This weekend, nearly 200 living history re-enactors will come together at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area to help bring to life the siege of Fort Watauga for park visitors.
Each year, Sycamore Shoals presents The Siege of Fort Watauga, which is a live retelling of the Cherokee attack brought on the settlers of the Watauga Valley in the summer of 1776. At Sycamore Shoals, Fort Watauga offered protection to nearly 200 settlers during a two-week siege led by Cherokee war chief Old Abram and 300 warriors.
The event lasts from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 21 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 22. Visitors will be invited to take a step back in time as they visit the fort, militia camps, British encampment and Native camp and be immersed in 18th century frontier life as they witness the daily aspects of colonial cultures.
As always, the re-enactment will feature a variety of demonstrations of skills, trades, training and frontier culture. New this year to the demonstrations will be one on making oil cloth by David Simerly. In colonial times, oil cloth was used on the frontier to make shelters, said Sycamore Shoals Historic Interpreter Chad Bogart.
Sycamore Shoals is welcoming a special guest speaker to this year’s event. Author, journalist, composer, and film producer Nadia Dean will be speaking about previewing her film Cameron, a docu-drama based on her latest book A Demand of Blood. — The Cherokee War of 1776.
“Alexander Cameron was a British Indian Agent in this part of the world,” Bogart said.
Cameron, who married a Cherokee, found himself at odds with colonists who were in rebellion against the British crown. The Cherokee also found themselves facing divided loyalties between the settlers and the British.
In addition to her talk and film preview, Dean will also be selling and signing copies of her book, which is available for purchase at the park’s Visitor’s Center.
The event will also feature a battle re-enactment each day at 1 p.m. as the historic re-enactors bring to life the siege of the fort.
Visitors will also get the opportunity bring home a bit of historic re-enactment when they visit Sutlers Row. In colonial times, merchants who would follow military units around selling wares — everything from clothes and weapons to furniture and herbal remedies —were called “sutlers,” Bogart said.
This year, Sutlers Row will feature the following vendors:
• Johnson & Moffet — handcrafted wood items and herbal remedies
• Wintergreen Farm — original pieces and antiques
• Trader Bob — hides, pelts and furs
• Ft. Vause Outfitters — leatherwork
• Kentucky Trading Co. — reproduction clothing
• Carolina Threads — reproduction clothing
• Charles Carter — knives, weapons and leatherwork
• Zettlemoyer Pottery — reproduction redware pottery and clay pipes
Several Revolutionary War living history units will be taking part in the re-enactment events at the park this weekend. Units include the 1st Maryland based in Hendersonville, NC; Musgrove’s Mill Militia and the South Carolina Rangers based in upstate South Carolina; and two British units — the 42nd Light Infantry and the North Carolina Highland Regiment. The host unit is the Washington County Regiment of North Carolina Militia, which is based at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park. Numerous individuals also participate in the event portraying many 18th century walks of life including Cherokee natives, backcountry hunters, farmers, housewives, African slaves, commoners and gentry.
The schedule of events for the Siege at Fort Watauga weekend is listed below:
Saturday, May 21
• 10 a.m. — Camps Open. Raising the Colors & Militia Inspection (Fort Watauga)
• 10:30 a.m. —Making an Oil Cloth: Sgt. Simerly (Fort Watauga)
• 11 a.m. — Cameron: Film preview & presentation: Nadia Dean, author of A Demand of Blood (Visitors Center)
• 11:30 a.m. — Colonial Games with Miss Kay (Fort Watauga)
• Noon — 18th Century Music: Smith Brothers (Fort Watauga)
• 1 p.m. — Battle Reenactment: “Siege of Fort Watauga – Part 1” — All visitors must move behind the viewing line 15 minutes prior to battle start time.
• 2 p.m. — Field Musick: Watauga Valley Fifes & Drums (Fort Watauga)
• 2:30 p.m. — Kids Militia Drill (Talbot’s Meadow – in front of Fort Watauga)
• 3 p.m. — Auction (Visitors Center Gathering Place)
• 4 p.m. — Salt Making on the Frontier : Jim Boardwine (Fort Watauga)
• 5 p.m. — Camps Close. Please join us tomorrow for another exciting day of living history!
Sunday, May 22
• 10 a.m. — Camps Open. Raising the Colors & Militia Inspection (Fort Watauga)
• 10:30 a.m. — Worship Service (Fort Watauga)
• 11 a.m. — Salt Making on the Frontier : Jim Boardwine (Fort Watauga)
• 11:30 a.m. — Kids Militia Drill (Talbot’s Meadow – in front of Fort Watauga)
• Noon — Colonial Games (Fort Watauga)
• 1 p.m. — Battle Reenactment: “Siege of Fort Watauga – Part 2”— All visitors must move behind the viewing line 15 minutes prior to battle start time.
• 1 p.m. — Field Musick: Watauga Valley Fifes & Drums (Fort Watauga)
• 2 p.m. — Proper Women’s Clothing of the 18th Century (Visitors Center “Gathering Place”)
• 2:30 p.m. — Militia Drill (Talbot’s Meadow – in front of Fort Watauga)
• 3 p.m. — Retiring the Colors (Fort Watauga) Event Closed. Thank you for coming!