Fort Delaware

June 12-13, 2004

Location

Fort Delaware State Park, Delaware City, Delaware

Schedule

9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.  We will meet Friday and Saturday at Ft. DuPont State Park on the mainland and go to and from the island where Ft. Delaware is located at the above times.  We will be portraying garrison troops guarding the fort and Reb prisoners.  Therefore we will do traditional guard mount activities and interact with restless Rebs.

Registration

Notify your chain of command by May 10 so we can get them a number ahead of time for the chow.

Fee:  None

Registration:  Friday p.m. at the campsite or Saturday morning at the boat dock

Where to meet:  Follow signs to Ft. DuPont on Friday evening once you enter Delaware City.

Description

Host:  Ft. Delaware State Park

Command Structure:  TBD at the Park

Portrayal:  We may choose to portray any one of a number of units from 1864 varying from poorly trained 90 day units (who abused the POWs) to one with some combat experience.

Role of rank and file:  Guard duty at Sally Port, CO’s office etc.  Guarding Rebs on work details.  Some Living History, Drill, some participation in other park events TBD.  A good time to practice drill like a 90-day unit and new to it.

Uniform:  Fatigue Uniform   Sacks and light blue trousers.   Forage cap or appropriate civilian hat.  Good opportunity to wear “newly issued” stuff if we do a 90 days unit.

Equipment:  Heavy Marching Order

Quartering:  Full Camp   Shelter halves at Ft. DuPont State Park.  Water and jiffy johns provided by the park.  Firewood provided if we use the Park’s fire rings.  Camp site is not part of the scenario and will not be visited by the public.  Camp site will have Park employee on duty but valuables should be locked in wagon.

Ammunition:  There may be a firing demonstration, so please bring a few rounds with you

Food:  Lunch will be provided in the Fort’s period mess hall.  We are on our own for breakfast and dinner but there are restaurants in the area.

Additional Information

Event web page:  www.visitthefort.com  www.destateparks.com/fdsp/fdsp.htm

Directions: 

Take I-95 NORTH to Delaware

Take the SR-896 exit towards MIDDLETOWN/NEWARK, exit #1 - go 0.3 mi (just past the toll plaza)

Continue towards SR-896 SOUTH/GLASGOW/MIDDLETOWN - go 0.2 mi

Continue on S COLLEGE AVE - go 2.2 mi

Continue on SR-896 SOUTH - go 0.5 mi

Turn on US-40 EAST/US-301 NORTH - go 1.4 mi

Turn on WRANGLE HILL RD - go 6.9 mi

WRANGLE HILL RD becomes 5TH ST - go 0.5 mi

Appeal for participation:  Ft. Delaware is a unique site on an island in the middle of the Delaware River.  It was nominated for a Smithsonian sustainable tourism award last year and has the second largest firing CW artillery piece in the US.  It is about two hours up I-95 from the DC area and thus less from Baltimore.  Interacting with Reb prisoners should be a hoot and the fort is neat with many restored rooms.  The more guys we get for this the less time we’ll have to pull guard mount!!!