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
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Participants
Battle Road is quickly approaching and we look forward to working
with each participant to make this the most memorable event in recent
memory. As this will be one of the largest and most complicated
events in many years the task of coordinating and administrating the
corps while in the field is a large one. To be successful, I am asking
that you, as unit commander or participant, share this overview of how
the event will be run with each member of your unit. It is only with the
understanding and cooperation of all that we will ensure that Battle Road
2000 will become an enjoyable memory for everyone.
For a brief history of Battle Road, see the History page. For a very brief
history, see What is the Battle Road? in the
FAQ.
Please note: Volunteers needed to
help set-up Thursday & Friday.
Contents
Take Note
On paper we have over 1900 returns for Battle Road.
The following units have sent returns and are scheduled to
participate in Battle Road 2000.
| Unit Name |
City |
State/Prov |
Insurance |
Battalion |
| |
| Total Participants | 1293 | |
| Artillery |
|---|
| Horse |
|---|
| Foot |
|---|
| Loyal Americans |
|---|
| |
| Total Participants: 634 |
Last Updated on 4/10/00
By Xxx Xxxxx
Email: xxxxx@xxx.xxx
One key element to ensuring success is everyone's cooperation in
amalgamating our recreated groups into the structure defined below. If
a unit has a sufficient number of men to form their own platoon, they
can do so, otherwise the BAR and Continental Line guidelines for
amalgamating and appointing officers and NCO's will be followed.
Please ask all your members to come prepared to play a private if they
have not been asked by the organizers to serve in an officer or NCO
capacity.
The information contained herein is a general overview only. More
detailed instructions for battalion commanders, adjutants, company
commanders and 1st sergeants will be sent under separate cover once
appointments have been made and confirmed.
If you have any questions on the information below, Xxx Xxxxx
can be reached via phone and email at:
(xxx) xxx-xxxx
Email: xxxxx@xxx.xxx
Organizational Structure
The recreated provincial army of Massachusetts Bay is being set up
to mirror how many minute and militia companies were formed into
regiments before the war. Men from communities were formed into
companies and regiments and properly officered according to the
appropriate ratio of officers to men. It is from these principals
that the organizational structure for Battle Road 2000 has been
developed.
Appointment of Officers
In order to effect the proper ratio of officers to men, units will
be amalgamated (per Continental and BAR Guidelines) and all officers
and NCO's appointed. Senior officers have been appointed by the
overall commander Xxx Xxxxx. Company officers and NCO's will be
appointed at the direction of each battalion commander. Unless
contacted previous to the event, all unit officers/NCO's should come
prepared to serve as privates in the ranks. As a unit officer, if you
wish to serve as an officer or NCO and have not received an
appointment, contact the Deputy Commander, Xxx Xxxxx, before
February 15, 2000, and all attempts will be made to satisfy your
request. The Battle Road Committee (BRC) thanks you in advance for
your cooperation in this matter.
Command Structure
- Overall Commander - Col. Xxx Xxxxx
- Deputy Commander - Lt. Col. Xxx Xxxxx
- Headquarters Staff
The army staff will consist of:
- Adjutant - Maj. Xxx Xxxxx
- Police - To be appointed
- Quartermaster - Lt. Xxx Xxxxx and 1 sergeant
to be appointed
- Field Music - Drum Major Xxx Xxxxx
The staff is responsible for overall administration and
organization for the event. The police will act as assistants to the
adjutant. The quartermaster is responsible for all matters pertaining
to the encampment of the troops and the camp necessaries. They will
work with their counterparts at the battalion and company level to
ensure that all orders and coordination of duties are properly
communicated and executed.
- Battalions
Commanders:
- 1st Battalion - Major Xxx Xxxxx
- 2nd Battalion - Major Xxx Xxxxx
- 3rd Battalion - Major Xxx Xxxxx
- Artillery Corp. (Sunday's Tactical) - Major Xxx Xxxxx
Each battalion will consist of:
- 1 commander with the rank of major
- 1 adjutant with the rank of Lieutenant
- 1 quartermaster sergeant
- 4 companies with a minimum of 35 men
Each battalion will function as a separate entity during the course
of the event. All orders for the battalion will be delivered from HQ
to the battalion adjutant who will then ensure that the orders are
communicated to the battalion commanders and the company 1st
sergeants. There will be no colors carried during Battle Road 2000.
- Companies
Each infantry company will consist of:
- 1 Captain
- 1 Lieutenant
- 1 1st sergeant
- 2 sergeants
- 1 eldest corporal
- 2 corporals
- minimum of 30 privates
Each company will be divided into 2 platoons, 1 commanded by the
captain and the other by the lieutenant. Each platoon will consist of
a sergeant, 1 corporal and a minimum of 15 privates. One platoon will
be assigned the 1st sergeant and the other the eldest corporal who
will act as safety officers to the respective platoons. In addition,
the 1st sergeant performs the same role in the company that the
adjutant does in the battalion. The 1st sergeant is responsible for
keeping and filling out all paperwork related to the company.
Administration
Administration of the corps while in the field will be executed
using period communication channels and forms. The Quartermaster will
assign a location for corps headquarters. The overall commander and
staff will be located here. There will be a member of the staff on
duty from 7:00am - 12:00 midnight from Friday until Monday morning to
address any emergencies.
All orders will be disseminated in the following manner:
- Each evening at an appointed time, the battalion adjutants will
attend to headquarters where the brigade major will convey the orders
for the following day.
- Each adjutant will then review the corps orders with their
battalion commander who will add any additional orders that pertain to
the battalion.
