Keeping It FUN!

by Judi McWilliams

Chris Robins - Part Three
"Dancing"

He dicussed the skirmish line and says that they react to what they (in the re-enactment world) call “dancing”. If you change up the “dance” you throw things off and that is a lot of fun Chris says. Part of skirmishing in company drill is being shoulder to shoulder, close order. Typically, Chris tells me, that first the re-enactors skirmish. The soldiers are the first out. This is the interesting part that I have not found in any of my reading so far, so I’ll share with you. The soldiers that are sent out to skirmish are extremely independent! Military skirmishers are called “the chosen men”, being very brave and again, independent! You needed to be very intelligent because you need to pick out the "targets" during the battle. Their job is to try to "kill" the important officers first. It is a much less disciplined way of battling and they can run and take cover. Chris says the flip side of this unique independence is the fact the no-one is right beside you, you are all alone! If captured, sometimes the special “chosen” soldier was given the option for parole, with the agreement that they would be set free if they agreed to not fight any more. During re-enactments, Chris states that his Kentucky Regiment often broke this parole agreement, and were re-captured (which Chris says is “kind of a funny thing don’t you think”)! He went on to say that sometimes during the re-enactment, if there aren’t enough Americans for the British to fight they “let them escape”! (Which, to me, is even funnier)? In a close line you at least feel more secure. I asked Chris if that just meant that they were just a bigger target?
(To be continued)