Reenactors everywhere...

This has got to be the last I find about Edward Buncombe. One of the primary instigators of the rebellion in NC, he paid for outfitting the first continental regiment with his own money.

Today, I've made a to-do list for tomorrow. I MUST wrap up details for 250 showing up for the Active Trails/Overmountain Field Days in Elkin, NC. I MUST write press releases and nail down contracts and donations. I still can't drive, so until RG or PJ returns I will be telephoning, walking, emailing and facebooking.

I have found a reenactor group of Edward Buncombe's own 5th NC Regiment of the Continental Line in eastern North Carolina and they are very ACTIVE. I sent an email this morning and got one back already. They will be in Williamsburg, Virginia for our event this fall, but I'll bet they will return for National Trails Day in June. So, I'm thinking, I haven't overturned every stone for the National Heritage Area if I missed them. I must go back and look for more.

Particularly, I want reenactors of continental soldiers, British soldiers, William Washington's Calvery or Tarleton's Dragoons, and of course, we represent the militia in OVTA. It is important to see the diversity of men here so along with the British there should be Hessian soldiers, (almost slaves themselves), perhaps the reenactors from the Moravian towns or highlanders from the area of Cross Creek and certainly black Americans. In the Surry militia as you recall we had a free black patriot, Esaius Bowman, whose Captain said he shot Patrick Ferguson to end the Battle of Kings Mountain. There is also a reenactor, Kitty Evans, who protrays black Americans as slaves. She was at Abingdon last year, works at Brattonsville, and is also already spoken for this October 9th. She called me back and we had a great conversation. I got to tell her about Esaius Bowman though I think she had heard of him. and she told me to be sure to get her scheduled to come in June. Esaius Bowman needs to be research by History Detectives TV too. Now, whether or not anything else is found, well there is another episode in my Southern Campaign TV show...

This afternoon I made contacts with the pottery people at the guild. I have also found another reenactor group in the Piedmont, Locke's militia. I declare, we are just behind up here. There is revolutionary interest all over this state.