Chase schedules Revolutionary War reenactment for weekend of Oct. 19

LINCOLN — Step back in time to the 18th century this weekend Oct. 19-20 when the tranquil landscape of Lincoln’s Chase Farm Park undergoes a dramatic change as hundreds of troops of Redcoats and Rebels fill the fields with musket fire as they reenact the history that led to the birth of America.

During Chase Farm park’s Revolutionary War reenactment weekend, visitors will see two separate engagements between British and American soldiers, in addition to hearing the stories from those who took part in the battles. The American Revolution lasted from 1775-1783. The reenactment event, The Battle of Chase Farm, will portray a combination of actual battles that took place during the Revolution, which lasted from 1775 to 1783.

Spectators will get to experience a narrated, full-scale battle each day between the Continental Army soldiers and the British Army, Loyalists, Native Americans, and Followers of the Army. On Saturday, the battle takes place at 2 p.m. and on Sunday it will begin at 1:30 p.m. The music of fife and drum corps will be interspersed with the shouts of the troops and sounds of musket fire.

A large encampment of both soldiers and civilians will offer living history presentations to the public, including drills, artillery demonstrations, medical scenarios, laundry, cooking, clothing repairs and more. Colonial-era games and kid-centered activities will also be featured. Sutlers, merchants who followed the troops, will be on hand with a variety of period goods for sale to the public. Food vendors will also be on site.

“As one of the largest reenactment events in New England this year, the event will draw nearly 500 reenactors from throughout the country to bring the history of our nation’s beginnings to life,” said s Kathy Hartley, president of the Hearthside House Museum. “The open meadows, rolling hills, and history surrounding this former dairy farm offers an idyllic setting for the dramatic re-creation of this most important history lesson that every citizen should know and appreciate.”

The event is designed to appeal to families of all ages, and they are encouraged to plan on spending the entire day in order to participate in all the activities being offered throughout the historic campus. Chase Farm Park will be open from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. Special evening activities offered with a limited number of tickets available are a pig roast from 5 to 6 p.m. and a lantern tour of the camps taking place from 6 to 7 p.m. Separate or combined tickets may be purchased. The pig roast is $15 per person, and the tour of the camps is $10 per person, and a limited number of tickets for both will be available for purchase on Saturday at the admission gate.

On Sunday, the hours at Chase Farm Park are from

9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The adjoining historic sites will be open later on both days, closing at 4 p.m., except for Hearthside which will remain open until 4:30 pm, so that visitors will have a chance to see everything within the Great Road Heritage Campus.

Other features include special exhibits and tours at the Hearthside Museum, next door to thepPark, that will showcase Rhode Island’s pre-Revolutionary War event, the Gaspee Affair.

A ship’s model of the Gaspee will be on display on Saturday. The “Gaspee in Virtual Reality,” an innovative educational experience that tells the story of the Gaspee Affair and the burning of the ship in Narragansett Bay will be presented by Brown University’s Adam Blumenthal. Also on Saturday will be an appearance by the Pawtuxet Rangers, formed in 1774 and among the oldest existing chartered commands in the country, as they give the Talbot family from Ohio a fitting welcome back to their ancestors’ home complete with a fife and drum session. Reenactors and docents in colonial attire, Revolutionary War artifacts and exhibits, outdoor cooking demonstrations, kids activities, and presentations are also on the schedule at Hearthside. Hearthside will be open between 10 a.ma and 4:30 each day, except during the hours of the battles.

Although Hearthside was not built until 1810, some 27 years after the war ended, there is a connection to the American Revolution through the Talbot family. The house was named Hearthside by the Talbots who lived there in the early 20th century. Among the antiques displayed at the Talbot’s house was a portrait of their ancestor Silas Talbot, which hung prominently in the dining room. Silas was from Providence whose fame came as a Revolutionary War hero, serving as a lieutenant colonel in the Continental army under George Washington. He was captured 13 times during the War.