Coassement de la Grenouille
Journal of the Milice de Ste. Famille
Volume 14, No. 3, June 2002
Again, this letter will be written in sections as things occur to me, so it may seem a little choppy.
Just got back from the Trade Faire and Musket Frolic. Those who did not attend missed a great time. They hold a raffle each year for a fine piece of quill work. This year it was a neck sheath and a fine knife. It was won by Toni Hancock.
None of the French shot in the competition, so we did not have to wait for the prizes to be given out.
Susie Brigman entered the Good Wife contest. Unfortunately, she did not win. The contest was to make a cap in one hour from fabric you were given. The end results were very good.
Frog Talk 2002 was a resounding success. A special thanks to Lyle Cubberly and Tom Connor and everyone involved for their hard work. It was great to Rene’ again. I am working on getting the pictures on the website.
At a very soggy St. Charles, the Milice took part in the 1812 Overture. That was a thrill.
Had a great time at the Massac F&I this year, even though Ste. Anne fielded three times as many men as the Milice did. We let the English have the fort and we laid siege to it. Your Captain had command of the Native contingent.
Just got home from June Rendezvous. I haven’t stopped sweating. I think it was too hot to shop, almost.
Please take the time to send notes, art, articles to Lynn Cornelius for this newsletter. She works very hard at editing it, but she can’t do it if you don’t help. I have heard from several sources, that this is one of the finest newsletters around. I couldn’t agree more.
I know this is short, but I’m hot and tired.
Votre serviteur
Jean Baptieste Tavernier
In his significant history Saratoga, Turning Point of America's Revolutionary War, Richard M. Ketchum writes the following passage that is of interest to those of us who visit Ticonderoga:
[On high ground half a mile to the northwest were the "French Lines," which dated to 1758, when earthworks consisting of huge piles of dirt covered with abitis (tree trunks with sharpened branches turned toward the enemy), making them all but impenetrable, were thrown up in forty-eight hours by fewer than 3,500 French defendants, who were anticipating an attack by a 15,000-man British-provincial force led by James Abercromby. For reasons best known to himself, the English general had not bothered to have his cannon brought up and ordered a frontal assault with small arms: the French held their ground against wave after wave of attackers before Abercromby finally withdrew with enormous losses. *
*When a Pennsylvania colonel named Anthony Wayne saw this area in 1776 he found it definitely dispiriting: he concluded that it must have been the last part of the world God made, and that He must have completed it in the dark. The Old French Lines reminded him of "the ancient Golgotha or place of skulls-they are so plenty here that our people for want of other vessels drink out of them whilst the soldiers make tent pins out of the shin and thigh bones of Abercrombies men."]
Later as a general Wayne picked up the nickname "Mad Anthony".
So, if you do RevWar on the good guys' side and your unit was at Ti in 1776 British thighbones and shinbones are documented tent stakes.
A bowl made from a nice ceramic skull would be really kewl too.
Ain't dis hobby fun?!
Bibliography
Ketchum, Richard M., Saratoga, Turning Point of America's Revolutionary War, 1997, Henry Holt and Company, Inc.
ISBN 0-8050-4681-X
French Dancing
Learn French Cotillions from the 1700’s
Time: 1st and 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 to 9:00 pm
Dates: June 18
July 16
August 6, 20
September 3, 17
Place:
First United Methodist Church
504 East Highway 50
O’Fallon IL
Contact: Carol Luer, dance leader, annabella3@earthlink.net
October F&I Encampment
This year’s F&I encampment at Fort de Chartres will be a memorable one. Marshal Meadors is running the team military shoot and the steak shoot. Your Captain is running the officer’s duel.
During Sunday colors, at June Rendezvous, I extended a challenge to the French Marines. With our caliber of membership and officers we should be able to field at least 3 shooting teams. I hope everyone will mark Oct 5 and 6 and help the Milice carry the challenge.
School of the soldier 2003
Due to scheduling conflicts, the 2003 School of the Soldier has been returned to Fort de Chartres. Your Captain will be serving as chairman. More details later as they become available.
THIS COULD HAVE BEEN YOUR ARTICLE
Bon Soir,
I need to harvest knowledge from the infinite supply stored in Milice brains.
1. What is the best fuel to use in a brazier? A Civil War reenactress told me charcoal briquets with lots and lots of starter fluid, but that just sounded wrong.
2. How much more complicated are bell tents to pitch than the plain old A-frame? A different CW reenactress told me she’d never buy another because they’re so hard to “square up” compared to an A-frame.
In Advance, thank you for any consideration you can give me in my quest!
