Time Travel (Sunday, Oct. 10)

Sunday afternoon we travelled back in time to 1781 when George Washington came to Williamsburg to review the Revolutionary troops.  As we approached the green in Colonial Williamsburg, a delicious smell of wood-grilled meat drew us in.  And then we saw what it was:  grilled cow udder!  The man cooking it said he'd tasted it, but he didn't sound very enthusiastic considering he was supposed to be a soldier from the time when it was commonly eaten.  We thought it was udderly disgusting!

This is a hobby for the people who do these re-enactments, but it's also a way of life. It takes a lot of dedication to historic authenticity to wash dishes in this back-breaking fashion!  And considering how warm the weather was, I thought it took a lot of dedication to pile on so many layers of clothes!
Whole families spend the weekend camping out in tiny canvas tents to take on their Revolutionary roles.  A few of them use air mattresses camouflaged with straw around them, but some actually sleep on straw pallets!

In the distance, Herb watches troops marching on patrol, while one soldier breaks into a very 21st century grin!

 I think this guy looks like he just time-traveled back from 1781 . . .

. . . and this man, too. He talked to us at great length and with great pride, answering our questions about his uniform and explaining how the French King Louis sent money to buy uniforms--and how encouraging a revolution back-fired on him!

All the re-enactors talk as if they are actually living in 1781. One guard accused us of being spies and questioned us about the king's name (George, we got that right) and the Queen's name. When we didn't know her name, he concluded that we weren't spies and wouldn't have to be shot because an Englishman would have known his Queen's name!  Whew!   (In case you're as bad at history as I am, it was Charlotte.  We did get the King's nationality right, though--he was German!)

Grandmother and grandchild, it's the same tender relationship whether it's 1781 or 2010. I captured this Kodak moment from afar with my telephoto lens.

 Jenny enjoys making a Revolutionary spinning toy revolve!

 We have no idea who these little girls were supposed to be, about eight of them with three mothers, but they were having a ball skipping about in their white gowns and colored sashes!

Finally it was time for the troops to march onto the green.  They came marching to the sounds of fife and drum, very orderly and very serious, despite their ragtag, motley appearance.  Just as back then, young boys often accompanied troops marching into battle.
Then "General Washington" arrived, walking along the line of soldiers, sometimes speaking a word of encouragement to one or another.  When he was done reviewing the troops, he gave a stirring speech before he rode away on horseback.

Apparently, it's not quite as exciting being a camp follower as it is being a soldier!

A cute little girl salutes the "General."

I love the rotund dignity of this man who was on his way to lower the flag.  The "General" was gone, the day was done, and it was time to break camp and return to 2010.