The Ft. Massac Encampment

I have loved the encampment since I was little: the smell of the campfires, the glow of the lanterns, the cozy tents, the apple crisp and giant snickerdoodles and buffalo chili and roasted corn, the feeling of stepping back into colonial days, the community interest.. Basically I love everything about it. It has come to epitomize autumn to me. But I have never been a participant until this year.

How we made it happen this year: A very nice man Jenna, Caroline and I met last spring offered us the use of one of his tents. I rented an outfit and we found Jenna's perfect dress tucked away at the back of one of the encampment booths for six bucks. Bryan packed in an inflatable mattress and double-zip sleeping bags (which we covered with a quilt to look a little more authentic) and we were ready to go.

Caroline and B. stayed until bedtime both nights and Caroline was so sad at having to leave (which made mama sad too, but we knew how cold it was going to get and we all needed her to get a good night's sleep for the daytime events--which she thoroughly enjoyed and ended up exhausted anyway).

I don't have any pictures of the inside of the tent, but I think I will always remember it, and I suspect Jenna will too. We were snuggled in by the warm lantern light (compliments of my dad) and I surprised her by bringing the next book in the Little House on the Prairie series. We read and cuddled, listening to the sounds of singing and talking outside of our tent. Jenna was so giggly-excited, but she fell right to sleep. And she couldn't wait to eat our strawberry pop-tarts the next morning. We snuck out of camp before the rest of the campers were stirring so we could get ready at Grandma Virge's house.

We made it back to walk with the re-enactors for the raising of the colors. We were a part of the group the Territorial Rangers.  They Protected the settlers in Illinois during the War of 1812 from the Natives who were siding with the British. "All the protection in the territory was provided by citizen soldiers, either militia groups, or the four Companies of U.S. Volunteer Rangers that were formed and expected to protect the entire Territory. These men generally rode in groups of ten to twenty and spent many days in the saddle of their own horse, trying to provide some level of protection to all the settlers. Without them, the settlers of The Illinois Territory would have been killed or driven out of the territory and the settlement of Illinois would have been set back many years."

Jenna loved socializing at the camp, especially with Kristen, pictured beside me. Kristin was "kidnapped" by an Indian at the end of the ceremony and Jenna thought that was great.

We also got to listen to our much-loved Highland Reign. The band leader noticed that Jenna was singing the words to one of his songs and invited her up. She wouldn't go, but she later danced with some other women up front and loved it. She is so proud to wear the shirt Grandma Susie got her with their name on it (it says Plaid to the Bone on the back). Later that day when the crowds became overwhelming, we went back to our little camp and Jenna took a nap on our quilt in the shade of an oak tree, me sitting beside her. As people passed by they would smile and say, "awww" or comment on her sucking her thumb. It was so peaceful to sit amongst the tents and fires and people.We are also very into Indians lately, so spotting them at the encampment was exciting, especially for Carnie. Jenna figured out pretty quickly that several of them weren't "real Indians." But Caroline went up to every one she passed to say, very boldly, "Hi, Indian!" The girls played with some other kids on Saturday night, running and rolling down the hills, and even got to play with a boy dressed as an Indian. Jenna thought that was really cool too.

We will be coming back. And Carnie, you will get to stay the night next year.

Thanks, Daddy, for all the awesome pictures and support to make this happen for me and Jenna.