Among War of 1812 reenactments, one event is selected each year to be designated the “Grand Tactical” — the one event that every War of 1812 reenactor will strive to attend.

As such the War of 1812 Grand Tactical at Old Fort Niagara on July 28-29 is destined to be the largest War of 1812 military reenactment of 2018 — US and British land forces; naval vessels, personnel and artillery; Native allies — from all over the US, Canada and beyond.

 

The event will feature a full and varied schedule of activities from 9:30 to 5:00 each day, including military and camp life, soldier and sailor skill demos, weapon and uniform demos, daily opposed sides tacticals, a select group of historical vendors selling their wares, Regency country dancing, and a guest speaker Saturday afternoon.

Admission: Adults $13.00, Children 6-12 $9.00, under 6 free.

Please note that visitors should arrive an hour before battles to allow time to get through admissions and to the viewing areas.

 

Saturday, July 28

9:00 a.m.        Fort opens

9:30 a.m.        MORNING FORMATIONS — British and American soldiers assemble in their camps wearing period military clothing and presenting their colors (flags)

9:45 a.m.        BATTALION DRILL — Demonstrations of manual exercises by soldiers

11:00 a.m.      FIRST ACTION BY COMBINED NAVAL AND LAND FORCES — The Americans defend their territory from a British naval attack on Lake Ontario

12:00 p.m.      CONCERT OF MILITARY MUSIC — Old Fort Niagara’s field musicians perform on fifes and drums

1:00 p.m.        UNIFORMS OF THE WAR OF 1812 — Learn about the different military uniforms worn by soldiers and sailors

2:00 p.m.        REGENCY COUNTRY DANCING (public participation, no prior experience needed) — Instruction provided for learning period-style country dances

2:00 p.m.        LECTURE PRESENTATION — “December 1813: The Fall of Fort Niagara and the Burning of Buffalo.” Presented by Dr. Richard Barbuto, author of the books, Long Range Guns, Close Quarters Combat: The U.S. Artillery Regiment in the War of 1812 (2010), and U.S. Army Staff Ride Handbook for the War of 1812 Niagara Campaigns, 1812-1814 (2016).             

3:00 p.m.        ARTILLERY DEMO — Cannon-firing demonstration

4:00 p.m.        BRITISH ASSAULT ON THE FORT, PART 1 — The British attack the American-held fort

5:00 p.m.        RECRUITING PARTY (Kids’ Program) — Kids are invited to choose sides and perform a mock battle using wooden muskets

6:00 p.m.        CONCERT OF MILITARY MUSIC — Old Fort Niagara’s field musicians perform on fifes and drums

6:30 p.m.        Last public entry (fort closes at 7 p.m.)

 

Sunday, July 29, 2018

9:00 a.m.        Fort opens

9:30 a.m.        MORNING FORMATIONS — British and American soldiers assemble in their camps wearing period military clothing and presenting their colors (flags)

9:45 a.m.        BATTALION DRILL — Demonstrations of manual exercises by soldiers

10:00 a.m.      REGENCY COUNTRY DANCING (public participation, no prior experience needed) — Instruction provided for learning period-style country dances

11:00 a.m.      BRITISH NAVAL THREAT REPULSED BY MASSED U.S. ARTILLERY — American forces bombard approaching British boats with cannon fire

11:45 a.m.      UNIFORMS OF THE WAR OF 1812 — Learn about the different military uniforms worn by soldiers and sailors

12:30 p.m.      SOLDIERS’ DRILL COMPETITION — Soldiers will show off their skills

1:00 p.m.        CONCERT OF MILITARY MUSIC — Old Fort Niagara’s field musicians perform on fifes and drums

2:00 p.m.        BRITISH ASSAULT ON THE FORT, PART 2 — The British attack the American-held fort. Who will prevail?

3:15 p.m.        KIDS’ GAMES (Kids’ Program) — Kids are invited to learn period games that occupied soldiers in the 19^th century

4:00 p.m.        MUSKET DEMO — A fort soldier will share the history of the musket and demonstrate how it was fired

5:00 p.m.        MUSKET DEMO — A fort soldier will share the history of the musket and demonstrate how it was fired

6:00 p.m.        MUSKET DEMO — A fort soldier will share the history of the musket and demonstrate how it was fired

6:30 p.m.        Last public entry (fort closes at 7 p.m.)

