Royal Sussex Society - 35th Regiment of Foot
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Victory at Old Bethpage Village

6/28/2021

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The 35th Regiment returned to OBVR for the first time since 2019.  We were invited by the Huntington Militia based out of New York to attend their Grand Encampment weekend.  Old Bethpage Village Restoration is run by the county of Nassau and features a collection of historic buildings, farms, and some craft shops that are well worth checking out.  The people have always been extremely friendly and accommodating as well.

The 35th fell in with our area fellow Brits, the 42nd Royal Highlanders and the 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers.  Opposing us was the Huntington militia and the New York Line of the Continental Army.  The rebels also had artillery to further liven up the occasion.

Saturday, weather-wise, it was quite hot but there was a comforting breeze from time to time.  Threats of rain did not materialize, which we were grateful for.

The public came into the village to see the soldiers march, drill, and talk about Revolutionary War life.  Tents were set up along with marquees and flies to offer shade.

At 1:00 there was a joint ceremony of all the assembled units to pay tribute to the late Bob Small and Brian Shay, who passed and left a space in the ranks of the Revolutionary War community which could never been filled.  Volleys were fired by the New Yorkers and some reflections on these men were offered.

At 2:30 the armies formed up in preparation for the 3:00 skirmish.  All such activity took place on the village green where the 23rd's fusiliers and light infantry made contact with the enemy in the field.  The 35th and 42nd were sent on a detached flanking maneuver, passing through the village, down a wooded pathway, and emerging on the enemy's left.  The 42nd fell into the center while the 35th formed on the right of the British line, opposite the artillery.

Several volleys were exchanged and the gun crew was put out of commission, the position then overrun by a bayonet charge of our grenadiers.  The 23rd and 42nd then gained the upper hand of the enemy and drove them from the field with a bayonet charge of their own.

Everyone made a fine account of himself and, though hot, exhausted, and sweaty, all were in agreement that the day had been time well spent with good company.

The 35th extends its thanks to our hosts and everyone involved.

Special thanks to Chris Lauterbach for filming the event.

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Return to Historic Cold Spring Village

6/22/2021

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Thank you to everyone who came out to support our endeavor back to Cold Spring Village.  From our unit we had Sharon, Kim Griffin who flew in from Florida to participate, Meredith, and myself.  Tony S. was just across the way from us with a Union Civil War impression.

On Friday, Sharon and I arrived in the afternoon and got checked into our room at the Jersey Cape Motel and then popped over to HCSV to set up the "New Fly" with Kim's assistance.  I have to say, the fly is smaller than the old one but infinitely more manageable and easier to set up.  Plus, with the extra long poles, there's complete area usage.  We got it all pegged into the (somewhat soft) ground but that did not present any issues.  We then went back to attend to the 21st C.

Saturday morning we rolled back in and had our display up and running in short order.  The weather was quite humid, as usual, and rather hot.  In general it was cloudy and for a very short time there was an almost imperceptible drizzle, so the fly was quite handy.  We had a steady and constant stream of visitors and families throughout the day and we talked about our ensembles.  Kim, Sharon, and I were representing the 1830s while Meredith was a century ahead of us in the 1940s.

Other displays set up on the grounds ranged from medieval through the 20th Century and included our friends in #2 Section doing 2nd Boer War.

Some other highlights of the day were visiting the ice cream shop just down the road, which offered a wonderful chance to cool down a bit, and see some of the farm animals (Levi, Nugget, Rascal, etc.) that call the site home.  The site personnel were extremely friendly and happy to have us there.

All in all, a success!  A strong start for the summer season.

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Flag Day with the Elks

6/14/2021

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On Monday, June 13, we were invited to the Elk's Lodge in West Milford to be a part of their living history day and Flag Day celebration.

This was a small event and the impressions present were Spanish-American War, US Civil War, the Napoleonic Wars, and the 35th represented by our early Victorian and AWI sections. 

As the Elks celebrate Flag Day with a special flag ceremony, we were invited to participate in that.  Following this, the Elks lit up a fire pit for American flags which have been damaged or worn out and in need of respectful disposal in accordance with Flag Code protocols.

The event itself was cut short when a strong, unexpected rain storm barrelled through and the reenactors scrambled to put their things away before adjourning inside for refreshments and--importantly--to recognize Tom C.'s birthday with a surprise cake.

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