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THE
French
and Indian War Grand Encampment
GE#5 * July 9-11, 2010
250TH COMMEMORATION
of
THE SURRENDER OF FORT PONTCHARTRAIN
(Detroit)
French
and Woodland Indian Connection
Historically there were many WI villages (Odawa
and Mascoutin) plus French trade centers/settlements at Forts Michilimackinac,
St. Joseph (Niles) and Pontchartrain (Detroit), the 3rd. largest French city.
“Water roads” connected territories from west to east. One “water road” traveled
Lake Erie into the St. Clair River stopping at Detroit, then into Lake Huron to
Fort Michilimackinac. Trade then went into Lake Michigan to Fort La Baye (Green
Bay, WI) or further south to Fort St. Joseph then south along the Wabash River
to Fort Ouiatenon in northwest IN and into IL to Fort de Chartres (IL) or Fort
La Jonquiere (WI/MN). French colonists, soldiers and Woodland Indian allies
from MI, IN, OH, IL and WI traveled east supporting their interests in The
Great War for Empire.
British
Connection
In
1760 a force of regulars and rangers sent from the east via Niagara and Lake Erie
took possession of the western French forts and trade centers. This force succeeded
in accepting the surrender of all but Michilimackinac that year. The latter
surrendered in 1761. The 250th anniversary surrender of Fort Detroit
will be commemorated at this event. The
British garrisoned the west including MI, WI and IL through Pontiac's Rebellion
and afterwards.
We
hope 100% of F&I British, Woodland Indian and French portrayals will try very
hard to gather together in what we hope will become THE "North American
French and Indian War Grand Encampment." Numbers and acreage do make a difference
in terms of the success of large-scale reenactment events. Imagine almost all
of us at one family friendly place at the same time. Help us build this into an
International Event. Together we can. Imagine the possibilities.
GE#5:
Another GRAND Event
The
French and Indian War Grand Encampment Council (GEC) has the great honor to
invite F&I units from North America and Europe to attend its fifth event in
2010. Tapping into the success of the other four GE encampments our hope is to
make GE#5 even larger and more innovative. We hope you will attend.
What To Expect
Waterborne Activities!
There
is a large lake in two sections. We ask that every historically looking canoe, bateau,
whaleboat, flat bottomed boat and radeau be brought in order to:
1. Recreate lake expeditions as were conducted on Lakes Champlain,
George and Ontario and recreate the landing of British troops at Fort
Pontchartrain in 1760.
2. Send waterborne forces to rendezvous with each other and
overland columns to attack the enemy. Adjacent forests hide everything from
view until landings occur.
3. Take part and relive actual events as they occurred in the real
war!
Semi-Isolated Camps!
French, Woodland Indian, British and Sutler camps will be separated
for advantages and sensations of separation and cultural integrity. However,
they will not be so far away as to prohibit visiting friends or to satisfy
curiosities about other camps. Sutlers will be centered between all camps.
Demonstration Battalion!
At the end of Grand Tacticals, all French/British will combine
into one formation to demonstrate what a historically-sized battalion looks like
for maneuver and fire. {For us and the
public}
Email Contacts:
British:
brit_ge_5@yahoo.com
French:
frenchregistration@yahoo.com
Sutlers:
dmeyers@smoke-fire.com
Woodland
Indians: wi_registration@yahoo.com
GE
Traditions Returning
Two Grand Tacticals!
Be involved in tactical simulating actual skirmishes,
engagements and battles that actually took place during the war. Continue your
250th Anniversary commemorations with an event chock full of The
French and Indian War! Expect scenarios putting YOU in a mind set for realistic challenges your historic counterparts
experienced, survived, or fell in. You may feel that you are at Lake George,
the Battle of Ticonderoga or with partisans on water or land causing havoc to
the enemy. There will also be large pitched battles for your King’s interests,
for your Colony and for your life!
You’ll Think
You Are Really There!!!
