Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters

It's a truly fine sight to see the British Union Jack and the American Grand Union paraded together down a Lincoln country road.

The Lincoln Minute Men's annual musical muster. This album highlights the Fifes & Drums of the Lincoln Minute Men, and the Middlesex County Volunteers.

This album follows the Lincoln Minute Men during their call to alarm and historic march to Concord in 1775. Then it returns to the present to accompany them on their march in the 2009 Concord Patriot's Day Parade.

A rain-soaked weekend ended with a sunny departure. This album follows the British 1st Foot Guards through a sodden battle and encampment, and ends with a glimpse of the Fort's long forgotten grand old hotel, and the King's Garden which is attachted to it. Rain or shine, Ticonderoga is enchanting and spectacularly beautiful.

This two-day British encampment on Boston Common was sposored by the Freedom Trail. The public was itching for a battle, but there were no American colonials to shoot. So members of His Majesty's 1st Foot Guards nobly volunteered to remove their coats and become Americans. To the delight of the crowds, they were mowed down by British canon.

This album follows the French Regiment Saintonge and the British 1st Regiment of Foot Guards through a weekend of public performance, encampment, and battle re-enacment at Old Sturbridge Villiage. The British 10th Regiment of Foot and selected American colonials are briefly featured.

Order is restored in Boston as His Majesty's 1st Regiment of Foot Guards subdues the City's unruly citizens.

This album follows His Majesty's 1st Regiment of Foot Guards through the streets of Charlestown to Bunker Hill. The Lincoln Minute Men and the Middlesex County Volunteers are also featured.

It's come a long way from an unscripted skirmish at Merriam's Corner. Battle Road is now a full day event. It began with public visitations of the British & Colonial camps, moved-on to the battle, and ended-up at the confrontation with British cannon in Lexington. The day concluded with a march of the combatants to the Museum of Our National Heritage.

"They came three thousand miles and died, to keep the past upon its throne." James Russell Lowell

An up-close, behind-the-scenes look at our British oppressors

The British-American Gravesite Ceremony has always been Lincoln's finest hour, and this year's commemoration was the best ever. In this, as in so many things, much credit goes to our British friends.

They began the day as British citizens, and ended it as Americans.

This album follows the Lincoln Minute Men on parade from Concord Center to the Old North Bridge and back. The Middlesex County Volunteers and the Middlesex County 4-H Fife & Drum Corps are breifly featured.

The Lincoln Minute Men & British officer Paul O'Shaughnessy assumed the roles of important figures involved in the capture, telling the story as an historical retrospective. Also shown are the Middlesex County Volunteers, The Midlesex County 4-H Fifie & Drum Corps, and the Lincoln Minute Men in warm-up drill.

This album shows the 2007 Battle of Saratoga re-enactment and encampment from the British perspective. It also provides a view of life at camp with His Majesty's 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, and highlights the field musicians of the combined British forces.

This album follows His Majesty's First Regiment of Foot Guards thru their 2-day encampment and battle at Fort Ticonderoga, September 7th-9th. The battlefield was hot & hazy. For a clearer look at a Ticonderoga battle, see the 9/06 album, below.

This is the first of 2 albums covering the celebration of the 225th anniversary of the British surrender at Yorktown. This album runs from the setup and drilling on Friday the 20th, through the Saturday morning battle at Endview Plantation. The second album, below, runs from the afternoon battle at Endview to the closing ceremonies.

This album covers the second half of the Yorktown Celebration. (see part 1, above) It begins Saturday afternoon with the French storming the redoubt at Endview Plantation, then follows the British into the big battle at Yorktown Saturday evening. The album concludes with the British pre-surrender ceremonies in Yorktown Village on Sunday.

The Lincoln Minute Men, His Majesty's 1st & 10th Foot Guard Regiments, and the National Park Service collaborated to transport local students back in time to the Old North Bridge in 1775 to debate the pros and cons of revolution. Lincoln Massachusetts 8th graders, portraying the colonial residents of their town, were divided into Tories and rebels to debate whether the actions of the British Government against the colonies justified violent revolution. The debate was spirited and revealing. All who witnessed this event - including a busload of British tourists - were deeply moved. It was a stirring reminder that Democracy cannot be taught as dogma. To teach Democracy well, we must thoroughly consider the arguments that are raised against it.

This album follows the French Regiment Saintonge through a day at the "Redcoats to Rebels" encampment at Old Sturbridge Village.

"We're the Government, and we're here to help you." His Majesty's 1st Regiment of Foot Guards spent Harborfest weekend bringing Boston's unruly population into line.

When they are seven, you give them a flag, and tell them to step-off in front of 10,000 spectators in Concord. Before you know it, they are young adults, and consummate musicains. (See album of 2003 Muster, immediately below.)

Back to an earlier time.

In its first major performance in a contemporary setting since the '05 Presidential Inauguration, the Lincoln Minute Men marched out of the past to be Honor Guard for the National Conference of Legislators in Boston, 8/9/07. Lincoln's rank-and-file got to show America's legislators how to use a musket. And the fife and drum corps stole the show as "warm-up band" for the Boston Pops.

"Founding Fathers" were remembered and honored.

The British turned out in large numbers to keep the colonists in order.

A fine day for a Revolution

Note: The Battle is shown from the perspective of the British. The American perspective was recorded at the Battle Road rehearsal (see Muster Day at Hartwell, 3/31/07, below).

A British officer delighted the crowd by giving them a thoroughly officious and condescending admonishment.

If they mean to have a war, let it begin here.

Local militias drill near Hartwell Farm in anticipation of trouble from Boston

For more photos of the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, take a look at July 1 & 2, Boston, below.

The British 10th Regiment of Foot is also selectively featured. This album covers the first half of "Redcoats to Rebels", an American military history festival at Old Sturbridge Village, August 5-6, 2006.

The musicians of the British 10th Regiment of Foot are also selectively featured. This album covers the second half of "Redcoats to Rebels" at Old Strubridge Village, August 5-6, 2006.

A great day, a great parade, and one of Lincoln's finest performances.

The Lincoln Minute Men, when no one is watching.

This album contains photos taken in the morning during prepation for the battle.

Watch in horror as British Regulars stoop to the shameful act of looting a colonial home!

This album starts at dawn in Lincoln, Ma, then makes the march to Concord with the Lincoln Minute Men. From there, it steps-off with the Middlesex County 4-H Fife & Drum Corps on parade to the ceremony at the bridge. After the ceremony, it re-joins Lincoln for the return march through Concord Center.

The closest thing to time travel I have ever experienced. G.H.

A truly mystical place. Great music and great camping.

What 4-H Fife-&-Drummers and Lincoln Minute Men do on their day off.

Bedford Pole Capping 4/9/05

Preparation & Staging for the Inaugural Parade (I did not photograph the actual march, which was in the dark)

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A great performance, and an opportunity for the kids to camp overnight at The Fort.

Lincoln parades in Northampton in the rain. Not a march for the sunshine patriot.