New Windsor Cantonment Historic Site

New Windsor Cantonment Historic Site
July 4, 2012

Yesterday, the 4th of July, is perhaps the main reason for the Cantonment Historic Site’s existence. It was also probably the best day of year to visit. Period-costumed cast were on hand giving out free demonstrations of life during Revolutionary times (1780s) and events were scheduled throughout the day.

Unfortunately, my timing was off and I missed the events including the firing of the cannon. I did however take some pictures and met some of the friendly cast at New Windsor Cantonment making the experience fun and very memorable.

Click on a picture to enlarge.

The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor. Washington awarded the first Badge of Military Merit which later became the purple heart in nearby Newburgh.

The “Temple of Virtue” was used as the encampment's chapel and for courts-martial hearings and officers’ functions.

It is also where George Washington defused a planned uprising by unpaid officers.

The visitor gets a complete and real life demonstration of what a blacksmith did during Revolutionary times (1780s). The woman increased the fire by manually pumping the forge blower, put one end of a metal rod onto the flame, then set the glowing red end of the metal rod on an anvil and hammered its tip into a

A woman (also in period costume but not shown) was initially sitting on the chair on the left. When I came and asked if I may take their picture, she switched chairs with the man now seated because she said it would look more real if two men were playing chess.

The man immediately posed as if he was about to make a move -- in “deep thought” he later said. The woman on the right could not contain her laughter at her fellow cast’s acting while the man at center barely so.

After the war, the log huts were ordered sold to help pay the soldiers.

There were thirty-two soldiers to each log hut.

Major General Henry Knox's headquarters.

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