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Revolutionary Soldiers Honored at Vetsfest
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(above) Earl Salisbury, Stuart Hart and Steve Oberlin wear period clothing
depicting different uniform styles.
(below) Brittany Phillips tries on the sword and hat of the 2nd continental
dragoons. |
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(above) Doug Roush and Mike Oberlin wear uniforms and white trimmed hats used by infantry.
(below) A volley of musket fire. |
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| Photos by Jay Thompson |
(posted June 16)
The Indiana Society Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard gave a demonstration of the life of an American Revolutionary
War soldier at the American Legion Post 500 Vetsfest June 15. It was not
uncommon for soldiers to fight and march for three or four days without
a meal. There was no rear supply wagon to feed the soldiers, the soldiers
fed themselves by hunting or taking supplies from captured British troops.
One of the Americans' biggest disadvantages early in the war was their
lack of bayonets, which the British used to their advantage in battles
like the the Battle of Paoli Pennsylvania. The British took the Americans by surprise, invading their camp late
at night.
The Continental Army was a hodge podge of uniforms and weapons. One of
the significant turning point in the Revolutionary War was France's gift
of Model 1766 rifles. The Marquis de Lafayette, namesake for city of Lafayette, presented 25,000
of these rifles to General George Washington. This helped turn the tide
of the American Revolution.
Indiana was also a key area for the war because its waterways were essential
for commerce flowing to and from the east coast to New Orleans.
Steve Oberlin of the SRA explained that in addition to giving demonstrations,
the SAR has restored grave sites of soldiers in the American Revolution.
The SAR has identified about 2,500 revolutionary soldiers in Indiana. Oberlin
said that research has shown that "There is an 80 percent chance that
our relatives fought in the Revolution."
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