10-4 pm

Dress: appropriate for New England in 1776

It’s April 1776. The British have just evacuated Boston ... those who went north with Arnold have begun to return with reports of having ‘almost’ taken Quebec ... and the Continental Troops under Washington are leaving for New York. Militia regiments continue to guard Boston Harbor, however, many of those encamped in Roxbury and Cambridge during the siege of Boston have returned to their homes. In several months, additional Massachusetts militia regiments will be called out to help in the defense of New York. But for now, New Englanders are attending to the chores of early spring. Militia units continue to drill and wait to see what will happen next.

Prescotts Battalion invites members of Reuben Dow's Coy and other local minute and militia companies to muster at Hartwell Tavern on April 14. The day will include a talk on what was happening in New England during the period after the British left Boston ... and will be an opportunity to develop our understanding of what it meant to be a New Englander in 1776 .. to brush up on our civilian impressions ... or just to watch and socialize with friends. A New England muster was a social event as well as a day for the militia to drill ... and this is no exception. In addition to drills and music, the focus of the day will be seasonal activities around the Tavern ... repair of outbuildings (the chicken coop needs to be rebuilt and the park has procured materials to do it), conversation in the tap room about what is likely to happen next in the struggle with England (overseen by the Tavern Mistress, Sabra Welch), a game of rounders, tilling the garden and preparing food. What we can do is limited only by the ideas of the participants and the appropriateness to the setting. Drills, chicken coop repair and cooking should make it easy for those who want to to join in.

Dow's Coy, Prescott's Battalion is a volunteer group associated with Minuteman National Historic Park with members from many local re-enactment groups. Members of the original company marched to Cambridge as the Hollis, NH Militia Company following the Lexington Alarm where they re-enlisted in a new company under Captain Dow which was incorporated into Prescott's Massachusetts Regiment and served throughout the Siege of Boston.