
The bulk of the war has been fought to the north of us and to the south of us.
We’ve heard news that Lafayette has come to Virginia with his dragoons to seek the turncoat, Benedict Arnold.
Benedict Arnold did arrive in our town in April, but he finally left.
Hopefully Lafayette will find him. We’ve heard that the dreaded Banastre Tarleton is presently in the area. Surely, we will be safe in this quiet hamlet on a thin peninsula surrounded by the James and York Rivers.
JUNE 25, 1781 – REDCOATS ARRIVE!
Oh no! Suddenly we heard the dreaded shouts that the Redcoats are coming.
Rushing to the Capitol, the Redcoats menacingly marched in to surround us, guarding us with their guns, while the dreaded Banastre Tarleton arrived.
Audaciously, Banastre Tarleton informed us that he has liberated the town.
{{{If I’m liberated, why do I feel threatened?}}}
Brashly, Tarleton reads the rules of occupation.
Then he had the audacity to call a boy from the crowd to receive from him a copy of the orders to post on his family’s front door!
After they left and the town seemed safely quiet again.
However, we had been told more of the troops would arrive that afternoon.
BRITISH TROOPS MARCH INTO TOWN
As I watched them arrive up the street I felt impending doom to the beat of the distant drums.
I felt drums going off in my heart, sinking to my stomach.
Banastre Tarleton and his dragoons were in the lead, looming from the distance, at the end of the Duke of Gloucester Street.
Behind him were scores of Redcoats and camp followers.
It seemed surreal.
Repeatedly, Tarleton reminded the crowds that we should pay proper homage to the British troops, then he’d shout, “Hip, hip, huzzah!” to which we yelled “booooooo,” causing Tarleton to shake his head.
He must have been thinking, “It’s going to be a long weekend.”
BRITISH ENCAMPED IN MARKET SQUARE
Waking the next morning to the view of seemingly miles of tents, we solemnly watched them practice drills.
Walking the back streets to avoid notice by the Redcoats, we tried a circuitous route to one of the shops for some items that I needed, but none of them were open yet.
BRITISH SUSPISCIOUSLY QUESTION US
Waiting on the corner of Botetourt and Duke of Gloucester, in front of Tarpley’s, we innocently minded our business.
Our confidence wavered as several Redcoats approached and asked why we were loitering. Loitering?
Harshly he reminded me that the town was under martial law.
I was speechless.
My basket was sitting on the ground and one of the soldiers started rifling through it.
Uh oh. Would he find the communications I had of Patrick Henry? (stay tuned for more of that in a later post)
Fortunately, he only poked the end of his rifle into my basket, when we heard a shout come from behind us.
“Leave them alone! They are trustworthy!”
It was the coachman for St. George Tucker coming to our rescue!
He had his horses, Brigadier and General at the hitching post on Botetourt, waiting for the next customers for his landau.
Some of the soldiers yelled back to him, “How do we know we can trust you?” and they walked over to him while we waved thanks to him.
Meanwhile one of the soldiers, who had stayed with us, whispered to me, “You do know the password, don’t you?”
{{{Perchance would this Redcoat be a spy, or double agent? Who to trust these days?}}}
MY SON TAKEN AWAY BY THE BRITISH
After we escaped that incident, the soldiers gleefully went in pursuit of other potential prisoners.
Finally, Tarpleys opened, so my children and I entered to collect some necessities.
Immediately some Redcoats walked in.
Oh brother. Well, there were things I needed so we walked in to find the proprietress talking about their selection of Creamware, patterned after Queen Charlotte’s dishes.
When asked my opinion my hearty admiration for the lovely dishware included acknowledgement of several pieces in my personal collection, to which the Redcoats seemingly approved.
While I was in the back of the store, some Redcoats approach my son and lead him outside.
Fearfully, I abandoned my shopping and ran outside to find them going through the usual questioning.
Where was my son’s pass? How old was he?
No! They must not enlist him in their army!
Someone nearby blurted out the password, so to their chagrin, they respectfully backed off.
{{{As much as we might protest, we are game, and wonder what would have happened if the password hadn’t been used. That might have been more fun, since this is a reenactment! But at this point feeling in a teasing manner, we went for it. 😉 }}}
My daughter exclaimed, “Didn’t you just pick on us when we were across the street?”
No, they hadn’t seen us before.
I replied, “Really? I thought you were part of that first group. All of you look the same.”