1. Every combatant is encouraged to participate.
2.
These will be HUGE. (Remember GE#1, 2, 3, 4!)
3. Deployments, marching, maneuvering and battling in 1-4 operational
areas. One is forested unencumbered by undergrowth. A second leads a dirt road
through forest into clearings. The third is open field for linear enthusiasts.
The fourth is waterborne. Use one, use several or use ‘em all!
4. Gently undulating terrain.
5. Mobile artillery.
More
Returning Activities
·
Woodland Indian isolated village
·
Woodland Indian village activities
·
Woodland Indian Parlays
·
Woodland Indian GREAT COUNCIL FIRE
·
Demonstrations and crafts
·
Worship Services
·
Friday evening small-medium-sized tactical
·
Saturday late morning medium-sized tactical
·
Larger chains of commands
·
Massive formations
·
Large F&I Sutler Area
Proprieties
To Be Observed!
1. Properly cut wood for campfires.
2. Potable water.
3. Portajohns.
4. Ice we can purchase.
5. Excellent road access to camps.
6. Convenient parking for us.
7. Site
considers us volunteers for insurance if we accidentally hurt the public.
8. Swimming beaches.
9. Showers at swimming beaches.
10. Snack bar at swimming beaches.
11. Very few modern anachronisms.
12. Cooking and eating areas in the military camps will be in one
location.
13. Organized military camps.
14. Towns nearby for shopping.
15. Detroit Airport is 30+ miles away.
16. Ambulance on site during the day.
Why July 9-11, 2010?
·
1st. Our “Governing Document” requires the event
be “family friendly”. This means avoiding school. We want a maximum opportunity
for all family members to attend and perhaps make their journey to GE#5 a part
of a vacation seeing sites or to attend other events on adjacent weekends.
Every weekend up to the third weekend in June and starting at mid-August has
children in school somewhere in the USA and Canada. We asked.
·
Second, we also cannot use weekends of
major F&I events: Fort Ticonderoga, Fort Niagara, La Presentation, and
Crown Point. We also do not want to
tromp on state events where we hold the event.
2010 Calendar Approximate Dates
June 18-20: Schools
Last Weekend just getting out
June 19-20: Custaloga, PA
June 25-27: Fort Ticonderoga, NY
July 3-5: Fort
Niagara, NY
July 9-11: GE#5
Stony Creek Park, MI
July 17-18 Fort La
Presentation, NY
August 14-15
Schools Start-up
Why Is Ge#5 Chosen Here?
1.
GE#1 was in far eastern PA.
2.
GE#2 was in west.
3.
GE#3 was in east.
4.
GE#4 was in middle.
5.
GE#5 will be in west.
·
Our “Governing Document” requires the GE to
be moved east to west so people who find it harder to attend one GE will find
it easier to attend the next one. It’s fair.
·
Sites able to host a GE are few for
varieties of reasons. They all need very large, open and varied acreages,
sufficient site staff, easy terrain, excellent access, good funding and good
available dates. Stony Creek is rural in southeast Michigan thirty miles north
of Detroit.
·
It is in the Midwest due to item #2 above.
However, while it is closer to westerners, many easterners will find an easy
one day drive will get them there. For example, Fort Niagara is 3-4 hours away.
·
Take a look at your driving situation, take
some extra time off work and see the USA/Canada along the way.
Future information will come to your units from one of
geographically located reps. of the Grand Encampment Council via all F&I
egroups, Smoke and Fire News,
etc. A website is being planned.
Registration will be via unit starting early in 2010.
Pass
this news to all.
See
you there!
Park
Map:
Be sure to check out the park website and map at:
http://www.metroparks.com/parks/pk_stony_creek.php
Email Contacts
British:
brit_ge_5@yahoo.com
French:
frenchregistration@yahoo.com
Sutlers:
dmeyers@smoke-fire.com
Woodland
Indians: wi_registration@yahoo.com