War of 1812 encampment sets up at Fort Niagara this weekend

Niagara Gazette, Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Sep. 3—Old Fort Niagara's War of 1812 Encampment is taking place this weekend. This year's event will focus on United States troops who garrisoned the fort from June of 1812 through December of 1813, when the British captured the fort.

Activities include a Saturday afternoon presentation by acclaimed historian Richard V. Barbuto, Ph.D., who will speak about "Seven Days in September 1814: Turning Point in the War of 1812." Barbuto is author of numerous books about the War of 1812, including New York's War of 1812 recently published by the University of Oklahoma Press. He is emeritus professor of history and has served as the deputy director of the Department of Military History at the US Army Command & General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. A 1971 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he served for 23 years as an armor officer with tours of duty in Germany, Korea and Canada.

A variety of living history activities will take place Saturday and Sunday as well. Reenactors will establish period camps and demonstrate what life was like for common soldiers during the War of 1812. Throughout the day, troops will perform musket demonstrations, volley firing, artillery firing and other tactical exercises. Other programs feature period cooking, laundry, blacksmithing, children's games, Native Americans in the War of 1812 and much more.

Scheduled programs:

—10:30 a.m. — Infantry drill and firing

—11 a.m. — Musket firing demonstration

—11:30 a.m. — Uniforms of the War of 1812

—Noon — Musket firing demo

—12:30 p.m. — Regency Women's Fashions

—1 p.m. — Musket firing demo

—1:30 p.m. — "Hot Shot" artillery demonstration

—2 p.m. — Musket firing demo

—2:30 p.m. — Firepower Weapons Program

—3 p.m. — Musket firing demo

—3:30 p.m. — Tour: Fort Niagara in the War of 1812

—3:45 p.m. — Musket firing demo

Activities run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This program is sponsored by the United States Daughters of 1812.

Old Fort Niagara, currently open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., is a Registered National Historic Landmark and New York State Historic Site operated by the Old Fort Niagara Association (a not-for-profit organization) in cooperation with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

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