- Each adjutant will then assemble the 1st sergeants of the
battalion and cause them to copy into their books the orders.
- The 1st sergeants will then show the orders to the company
commander, make any additions and then read to the men of the company
during the 1st formation of the day.
Encampment
Please see the Quartermaster's Rules.
Paperwork
Before the Event: Battle Road 2000 is a very
complicated event and we need lists of all participants from
each unit by April 1st. All participants means combatants (including
those who have been asked to serve as officers & field music), massed
music, massed music chaperones, interpreters & campfollowers --
including all children accompanying interpreters, massed
music chaperones or campfollowers. Because these four groups will be
bussed separately (combatants, massed music, interpreters,
campfollowers), each participant must be listed in the proper category
so that we can organize the bus transportation.
On arrival: All participants should sign in when they
arrive on Friday or Saturday unless your unit makes other arrangements
to pick up their members' participant packages in advance.
During the Event: The following forms of paperwork
will be provided and used during the event. It is very important to
use these forms since this will be the official participation list for
the event.
- Orderly books - These are to be kept by the adjutants and 1st
sergeants. Battalion orderly books kept by the adjutants are to
contain all corps and battalion orders. Company orderly books kept by
the 1st sergeants are to contain all army, battalion and company
orders.
- Morning reports - These are to be filled out by the 1st sergeant
each day following the morning Roll Call with a exact account of each
man in his company. The 1st sergeant will complete two copies, one to
be returned to the battalion adjutant and the other shared with the
captain of the company.
- Muster Returns - These are to be filled out by the 1st sergeant at
the beginning of the event with the name and unit of each member of
the company. The 1st sergeant will complete two copies, one to be
returned to the battalion adjutant and the other shared with the
captain of the company.
- Battalion Troop Returns - These are to be filled out by the
adjutants of each battalion. Once the adjutant has received all of the
Morning Reports, he will compile the figures into the Battalion Troop
Return. The adjutant will complete two copies, one to be returned to
the Army adjutant and the other shared with the battalion commander.
See the Music page. For
organizational structure, see Provincial
Officers and Men-at-arms, above.
Battle Road is using the model of organization developed by the
British Brigade. The command staff is made up the commander of a
founding unit of the British Brigade, the current Army Sergeant Major
and the former Army sergeant major.
Organization Structure
- Overall Commander - Col. Xxx Xxxxx
- Deputy Commander - Lt Col. Xxx Xxxxx
- Sjt. Major of Army - Sjt Major Xxx Xxxxx
- Quarter Master General - Major Xxx Xxxxx
The contact for Crown field music is Xxx Xxxxx, xxxxx@xxx.xxx
or xxx-xxx-xxxx.
See the Music page.
See the Interpreters page.
See the Sutler Information page.
Since Battle Road predates the raising of the provincial army and
since non-combatants either hid or fled on the original day (at least
for the parts we will be reenacting), there are no roles for you in
reenacting the Battle Road, but there are other
roles.
One of the critical roles at this event is that of
Interpreter/Safety Picket. These are civilians who stand at
the edge of the crowd and talk to them about what they are seeing and
what was going on at the time. It has been hugely popular with the
public for the past two years and will be all the more important this
time round because there will be large crowds and interpreters can
make a big difference to the public's understanding. We hope that as
many non-combatants as possible will join us in this endeavor -- there
is no limit to how many people we can use. There are only three
requirements:
- Follow the clothing guidelines: civilians on the edge of the field
are the most visible 18th century folks in this event. People
will assume that what you wear is correct for New England in
1775. Since we can't ask those whose dress is out of time or place to
carry signs that say so, the only way to educate the public is to
dress correctly. Please support this endeavor. Let's not compromise
others' efforts by having those closest to the crowd dressed in ways
that don't reflect New England in 1775.
- Read the materials. We're not asking you to become historians, but
we do ask that you read the materials we provide and say "I don't
know" if you don't know the answer to a question. There are a lot
of myths about April 19th -- let's not perpetuate them.
- Preregister -- we must have your name on the interpreter
list if you want to play this role.
See the Interpreters Wanted
flyer for more information.
So what happens with campfollowers and other civilians who
do not want to be interpreters, are not with the Massed Music and who
are not fielding as musicians, men-at-arms or officers? If
you don't want to stay in camp, in all honesty we strongly prefer that
you attend the Saturday event in 20th century clothing. That's the
easiest way to make sure that the public knows who is representing
themselves as properly dressed and knowledgeable about Battle Road.
Remember, if you're willing to meet the clothing guidelines and
willing to say "I don't know" if you haven't had time to
familiarize yourself with what's accurate about this day in history,
you have qualified as an Interpreter and we would welcome you as
one. Interpreters add huge value just by creating a visual image
... and we need as many people as possible for the safety aspect of
the job. You help to make sure the public stays where they are safe
... much of this event happens on public streets and ways. But if you
really don't want to be an interpreter, we would ask that you
not attend in 18th century kit. Or, if you do attend in 18th century
kit, please follow the clothing guidelines. Non-combatants, both those
in 18th c. and in 20th c. clothing, will be permitted to ride the
buses, if you are counted on your unit's return. Children must be
counted, too. Note that transportation for those not playing an active
role (those fielding, massed music, interpreters) will depart
after the buses transporting these other groups. Obviously we cannot
force people to follow the clothing guidelines, but we ask that you
honor this request out of respect for your fellow re-enactors who have
worked hard to provide as good an impression as possible.
Civilians other than interpreters will not be allowed in front of
the ropelines or on the field in any other way.
Back to BRY2K: Information for Reenactors
Last updated: 10 April 2000
Webmaster: Sue Felshin
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