Recently Norwood District High School teacher, Norm Vandenberg, contacted IMUC and asked us to participate in an 1812 weekend. We happily participated on the weekend of Friday, June 9 and June 10, 2000.

To prepare for it, the grade 11 students had been learning contemporary drill and had been making uniforms of the period.

On the Friday, visiting students were given talks by various people. Dave White participated in a battle with the students representing the British and Voltigeurs against the student Ohio 16th Regiment.

That night The school treated the later arrivals to a sumptuous banquet and country dancing. Kevin and Brenda Lightfoot cut quite a rug there!

On Saturday morning quite a good sized contingent showed up to swell out the ranks of IMUC. We participated in a drill competition and talked to the general public.

After lunch our RSM took over the British line. It was interesting to notice that the student voltigeurs gave and obeyed only French commands.

The kids on both sides really knew their drill well. We sent out the Voltigeurs against the strong US line and our lone dragoon scouted the area for us.

Our RSM ordered the entire line in and we blazed away vigorously. Those students' cap guns made an effective barrage along with our muskets. Finally, after taking severe casualties the Americans surrendered.

We all marched off to dismiss to the audience and chatted them up.

It was a win-win-win situation. Students, IMUC and the general public all enjoyed themselves and learned from the activity. This was a golden opportunity and exercise in applied historical education. I feel we were right for that activity and we should happily and regularly embrace the event in future years!

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