[ Saw this and figured it might interest a few of you. -Chris ]
Colonial Williamsburg will hold a three-day conference on Revolutionary War-era weaponry in October.
by Jack Jacobs
July 23, 2019
Scholars will gather at Colonial Williamsburg in October for a conference devoted to the weaponry used in the American Revolution.
The conference, titled "Weapons of War: Military Arms in Revolutionary America," provides a special look at the innovative and diverse military weapons that were utilized during the war for independence in a series of lectures and discussions drawing on archaeological discoveries and conserved artifacts, according to a Colonial Williamsburg news release.
"During the Revolutionary War, a fresh wave of cutting-edge military weaponry came to America, adding to the mix of arms already here," said Erik Goldstein, Colonial Williamsburg's senior curator of numismatics and mechanical arts, in the release.
"The Weapons of War conference offers students, scholars, collectors and enthusiasts a one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn about the various items that arrived on our shores and factored in the conflict."
The conference will be held Oct. 11-13 and will coincide with the anniversary of the Siege of Yorktown, the last major battle of the war in which French and American troops decisively defeated British soldiers led by General Charles Cornwallis.
The conference also coincides with the ongoing "To Arm Against an Enemy" exhibition.
Some presentations at the conference include:
* "Multiple Pathways and Different Lenses: Interdisciplinary Work at Knox's 1778-1779 Winter Cantonment of the Continental Army" lecture by keynote presenter John L. Seidel, associate professor of anthropology and environmental studies and Center for Environment and Society at Washington College director.
* "Selected Virginia Weapons of the American Revolution," presented by Giles Cromwell.
* A discussion about the battles of Lexington and Concord by Joel Bohy, director of historic arms and militaria with Skinner, Inc. of Marlborough, Mass.
* "‘Small Arms of The Dutch Fabrick' in 18th-century British America" by independent researcher James Mullins.
* "‘For the Defense of the Colony:' Tracking ‘New Jersey' Wilson-contract Muskets from the Seven Years War to the Revolution," presented by curator Mark A. Turdo of the Museum of the American Revolution.
Colonial Williamsburg holds four major conferences every year. Three of them are regularly presented conferences, and the military arms conference comes as a special event for 2019. The conference will be held at the Hennage Auditorium of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, foundation spokesman Joe Straw said.
Registration costs $325 and includes Colonial Williamsburg admission, access to the presentations and receptions.
Conference-goers also will have access to demonstrations and hands-on activities with the foundation's military program and historic trades staffs on Oct. 13.
The three sessions consist of a demonstration of weapons and tactics by military interpreters, a combined military programs and Fife and Drum march and hands-on activities at the Public Armoury, Straw said.
For registration and more information about the conference, visit http://colonialwilliamsburg.com or call 800-603-0948.
Conference Page:
https://colonialwilliamsburg.com/learn/conferences/weapons-of-war
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Original Link:
https://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-colonial-williamsburg-weapons-conference-0608-story.html
Written By:
Jack Jacobs, 757-298-6007
jojacobs@vagazette.com
@jajacobs_
Wow, that sounds cool!
YIKES, is it expensive!