THE TRADES OF WAR
Event shows another side of the American Revolution
STILLWATER, N.Y. » For the sixth consecutive year, Saratoga National Historical Park hosted an Army Trades Weekend, capping the event off Sunday afternoon.
Hundreds witnessed coopers, blacksmiths, woodworkers and other tradespeople manufacture common military items from 1770’s Revolutionary America during the twoday event, which was held in the front lawn of the Visitor’s Center.
“When people think about the Revolutionary War, the Battles of Saratoga, what usually comes to mind is people shooting at each other, red coats, Continental malicious soldiers shooting back and forth, it’s war, it’s guns, it’s men in uniforms, it’s death and it’s very true, of course,” said one of the event organizer’s Eric Schnitzer. “But a lot of people might not consider some of the other aspects of military life in the Revolutionary War, specifically employees and contractors with the Continental Army that created different items for the support of the Continental Army.”
Marshall Scheetz learned how to be a cooper during an apprenticeship in Williamsburg, Virginia. The Virginia native studied history in college before working in museums right out of college. After 15 years working in Williamsburg’s Historic District, Scheetz opened
his own business. He travels to national parks and museums throughout the country for demonstrations, but most of the time he’s making buckets and barrels for museums at home.
“We’re here to demonstrate how these trades, these active trades, which are still active today by kind of these living historians, supported the military effort here in Saratoga,” said Scheetz, who attended the event for the third straight year. “…The military was dependent on these tradespeople to keep the military going.”
Schnitzer, who works as park ranger at Saratoga National Historical Park, specializes in sewing woolen uniform of a variety of colors.
The event featured blacksmiths making ironwork; tailors and seamstress sewing clothing; woodworkers building barrels, carriages and wheels; tinsmiths making artillery cartridge casing; armorers repairing muskets and cordwainers making military accoutrements and shoes for the troops.
“They’re not on the front lines fighting yet what they make is absolutely essential to the success of an army,” said Schnitzer.
There was something for everybody this weekend.
“Obviously here at Saratoga National Historical Park we want to focus on the military side, but still it’s something everyone can relate to,” said Schnitzer. “I don’t care who you are, what country you’re from, your gender, your race, your ethnicity, your religion, none of that matters, because everybody can relate to clothing, everybody can relate to shoes, everybody can relate to metal, everybody can relate to wood in some way or another.”