Back to the Colonial Era this Weekend

This Saturday I will be joining some of my shipmates from the Carolina Living History Guild at Historic Bath for a one-day living history program. Our focus will be on the town of Bath (North Carolina's first incorporated town) and its function as a port in 1771. Why 1771, you may ask? Well, in 1771 Bath was one of North Carolina's five official ports of entry, albeit a small one, ranking fourth out of the five in trade volume. However, in 1771 the Beaufort County Militia, based in Bath, sent 35-40 men on an expedition west with Royal Governor William Tryon to put down the Regulator rebellion at Alamance. By focusing on 1771 we were able to not only provide a sailor's perspective, but also a militia perspective, thereby increasing the number of our members that might attend the event. So aside from talking to the public about trade, commerce, and the life of a sailor, we will also be talking about the duties of colonial militia service and how the local militia took part in a pre-Revolutionary action in the state's history. Of course, we'll be doing the usual musket and swivel gun firing demonstrations and things of that nature. The folks at the visitors center will be doing a rope making activity as well. So if you're in the vicinity of Bath this Saturday please stop by Bonner Point and chat for a while!