With July Fourth just passed, Fort Laurens held its annual Revolutionary War encampment, Revolution on the Tuscarawas, July 9 and 10. On July Fourth the fort held a ceremony commemorating the fallen at the fort, but during Revolution on the Tuscarawas more than 125 reenactors sought to bring the past back to life, to show what life at Fort Laurens would have been like.

“Revolution on the Tuscarawas was a living history program, giving visitors the chance to see the Revolutionary War firsthand and to see what colonial life would have been like,” said Tammi Mackey, Fort Laurens site director. “Though Revolution on the Tuscarawas was a review of the war, it was not a recreation of what took place here at the fort.”

“The colonial period was more than just the war,” said Mackey. “Revolution on the Tuscarawas showed this with demonstrations of the music, engineering and more that was taking place during this important time of American history. It seems that living history demonstrations, much like the Revolution on the Tuscarawas, make it more relatable to people and easier for them to understand what people living back then went through.”

Providing the action for the weekend was the Brigade of the American Revolution, Northwest Department. The reenactors came from all different groups, including the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment, the regiment that was sent to Fort Laurens originally, along with members from the King’s Eighth Regiment of Foote. Each day a special ceremony remembering the fallen patriots of Fort Laurens took place, with each person carrying, and firing, a musket, making it a sight to see and hear.

“It’s our goal, through events such as this, to maintain the memory of the Revolutionary War and to make sure that the sacrifices made are never forgotten,” said Tom Peeper, event coordinator for the Brigade of the American Revolution, Northwest Department. “The Brigade of the American Revolution was founded at around the time of the centennial of the Civil War, and came into popularity by the bicentennial in 1976. The brigade is made up of people portraying everyday people in the military. No one is considered a commander or any higher official unless they are truly special and have earned it. We wanted to separate ourselves from the Civil War reenactors who only wanted to be either General Grant or Lee.

“We do events like Revolution on the Tuscarawas because we feel that it’s important to do something that demonstrates what battle would have been like. It’s especially important because many times what people see in movies inspires them to learn more and we are here to show that what’s in movies isn’t always correct; like the Americans hiding behind trees with rifles while the British just marched forward. War back then was extremely close quarters, most of the time with the ultimate outcome decided by the bayonet rather than the bullet.”

“Let me just say this. Anyone who missed Revolution on the Tuscarawas truly missed out on an amazing experience. Being able to experience the Revolutionary War at the only Revolutionary War fort in Ohio is something to not be missed,” said Dee Grossman, executive director of the Tuscarawas County Convention and Visitors Bureau, which manages Fort Laurens. “Over the course of the weekend we had around 1,000 visitors come and witness reenactments, with around 140 reenactors, the largest number of reenactors I’ve seen here in as long as I can remember. Revolution on the Tuscarawas was truly one of the great events of the year in Tuscarawas County.”