Saturday we saw some historical reenactments of the Bristish arrival at Mount Vernon.  The activities were to begin at 1pm so we spent the morning looking at all the gardens. The kids were  surprised to see one of the Redcoats enjoying the gardens too. I told them he was checking the inventory before the raid. 

     We had an early lunch before the action started. To our surprise, the Redcoats joined us for lunch at the Food Court!  They arrived with their ammunition, muskets, full unifom...everything!  My son said with shock, "That one bought food at Cafe Lafayette!"  Of course they attracted a lot of attention, as they walked by with their food, smiled back at all of us, set their muskets against the wall, and sat down to eat.  I told the kids they wanted to taste the provisions before the raid. 

       After lunch, we went down to the encampment to meet some of the British. The first group we met was the navy. The spokesman said the British army and navy didn't get along too well.  But what was the army going to do? They needed the navy for transportation. The spokesman showed us the display of guns and supplies for us to see. I motioned for my son to check it out, since all he could talk about on the drive to Mt Vernon was the difference between a musket and a rifle. No, he had no interest.  Ever a patriot at heart, he could not bring himself to spend time with the enemy. After a few moments, he went to the display. What changed his mind? I decided to follow him. We saw some cool things.  My son talked to one of the interpreters about the guns.  My husband questioned some of my son's information but the interpreter said our son was right!

We got to see a sextant...

ummm, and this device used for navigating at night. We forget what it's called. We've read lots of great books about sailors like Mr. Bowditch and Captain Cook. These helped to make the books come alive.

They let us look through the spyglass. We were told it was probably an original. I was impressed with how well it worked!  

When we left my son whispered, "Ah, I now have secret information for General Washington." Hmmmm, my very own Spymaster.

     Then we went to the encampment of the Highland Regiment. They do a third person interpretation and although they represent men from Scotland, the conversation somehow took a turn to the Alamo.  One of the men said he had visited the Alamo before, but there are no reenactments there. "Oh, yes there are!" I piped up.  I told him my children and I were asked by the interpreter group to work on interpretations with them at the Alamo.  We didn't get a chance to work for them, since we moved to Virignia.  When we move into our house and get our photos out of storage, I'll have to blog about the Alamo reenactments.  Well, our conversation came to an end as the action was scheduled to start.

     This reenactment is based on actual documentation on events in April of 1781, when the British arrived at Mount Vernon from the Potomac.

They offered freedom to the slaves if they joined their army...

They demanded from Lund Washington (the general's cousin) provisions or else they would burn down Mt Vernon.

General Washington had put his cousin in charge of the plantation during his absence.  He told him to never cooperate with the British.

However, Mrs. Washington was in the house and Lund Washington was concerned about her.  He provided the British with food and supplies.

Then we went to the slave cabin where we listened to Daniel tell the others about the opportunity to gain their freedom by joining the British.

There were many things to consider like leaving a husband on the next plantation behind, disease, possibility of capture and possibility of the British losing the war.

     Later we went to the Greenhouse where the different slaves talked about their experience with freedom. One asked us not to tell anyone he was there. He had chosen freedom and ended up in Nova Scotia. Another was a lady who chose to join the British and followed them to Yorktown. She described the surrender ceremony.  The Americans were lined up on one side and the French on the other.  The British marched through. Refusing to look at the Americans, they looked only at the French. At that moment, Lafayette ordered that Yankee Doodle be played. That got the Redcoats' attention! Because the British lost, this lady had to return to Mt Vernon as a slave. Afterwards, the slave answered questions first from a first person interpretation, then went into a third person interpretation.

     The next slave to speak got the news that she was freed after George Washington's death. She was scared.  Where to go? What to do?  Where to sleep? She didn't want to leave her husband behind.  She was one of General Washington's slaves. Her husband was one of Mrs. Washington's slaves that she had received from her first husband's estate, Daniel Parke Custis', after he died.  According to Virginia law, she could neither sell nor free these slaves from her husband's estate. She could only use them.  After she died, they had to be passed on to the Custis family heirs. Then she took questions to answer from a third person perspective. 

     One of the topics discussed was General Washington's changing perception of slavery throughout his life.  While he fought for liberty, he questioned slavery...especially when many slaves joined the army and fought with him.   Also he was influenced by his adopted son, Lafayette, who was opposed to slavery.  Washington wrote in his will that his slaves be freed after his and Martha's death. Martha Washington freed his slaves a year after his death.    

     Finally Lund Washington told us about General Washington's displeasure to the news that he supplied the British in order to save Mt. Vernon.

   Afterwards we went to one of the gift shops by the garden. My daughter had been fascinated by the unusual orange flowers. She asked the ladies in the shop about it. They said that was General Washington's favorite flower. He had written that he wanted them planted in the garden every year.