Deb (Marie-Berthe) Aubuchon marie_berthe_a@yahoo.com
Grand Encampment, Birdsboro, PA
At present the Milice has 26 members planning to attend, not counting the members of the artillery crew. This even has great potential and I am looking forward to participating. Andre Gousse is the French commander. It will be a pleasure to see him again and serve under his command.
We cannot bring in bulk powder for the event. Everyone needs to roll cartridges ahead of time. With three battles planned, we need a lot of cartridges. You can purchase hand-rolled cartridges with a twisted bottom from www.fosutler.com. The cost is $14.50 for 250 tubes. These are only 58 caliber, so you can’t use them for live rounds.
It may be advisable for men to get a pair of natural looking leather gloves to make it easier to hold on to a hot gun barrel.
If anyone is interested in attending the event, please let me know as soon as possible. They have not set a deadline for registration, but the time is drawing near. I understand a newsletter is about to be sent out. As soon as I receive it, I will pass it on.
John (Mefford)
New Regiment du Guyenne WebPages final work is still in progress, but has a very good start. Thanks to Brian Smith for his excellent work. Come visit Guyenne.
Upcoming Events 2002 (dates with * are recent additions)
June 15 – Colonial Tool Time – Martin-Boismenue House 10am – 2 pm
June 22-23 – Fort Ticonderoga ( See Bob Gill for details)
July 6-7 – Fort Niagara
July 13-14 – Theatiki
July 26-28 – Grand Encampment, Birdsboro PA, see Capt. for details
July 28 – Old Time Music Fete, Cahokia Courthouse 12 – 5 pm
Aug 24 - Native American Artifact Day , Martin-Boisemnue House 10am – 2 pm
Sept 1-2 – Fair at New Boston
Sept 7 – Meeting – Old Courthouse, Cahokia 10 am
Sept 6-8 – Hodge Part Fete, Kansas City, MO
Sept 8-10 – Old Fort Madison Trade Fair, 391-372-7700
Sept 7-8 – Portage des Sioux Powwow, Portage des Souix, MO, 314-899-0315
Sept 14 – Jarrot Mansion Autumn Open House, Jarrot Mansion 10am – 4pm
Sept 14 & 15 – French Colonial Crafts and Trade – Fort de Chartres
Sept 19-30 – Heritage Rendezvous du Rocher – 1st Annual Rendezvous at Starved Rock, Pekin IL 708-346-9126
Sept 21-22 – Fort Belle Fontaine
Sept 28-29 – Heritage Days on the Goshen Trail, Godfrey IL
Oct 5&6 – Trappers of Starved Rock, Sioux Passage Park, St. Louis County, MO, 636-723-1798
Oct 5 – Meeting – Fort de Chartres, Captain’s tent, 4 pm
Oct 4-7 – French and Indian War Assemblage – Fort de Chartres
Oct 12-13 – Old Settlers Days, Kampsville IL
Oct 19-& 20 – Grand Encampment – Fort Massac State Park, Metropolis IL
Oct 19-20 – Gathering of the Waters, Grafton, IL
Nov 2 – Fort de Chartres meeting, Captain’s tent, 4 pm
Nov 2-3 – WoodsWalk – Fort de Chartres
Nov 9-10 – Colonial Veterans – Martin –Boismenue House
Dec 1 – Milice Christmas Party - Meeting TBA
Dec 7 – Caroling at Kimmswick
Dec 7 – St. Nicholas Tradition – Martin-Boismenue House 6pm – 8 pm
Dec 7-8 – Christmas at the Barracks – Jefferson Barracks
2003
*June 14-15 – Muster ON the Maumee (timeline event) Fort Meigs
*Aug 16-17 – Seige 1759 (F&I event) Fort Meigs
Since so few articles, art, announcements, recipes, patterns, etc., are being sent, we’re resorting to yellow journalism to fill the space. So here is this edition’s.
What well know, long-married couple were caught in a fogged up pickup truck in the parking lot at June Fort????
And who was that trio of two married men and a single woman also in a vehicle with fogged windows????
And what subjects of great import were discussed by the unnamed women at the communal fly????
If you do not wish this newsletter to deginerate and become the note from enfer, filled with bavardage, just send your items to Lynn Cornelius, 1015 Genevieve Pl, Cahokia IL 62206, lynnc@peaknet.net and save us from that fate.
There could have been a recipe here, or a pattern, or an article, or …….well, you get the point, don’t you????
Journal of the Milice de Ste. Famille
1015 Genevieve Pl.
Cahokia IL 62206-1403