British archaeologist discovers long-lost 17th-century North

Keith,

Thank you for posting this!  However, I can't read the article as I'm not a member and don't wish to be.  Would it be possible for you to copy/paste the text of the article here?  


Gus
  

Keith,

WOW, fascinating links Keith!  Thank you very much for them and bringing back a fond memory!

Back around 2005 on one weekend in May, I took my then girlfriend to see both the Historic Jamestown Site and the commercialized "Colonial Williamsburg like" site near it.  I hadn't seen the first in over 20 years and had never seen the latter.

As pure dumb luck had it, it turned out to be "Founders Weekend" at Historic Jamestown.  During the weekend, they invited the 17th Century Reenactment unit, "The St. Mary's City Guard" to be there.  (The group representing the newly discovered site in your post.)  Now all things considering, they did a bang up good job entertaining the crowd.  They had one cavalryman with a wheel lock carbine, but most of their troops were armed with Pikes, though a few had matchlock muskets.  They had a group of "dummy guns" with which they offered to teach the tourists the period gun drill.  But the jewel in their crown was their demonstration of "Pike Drill" with full length pikes and they were very impressive.   

While watching, I was surprised to see an old friend in the ranks with his pike.  I knew him both professionally as having worked at the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, VA and from UnCivil War reenacting.  I did not know he also did this time period.  John was near the fence we tourists had to remain behind for safety, while they did their pike drill.  Once I spotted John, I was surprised to see him, but still waved innocuously to him, so I wouldn't throw him off his game when doing the drill.  My girlfriend must not have spotted me waving.  John saw me and smiled, as he wasn't expecting to see me, either.  After the demonstration, I clapped loudly and gave some hearty "Huzzah's," that John did notice and bowed his head to acknowledge the period cheers.  Again, unnoticed by my girlfriend, though I was not trying to hide it from her.  

Then one of their group offered to "train" anyone who would like in period musket drill with the dummy guns.  My girlfriend knowing I did FIW and AWI Black Watch, suggested I join in.  We were down the fence aways from the one who offered to teach the drill and most of the crowd and by this time John came closer to us.  I think he heard my girlfriend's suggestion.  So in a rather loud voice I answered, "Dally with this gaggle my dear?  I think not, as by God I'm a REGULAR and these are only Bloody MILITIA!!"  My girlfriend was stunned by my apparent rudeness, but when I looked at John, he had to turn his head and cover his mouth trying not to give away his laughing.  My girlfriend stood there speechless, as she didn't realize what was going on.  Then I pointed to John and said, "You there, Guardsman, do come over here."  John walked near us and I introduced him to my girlfriend while he and I were both chuckling.  I remarked, "I didn't know you did this time period, John."  He said he had only done it for a couple of years and told us more about it.  Needless to say, my girlfriend was relieved my apparent rudeness had been a sham and only good natured kidding to an old friend.

I've gotten my Covid Shot and if they open Virginia and Maryland more in the next couple of months, I think a trip back to Jamestown and to the Archeological Site to St. Mary's City would be a nice trip after almost a year of being almost a hermit in my house.

So thanks again, Keith.

Gus