Heavy competition for 1812 re-enactors
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'General' Thomas Hurlbut fought valiantly for the Americans at Backus Conservation Area on the weekend.
Commander of the American forces, Hurlbut was victorious Saturday near Mill Pond, but his side was overwhelmed Sunday afternoon by British regulars and Canadian militia at the Heritage Village where they eventually surrendered in front of the schoolhouse.
Hurlbut, from Orillia, leads Captain MacLachlan’s Company from the 25th Regiment, United States Infantry, consisting mostly of people from Simcoe County.
But he’s as Canadian as they come. His great, great, great grandfather lived in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, fought in the War of 1812 and was captured by Americans.
“I started out as a redcoat, like most Canadian re-enactors, but there’s a large need for Americans,” said Hurlbut, who’s unit re-enacts a variety of time periods, but currently is almost exclusively 1812. “It’s not a very popular war for re-enacting with Americans, so there’s a need to flesh it out.”
In some years, the Battle of Backus included units from Pennsylvania, Michigan and New York. But there were few actual Americans this time around.
“I’m not sure any of those out on the field today dressed in blue were actual Americans,” he admitted.
It’s a busy time for re-enactors in the middle of the war’s 200th anniversary, he said, and there is heavy competition between re-enactment events.
“This weekend there’s a Napoleonic event in southern Pennsylvania – I know some of my people are there.”
Sunday was a typical Battle of Backus, he said, with the exception of the Grand Tactical held in 2009, which saw nearly 500 Canadian and American re-enactors.
“It was big that year. The 1812 re-enactors pick an event, usually in the States one year and Canada the next, and it’s an ‘all-up.’ Everybody tries to make it to that one.
“Yesterday (Saturday), we had a fairly decent army, bigger than we expected. Today was probably about standard for a Sunday.”
Next year, said Hurlbut, will be the 25th anniversary of the Battle of Backus on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7, 2014.
“I think they’re expecting some good numbers, but it happens to coincide with the Star Spangled Banner weekend at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, so I don’t know what affect that’s going to have on things. Baltimore is a long way for some people to go, so it may not have any affect at all here.”
With about 35 per side, he said, Backus has the perfect site.
“When you have 200 on a side, it’s probably not enough room. But when you go to a site like Fort George, where you’ve got hundreds of acres to play on, 35 doesn’t work.
“It’s a show and that’s a big part of it – we put on a show today. There’s a lot of military things out there that wouldn’t happen in a real battlefield. But we’ve got a crowd to entertain.”
Hurlbut started re-enacting 20 years ago, and stayed in it for the social elements.
“I’ve always enjoyed the military pomp, and the guns are kind of cool, but really it’s the social thing. As a friend said, we have recreated the village life. We’re reaching out to our social past. Ministers, doctors, shopkeepers… and we move the village around from historic site to historic site. Last night, cooking over an open fire, the guitars came out and we sang period and non-period music.”