Battle Road
Committee

Lexington Minute Men

2nd Massachusetts Regiment

4th Middlesex Regiment/85ème Régiment de Saintonge

1st Foot Guards

5th Regiment of Foot

10th Regiment of Foot

Stand your ground; don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here. -Captain Parker

Whoever looks upon them as an irregular mob will find himself much mistaken, they have men amongst them who know very well what they are about. -Lord Percy

Xxx Xxxxx, Chairman
xx Xxxx Xx
Xxxx, XX xxxxx
(xxx) xxx-xxxx
xxxxx@xxx.xxx

It was a curious field of battle for the opening of the revolution: 20 miles of winding hilly road connecting a port city and several country towns. But word of the fighting on Lexington Green, at the North Bridge, and on the road to Boston raced throughout the American colonies to unite men and women behind the patriot cause.

What had begun as a struggle between British authorities, determined to enforce the will of Parliament, and the people of Massachusetts, just as determined to retain their rights as English citizens, soon escalated into a War of Independence which lasted more than eight years.

Today, much of that country road is now an urban highway, but the Battle Road 2000 event still follows generally the same route, passing the sites of the most bitter fighting and the buildings that stood nearby.

It all began on the Battle Road. The Battle Road 2000 event recreates the confrontations that took place 225 years ago, the first day of the War of American Independence, through marches, tactical battlefield demonstrations, and commemorative observances.

This series of events, to be held April 14-17, 2000, is designed to transport the observer to another time and place, to better understand how these common men played an important role in this crucial day in history. It will be a weekend of energetic, colorful activity.

We appreciate your units support in the past, and for this special year we aim to attract 1200 living history demonstrators from around the world who will portray 1770's period militia for Eastern Massachusetts and British Regulars. The weekend will include demonstrations of colonial life, military drills, marches, battle tacticals, music and other entertainment in keeping with the event.

We planned a Battle Road Committee Meeting on Monday, October 25, 1999 at 7 p.m. at Saint Bridget's in Lexington. This is an opportunity to hear about the new guidelines for the event and hear about the schedule. It is important that each unit send a representative. Enclosed is an invite form which should be returned to the Committee no later than that meeting. Please note that this year all groups must have insurance; please send proof of insurance with your application.

As in prior years, we are trying to make the event more authentic and more enjoyable. We have many more activities than we have had in the past. To facilitate this, we are adding the requirement that all Colonial units must have all members who plan on participating inspected for safety and authenticity prior to the event. We are hoping that most units will participate in Muster Day in March but there will be many opportunities for inspections and members of the Battle Road Committee will meet inspect units at a mutual agreeable time.

Event Safety Safety guidelines are the BB/CL/BAR published guidelines. At certain sites, we are required to follow NPS guidelines (i.e., no opposed firing). More detailed safety guidelines will be included in the invitation to participate. In general: reproduction muskets (no Belgium Reproduction Flintlocks), frizzen covers and flash guards. Cartridges not to exceed 110 grains, cartridge boxes, no loading from horn, extra cartridges should be carried in aluminum foil. Edge weapons remain sheathed. No hand-to-hand combat, no looting of the dead. All participants must have a canteen or water bottle. We would like to encourage units to attend with muskets/fowlers due to their common use in Eastern Massachusetts. Battle Road is an event that requires marching between various sites. Please make sure that event participants are physically fit and are prepared to march 3 to 5 miles.

Participants are required to dress in authentic/appropriate clothing for the 1770's period for Eastern Massachusetts. More detailed information will be included at the Battle Road Meeting. In general, we are asking people not to wear western frontier and native dress. This includes hunting shirts with fringe, beads, and a general "buckskin" appearance. The mailing will describe appropriate sleeved outer garments (such as a long coat, short workman's coat, sleeved waistcoat, or smock/wagoner's shirt, which is a large over-shirt, similar to a hunting shirt but without the fringe and cape), hats, gaiters, etc.

A detailed list of resources has been organized/created by Xxx Xxxx (4th Middlesex Regiment) and can be found at http://www.18cnewenglandlife.org/

We have some very exciting activities planned. We are working on organizing activities for the long weekend before April 19th. We are working on organizing activities the week before Battle Road. For the first time in 225 years we will recreate Paul Revere's ride; we will have a morning battle in Lexington Green, a commemoration at the North Bridge, a tactical war demonstration at Merriam's Corner, and demonstrations at the Hartwell Tavern; we will fight on Concord Hill, recreate Percy's relief, and enact the hospital at Monroe Tavern and then the British retreat to Boston. As you can see it will be a busy day and that is just the start. There is plenty to share and we will be filling you in at the Battle Road meeting. There are two important points to remember:

• Make sure your unit has a representative at the Battle Road meeting on October 25, to hear about the events and the new requirements.
• Start preparing your unit for Battle Road; it may require making some new clothing (there are people all over the country making new clothing for this event) or finding a replacement for a musket. Whatever it takes, we want you to be joining us and we do not want to disappoint a person early on Saturday morning telling them that they can not participate because they did not follow the event guidelines.

If your unit is interested in attending Battle Road 2000 please fill out the enclosed form and bring it to the meeting or mail it by October 25, 1999, to Xxx Xxxxx, Battle Road Committee, xx Xxx Xx, Xxx, XX xxxxx, or e-mail a request for application in an electronic form to xxxxx@xxx.xxx. If you have any questions call (xxx) xxx-xxxx. Thank you for your interest and I hope that you will join in celebrating our time-honored legacy in the new millennium.

Your most humble and obedient servant, for the Battle Road Committee, Xxx Xxxxx

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