We cordially invite you to attend the 9th annual Battle of Plattsburgh Commemoration Weekend, Sept. 8-10, 2006.
The weekend activities begin Friday afternoon with the arrival of re-enactors at the Kent Delord House Museum. As usual, unload quickly and move vehicles off-site. Parking is available a block away at the Elk’s Club or at Stafford’s law offices. For modem campers, there is a state park a mile away on Cumberland Bay, with electrical hookups, showers and grills.
This year we plan to keep the encampment the same as last year’s. Wherever you pitched your tent last year, that’s where you will be. We encourage those camped along the fence to arrive early to avoid a traffic jam in the middle of the yard. Boats may be launched across the river from the museum, near the Plattsburgh Municipal Lighting Department (MLD). Trucks, SUV’s, boat trailers and cannon trailers may be parked in the MLD parking lot for the weekend. The lot is well lit, out of the way, secure, and has a watchman there 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Kent-Delord House Museum site will provide port-a-loos, and outside tap water which is drinkable. Ice and other food stuffs are available at a small grocery store two blocks away. We are no longer providing straw because there is so little demand for it. Showers are available across town at the YMCA.
Friday night features a spectacular fireworks display at the mouth of the Saranac River, right in front of the museum. Saturday evening, of course, is the ritual feast, free to all re enactors.
There will be two tactical demonstrations, one on Saturday, one on Sunday. For those who haven’t been here before, these take place in a small downtown urban setting. However this is the actual site of the original land battle (the British occupied the north side of the Saranac River, the Americans the south side); and the Kent-Delord House was actually occupied by British artillery officers with a battery set up in front. Also in front of the museum is the mouth of the Saranac River with a spectacular view of Cumberland Bay, where the naval battle took place.
In the past two years we have had tactical demonstrations Saturday and Sunday at the mouth of the river. British artillery and soldiers were on the north side, Americans on the south side, and bateaux skirmished on the river in front of them. This has turned out to be very popular with the spectators and the re-enactors and so we will be doing that again this year. More bateaux and artillery will make it even more interesting.
This event has become very popular with the local community and there will be a variety of events going on downtown all weekend: A recreation of Israel Green’s Tavern; children’s games in Trinity Park; a parade (re-enactors are invited to participate).
The community also recognizes that the event is nothing without the historical accuracy offered by re-enactors.
We are offering a $10 powder stipend to musketmen; also $10 for distaff members who wish to demonstrate or talk to the public about camp life, historic costume or domestic arts.
Astipend of $300 is offered for each bateau or period sailboat, with crew and mounted gun(s); $175 for cannon, with crew, mounted on a field carriage, with a bore of 1-1/2 inch or more. No mortars, please. In all cases, you must provide your own crew for the boat or the gun, and participate in both tactical demonstrations, to receive the stipend.
Individual soldiers, sailors or artillerymen will be joined with another unit in the encampment and place themselves under that unit’s command during the tactical demonstration.
Saturday begins with officers call at 9a.m. The camp opens to the public at 10 am. The tactical is at 1 p.m., followed by the parade. Afterwards, the public will be allowed to visit in camp until 5 p.m. The feast will be offered from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday begins with officers call at 10 am. and the site opens to the public at 11 a.m. The tactical will be at 1 p.m. Afterwards, the site will be open to the public until 4 p.m., at which point we will break camp and leave.
The Baffle of Plattsburgh Challenge Cup: The bateau race will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the mouth of the Saranac River. The race course will be the same as last year- Because of the differences in the sizes of boats and crews, we are establishing two racing classes: Frigate and Man’O’War. The Frigate class is for small boats with small crews, the Man’O’War class for large boats with larger crews. In reality, it will be the decision of the individual boat crew to decide what class they want to race in.
For the sake of judging the race, we will require the Frigate class to fly a blue flag, and the Man’O’War class to fly a red flag.
Prize tankards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will be awarded in both classes.
As always, we look forward to seeing you,
Don Craig, Director
The Kent-Delord House Musuem
17 Cumberland Ave.
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
(518) 561-1035
To register or for more information, please e-mail
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