During our September meeting, Kevin Adkins, Revolutionary War re-enactor and high school history teacher at Union High School in Farmerville, LA spoke on the various items that Revolutionary War soldiers used during the war. Each patriot carried a bed roll, cartridge holder, rifle with bayonet, knife, stockings, glasses, canteen, leather cup, moccasins, and various clothing that he uses during re-enactments. Mr. Adkins portrays a West Florida Ranger who were Loyalist and also a Florida Militiaman.
From the pages of THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY HISTORICAL REVIEW Vol. II, No. 4 March 1916THE LOYALISTS IN WEST FLOEIDA AND THE NATCHEZ DISTRICT
During the period 1764 to 1781, West Florida was a British province, and embraced a large part of the present states of Alabama and Mississippi, extending somewhat northward of the site of Montgomery, Alabama. Captain George Johnstone arrived at Pensacola as the first governor under the new regime in February, 1764, accompanied by a British regiment and many highlanders from Charleston and New York. He at once organized the civil government, and garrisoned Fort Charlotte at Mobile, Fort Bute at Manchac, and Fort Panmure at Natchez.
The English authorities encouraged immigration, and numerous settlers came in before the revolution from the Carolinas and Georgia, from Great Britain and the British West Indies, from New Jersey, Delaware, and Virginia, and even from the New England colonies. These settlers formed communities between Manchac and Baton Rouge, in the Natchez country and in the region drained by the bayou Sara, the Homochitto, and the bayou Pierre.
Group photo L-R: Wynn Lawrence, Kevin Adkins, Robert Hendrick, Steve Ray, Gerald Graves, Stephen Hendrick, Ted Brode & Fred Hamilto