It was getting dark, it was raining and there was a group of people waiting for the Continental Army experiences. Finally word came that the management would allow the program to continue, but would also allow literal rain checks to anyone that wanted to back out. No one took the rain check.  The re-enactors came out towards us wearing the white hunting shirts and tricorns that were used as uniforms by some units of the Continental Army, our lead instructor lead us into the Magazine, all the way to the top where we were briefed on the weapons of the rebellions. The Muskets, the tomahawks, and the ever famous rifle. Had the weather been different we would have been treated to full demonstrations of the weapons, but instead we had to settle for the stories.

Once the lectures were done we were lead downstairs and outside into the rain where were thrown into ranks and taught the basics of marching in formation. How to keep your spacing and stay in line. The kids in the group had some issues, mainly because they were miserable, but after about fifteen minutes, we were able to march in a straight line, make left turns and right turns, drop from column into line and stand to. The ground was sopping wet, no umbrellas were allowed of course so we were all soaked through. But no one seemed to care. We had done well enough to where our instructors decided to try and teach us one of the most difficult march maneuvers of the age, the dreaded wheel. Standing shoulder to shoulder, the line would wheel either left or right, changing the direction it was facing, one end of the line moving forward while the other end marked time, becoming the hinge that the line wheeled on.

We botched it horrible. I mean come on, it would take CA soldiers forever to learn that maneuver, there was no way we were going to pull it off after a hour on the field. But no one cared. We we wet and miserable, but we were getting to see what the soldiers that fought for our country had to go through. It was special. Now I will tell you this, there is more to tell about this night but we will save those stories for another time…