Posted by Dr. Uncle Mark on April 20, 2001 at 14:12:05:
The niece and nephew were looking through their reenactment clothing as they packed some items in their small wooden chests.
"Here, Hannah", said Hiram. "Here is a pinafore which got mixed up with my clothing. You know, I don't think our Mother knows which clothing goes with which of us! Oh, look! She put my kilt in with your clothing. That Mother of ours should have Dr. Uncle show her the difference!"
Hannah laughed. "Yep! But, I think he's done that. You know our Mother! And, she doesn't understand it when Dr. Uncle Mark calls this clothing 'real clothing'. Hey, look, here comes Uncle Mark now!"
Sure enough, Dr. Uncle had driven into the niece and nephew's driveway in the empty red Monty. He jaunted into the house and swung Hannah and Hiram into the air.
"So, me little Highlanders! Are you ready for Freddie, Fort Frederick that is?"
"Yippee!" The two children shouted. "We're ready, Dr. Uncle Mark. We're packing our clothes and getting ready to set off. Isn't this a journey that our ancestors took every year?"
"Aye, 'tis true, 'tis true," Dr. Uncle Mark said. "Every year, for many years, Flags and Tales, Malcolm and Davey, Seamus and the Uncles - Quasi and Angus, all the lads of the 77th would travel to Fort Frederick. Come here, Buckeroos, and I'll tell you all about it."
Hannah and Hiram crawled up on Dr. Uncle Mark's lap, nestled in and began to listen.
"So," Dr. Uncle Mark started, "all the Lads got ready in the last days of April 1759, just like they did in the last days of April, 1758. They packed their packs, but traveled light, and off they went south from Fort Bedford to Fort Frederick in MaryLand. Now traveling with them were also Uncle Quasi and Uncle Angus. Uncle Angus, secretive as always and with his army of sheep, would travel just out of sight of the Grenadier column. Uncle Quasi, always the outgoing master of fun and frolic, had loaded himself into a wagon pulled by none other than Sign Talker's wee pony, Bristlebrush. To keep the "pony that tacks like a ship" on the trail, Sign Talker walked in front holding a handful of hay, enticing the strange bristly animal to make a straight track behind the Grenadiers. Of course, Uncle Quasi enjoyed himself with a wee nip from a flask and also with....uhh, well you're too young for that part!!!
"So, the lads moved on south, taking several days to reach their destination. The Scouts were out in front: Tales, Flags, Halfbreed and Seamus. The Soldiers following with their kilts swaying, the lads were singing as the birds sang along, all those brave 77th Grenadiers you've heard about: Capt. Croy, 1st Sgt. Campbell, Sgt. MacWilliam, Cpl. Campbell, Davey Gunn, JohnsTon, Black Dick MacGregor, Glen, new recruit Robertson (formerly known as Shattoe), young Morrison, piper MacCrimmon, young Maclean, young Rob MacGregor. Believing that they would only be welcomed by the Maryland Provincial forces and some Pennsylvania Provincials, what to their wondering eyes should appear as they turned the corner at the Big Pool and gazed at the Fort, but...But, a huge fair, with hundreds of people, tents, wares to sell and buy!!
"Captain Croy kept the men in check, but with all the men having a few extra shillings in their pockets (whoops...kilts don't have pockets.. uhh, in their sporans), as soon as the men were relieved of duty, they were off to the Fair...and what a Fair it was!! There were...."
At that, Dr. Uncle Mark was interrupted by the niece and nephew's father. "Children, it's time to get your baths and get to bed. Come now, your Mother is none too happy with this storytime stuff. Uncle Mark will have to finish these...uhh, these tales some other time."
Dr. Uncle Mark hustled the two wee ones off, but as they left his sight he called out, "Don't foget my little soldiers, next week we will also head to the Fair at Fort Frederick, and what sights you will see, what smells you will smell, what sounds you will hear....Pax Aye! Pax Aye!!"