Re-enactor

Slideshow by Lisa Bettencourt

“When I was in grade school, I was impressed by people dressed up at the museum, so I wanted to do it,” says Craig Russell, a member of the Battle of Plattsburgh Commemoration Committee and re-enactor.

In 1965, Russell read an ad in a local paper and was told by others that re-enactors were needed to participate in the Battle of Plattsburgh. So 14-year-old Russell made contact, got permission from his parents.

Now, 39 years later, he's still at it. “I get a kick out of what I do, but I don’t know why I’m doing this,” explains Russell, leaning back in his chair across from me to stretch out his 6-foot-plus frame. “It’s a serious hobby that keeps me broke.”

Re-enactors provide their own costumes. Like many others, Russell puts together everything instead of purchasing them at a greater price.

His fascination with the past seems to be a family thing. He is married to Christal, an education director at the Kent Delord House. Their son, Matthew, can also be seen playing the part of a private soldier in the 15th U.S. Infantry at the Battle of Plattsburgh. He is under the command of 32-year-old General Alexander Macomb, who is re-enacted by his father.

“Prior to this year, I was always writing and directing the battle usually in my private clothes, so it was more appropriate to be an officer,” Russell explains. “Since historically, Macomb was the land forces commander, this is the role I assumed.”

Macomb was promoted to brigadier commander when General Izard was ordered away.He graduated West Point in 1803 as a military engineer. Macomb appreciated and utilized the militia and trained them to be the best. He had the cooperation of the people and managed things diplomatically according to Russell.

“Wars are sometimes won by tricking the enemy,” Russell explains that during the war Macomb used leaves to cover the roads, fooling the British into thinking it was a field.
Russell expresses that MacDonough over shadowed Macomb because he won the naval battle, but the on land battle is important too.

Encampment and Tactical Demonstrations

“Things that are authentic weren’t as precise back then as it is now,” recalls Russell.
In the late 1970s, before the Battle of Plattsburgh was publicized, its commemorators would gather in a group at the Kent Delord House to celebrate.

Nowadays, more than 100 re-enactors from the northeastern United States and Canada descend on Plattsburgh and encamp on the Kent-Delord House Museum grounds. The Voltigeurs from Quebec, the Canadian Fencibles from Ontario, the Royal Irish Artillery from Maine and Canada, the 15th Infantry from New York, Massachusetts and Maine, Forsythe’s Rifles from Northern New York, the Royal Navy Landing Party from Ontario, bateaux from New York, Vermont and Ontario, and Peru Militia will participate. These re-enactors are men and women who devote many hours to their craft. It is their time, money, attention to detail, authenticity, and dedication that make history come alive.

According to Russell, everyone who starts out has to do so by participating in reenactments themselves, so experience is gained in different time frames. In his infantry, some re-enactors were first timers, while others have been doing it for over 20 years.

“There are people from Peru [New York] that do this once a year in the militia,” says Russell. “Some of us reenact other time periods as well, for instance, we have a member that has done 27 weeks straight of re-enacting.”

Tactical maneuvers, with the blast of cannons and muskets, are narrated by noted historian Col. David Fitz-Enz and are followed by the demonstration of how the Battle of Plattsburgh was fought. Russell explains that as experienced re-enactors, they have moved away from using ploys such as an exploding ketchup packet as substitute for real blood because they don’t want to traumatize their audience. Also, the artilleries they use are functional, but only blank rounds are used in the reenactment; there are no projectiles that come out of the guns that they fire.

“It was fun to discover new equipments such as cartridge boxes, head gears, helmets, coats, and guns,” says Russell.

He believes the Battle of Plattsburgh is a historical heritage that is also a saleable commodity. He explains that it has a reputation as being a nice place. He attributes the increase of spectators to the variety of interesting things going on. Also a group of Plattsburgh re-enactors go to other reenactments and extend their own money and time as a promotional way of making friends.

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