 

Ongoing Activities, both days

Surgical Display — Castle, 1^st floor — 10:30 to 4:00 daily

Soldiers’/Sailors’ Life — U.S., British and Naval Camps

 

The fort’s Bachelor Officers’ Quarters and its New Fort Niagara displays (post-Civil War through 1963) will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

This event brought to you by,

Wolfe Lumber Mill       All American Security      Montante Construction       Crosby's   

Niagara Frontier Publications      J. F. Machining Co., Inc.

and Friends of the Fort

Skip and Jennifer Adams

Timothy and Diana Adamson

Bruce D. Aiken

Antone Alber

Jerome and Claudia Andres

John and Rose Attanasio

Joan G. Aul

Bradford Banks

Richard Barbuto

John Battaglia

Aaron Blake

Nicholas Bolla

Dolores Bower

Joan Broderick

Philo and Jeanette Brooks

Ellen P. Burd

Robert and Christa Caldwell

Margaret C. Callanan

Jimmy and Kelsey Carminati

Tom Chambers

Paul and Charlotte Clark

Ellen Colangelo

John and Katherine Collard

Joanne and Frank Collins Charitable Foundation, Inc.

John H. Campbell and Heidi C. Crow

James and Mary Currie

Mark and Audrey Dailey

Marion Dann

Joseph P. Deberoalis, Jr. 

Ralph and Joan DeVantier

Betsy and Peter Diachun

Jack Doyle

Melissa Dunlap

Wilfred E. Duval

Bob and Kate Emerson

Robert Ensminger

Karen Fenzl

Robert J. Fierle, Jr.

Carol Force

Mark Fox

Marianna L. Gitterman

Gretchen Green

MIchelle Griep

Ken and Nancy Greulich

Mary Lou Hallatt

Art and Judy Hannah

Randy Hartman

Mark Hersee

Linda A. Hershey

Elaine and Jim Hildreth

Thomas and Constance Hodick

Margaret B. Hoff

Donna Huggins

James Ibaugh

Candyce Ingwersen

Edward Jackson

Jack James

Toby and Ginny Jewett

Thomas Johnstone

Kim Jones

Laura Jones

F. Warren and Leila Kahn

John Kern

Victoria and Paul King

Claire and Richard Knowles

Greg Kozlowski

Roderick and Margaret Ladd

Patrick Lester

Mark and Kathy Lippman

John Loss

Louise E. Mangan

Albert E. Martin

Thomas McCullough

Theresa McFarland

Mildred McLaughlin

Susan Maguire

Aiden Mesic

Frank and Linda Meyer

Mark and Margot Mitschow

Thomas Montante

Charles Moran

Bruce Newton

Robert C. Newton

Edward and Susan Nickson

Howard and Karen Noonan

Mary Ann Oliver

Nicole Pane

Beverly Penland

Ronald and Judith Pera

Peter and Cheryl Pfohl

Edward Pierce

James Pilon

Richard and Janice Powell

Robert E. Powell

Thomas Prenatt

Narendra Ramcharitar

Otto and Polly Redanz

Jane Reese

Amy Reynolds

Charles and Mary Rice

Jodee Riordan

Guy and Pat Rizzuto

Charles B. Roberts

Joseph and Jennifer Roehmholdt

John Roess

Roy and Carol Rogers

May Ann Rolland

Vincent Saccomando

James and Mary Ann Schneider

Jim and Karen Schultz

Glenn J. Scott

James Shear

Dan and Karen Sherwood

Richard and Linda Shick

William and Jean Siddall

Cynthia and David Silverstein

Jaqueline Singer

Raymond Spencer

A.T. Steegmann

Alexander and Colleen Swavy

John and Monica Sweeney

Dr. William P. Tatum III

Dennis and Marlene Taylor

Georgia Thomas

David Thompson

L. Michael Trapasso

Jan H. Van Harssel

Elizabeth Vetell

Ronald Vetter

E. Gail Walder

Randall and Patricia Wayne

Quain Weber

Sharon Wesoloski

Larry and Linda White

Nancy Widdowson

Robert Wiltshire

Jeff and Audra Wood

Michael F. Woods

Terrance John Yount

 

Thank you!

To Calendar View | To Event List

General Events Event