Uh oh, that was the wrong thing to say.
I hastily pushed my kids into Tarpley’s where we completed our shopping without further incident. 😉
EYES AND EARS ON ALERT
Later that morning, Banastre Tarleton led his dragoons and Recoats to the Capitol, where Lord Cornwallis came onto the balcony for a short speech.
Afterwards Banastre Tarleton showed off the skills of his dragoons.
Teaching us about the job of the dragoons, he said they were the eyes and ears, always aware, able to report important information to the commanders.
My children and I silently agreed, as we were eyes and ears for Lafayette. Shhh, don’t tell.
Then we attended a review of Cornwallis and the troops.
SPYING ON BANASTRE TARLETON
Later we went to the museum to spy listen to Banastre Tarleton talk about his background and defend his case.
A rumor has been going around accusing him of things he has not done.
He insisted that he is not the blood thirsty destructive individual that the rumor reports.
Tarleton presented the evidence, primary source documents…his letters relating his battlefield experiences of how he captured the American colors at the Battle of the Waxhaws.
He also mentioned his disastrous defeat at the Battle of the Cowpens, a topic he prefers to avoid in conversation.
His case is convincing. He admits to being “Swift! Vigilant! Bold!” Yes, he is arrogant, but “Butcher” he is not.
Meanwhile Tarleton showed off the gorgeous battleflag he captured at the Waxhaws the previous year in South Carolina.
PUNISHMENTS FOR PATRIOTS
Later we arrived at the Courthouse to spy ask the generals and Col Tarleton questions about the occupation.
Someone asked Lord Cornwallis what would happen to us after the war, as in what punishments we would receive, if the British won.
Insisting that they *will* win, he detailed that all patriots would be found, taken from their homes, and hung for treason.
While expressing my disbelief that the largest empire in the world would hang for treason 1/3 of the population, my children asked me to hold my thoughts for fear of being overheard.
FREEDOM FOR SLAVES?
That afternoon Eve secretly shared her fears with my children.
The British army was offering freedom for all slaves who joined them in service to the Crown.
Should she trust them?
DRUMHEAD CHURCH SERVICE
The next morning we attended a drumhead church service at the Capitol, attended by the entire British army.
A drumhead church service is performed when the troops are on the move and cannot attend church in a building where the minister stands at the pulpit. While on the move, the minister stands behind drums.
HESSIANS SEARCH MY BASKET
We had been nearly arrested numerous times by the Redcoats. Another memorable interrogation was when we walked the back streets and saw the Hessian guards ahead.
Quickly, I mentally reviewed my limited German before one of the Hessians stopped us.
In broken English, with a German accent, I was asked if we had our passes, to which I replied “Non.”
Oops! I replied in Latin instead of German.
Then he asked if I had contraband in my basket. T
This time leaving my message about Patrick Henry in a safer location, I honestly replied, “Nein.”
The Hessian asked me to lift the cover to my basket. I lifted my chintz fabric. He peered in. Disappointed, he let me pass on. “Danke shon,” I thankfully replied as we walked off.
{{{What would have happened if my Patrick Henry communication had been in the basket? 😉 }}}
GRAND FEAST FOR THE BRITISH OFFICERS
While Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton patrolled the town with his dragoons, we watched the grand feasting of the officers…made from food pillaged from our pantries, gardens, and outlying farms.
SPYING ON THE BRITISH OFFICERS
After patrolling the streets, Banastre Tarleton went to the Courthouse, where we spied learned the British officers’ plot to capture the boy, Lafayette.
While strategizing, Lord Cornwallis’ aide brought up the problems with The Battle of Cowpens, which Tarleton lost.
The stung Tarleton requested they not talk about that, which caused the aide to quickly and rudely reprimanded him.
Tarleton humbly admitted he had been put in his place.
Meanwhile, my son slipped away from town to carry intelligence to Lafayette…
JULY 4, 1781 – END OF THE OCCUPATION
At the end of the day, the British left town with a determined mission to capture Lafayette.
The British occupation of Williamsburg has ended.
WE LOVE UNDER THE REDCOAT!!!
Many thanks to all the wonderful reenactors who incredibly bring history to life!
As a result, this is our favorite event of any in Colonial Williamsburg, since it presents us an opportunity to learn and play 18th century.
Since I was in costume this year, it really brought the first person account to the history story, so I hope everyone enjoys my journal from an 18th century patriotic perspective. 😉
