This week there will be a large group of military folks gathering at Lake George Village and an even larger group of those folks gathering at Ticonderoga! The occasion is a reenactment of the Battle for Ft. Ticonderoga during the French and Indian War. The weekend is the time for the Grand Encampment - the largest part of the reenactment - and that's all to be held in the village of Ticonderoga in Essex County. What makes this year's big event so unique is that a skirmish just prior to the big battle will also be reenacted. This skirmish took place on July 6, 1758, and during that encounter the much beloved Lord Viscount Howe was killed. That may have turned the tide of the big battle to come, as Howe was an excellent military tactician and the British hope for success against Montcalm and his much smaller French force. Bob Bearor, history buff and a reenactor himself, was asked to organize this large endeavor. (He is also the author of two books on the subject: "Battle on Snowshoes", and "French and Indian War Battlesites".) It was Bearor, a resident of Newcomb, N.Y., who discovered the actual site of that skirmish, which had long been the subject of debate among historians. Unfortunately, this event is a one-time deal. The land on which the skirmish took place is privately owned. By this time next year, Bearor says that the owners will have constructed a trailer park on the property. Sadly this is what happens to historical sites all too often... Reenactors from all over the U.S. and from many other countries will be in attendance. They're even bringing bateaux which will be launched early tomorrow morning (June 21st) from Lake George Village (Warren Co.). Incredibly, the participants plan to travel in these craft, replicas of what were used back in 1758, all the way up Lake George - nearly all of the 36 miles - in order to be at the battle site by the next afternoon! The public is invited to attend - the embarkation of the "troops", the skirmish and of course, the Grand Encampment. If you'd like to check the schedule and read more on the subject, here's a link that you might find useful. http://www.poststar.com/entertainment/story01.shtml Enjoy! Susan SL Willig List admin: NHSulliv, VTAddiso, Garfield-l, Empey-l, IRL-Palatine GenExchange Assistant National Coordinator & NYGenExchange SC