There will be no Before the Seige for 2021. What you see below is a sample draft schedule.
Use this map and brief schedule to help you explore Yorktown as Cornwallis' forces prepares for a siege. Most of the actitivites happen along Main Streeet; where at any time you may find soldiers, sailors, and laborers working on a defensive gun emplacement, artificers mending equipment, surgeons caring for the sick, troops going about their daily business - as well as civilians doing what they can to both support the military effort and survive in a town at war. Although there are some set, scheduled activities, Before the Siege is planned so that you can explore freely!
Saturday, XX September -
9:00 am. Event is open to the public.
9:30 a.m. Roll Call At the Swan Tavern (6)
12:15 p.m. Cannon fire exercise at the Visitor's Center (1)
1:15 p.m. Cannon fire exercise at the Visitor's Center (1)
ca. 1:30 p.m. Officer's Mess at the Nelson House (4)
2:15 p.m. Cannon fire exercise at the Visitor's Center (1)
3:15 p.m. Cannon fire exercise at the Visitor's Center (1)
4:00 p.m. Event closes for the day.
Sunday, XX September -
9:00 am. Event is open to the public. Roll Call at the Swan Tavern (6)
12:15 p.m. Cannon fire exercise at the Visitor's Center (1)
1:15 p.m. Cannon fire exercise at the Visitor's Center (1)
ca. 1:30 p.m. Officer's Mess at the Nelson House (4)
2:15 p.m. Cannon fire exercise at the Visitor's Center (1)
3:15 p.m. Cannon fire exercise at the Visitor's Center (1)
4:00 p.m. Event closes.
(1) Visitor's Center. Artillery fire exercise at 12:15, 1:15, 2:15, 3:15.
(2) Officers' Marquis tents, Officer of the Day. (All day.)
(3) German military camp. (All day.)
(4) Corps of Engineers' display, Officer's Mess tent, Officer's Mess kitchen.
(5) Royal Navy camp, military drill and firing demonstration, 11:30, 1:30, and 3:30.
(6) Military camp, artillery camp and gun maintenance. (All day.)
(7) Military medicine inside the Swan Tavern. (All day.)
(8) Toward the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.
Ongoing Interpretative Programs:
The Corps of Engineers
The Corps of Engineers will present and interpret military fortification using both scale models and practical work.
The Royal Artillery
The Royal Artillery will conduct maintenance on their 3 pounder guns at the camp by the Swan Tavern. Using a portable hoist engine or "gin", the RA will have the capability to hoist barrels off of carriages and pull wheels for repair and greasing the axles. On Saturday, by the Visitor's Center the CNHP Royal Artillery will fire their six pounder at 12:15 p.m., 1:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. On Sunday, the participant's three pounder cannon will fire on the same schedule over at the Visitor's Center.
The Detached Hospital.
Surgeons care for wounded patients and smallpox victims. The Hospital will be inside the Swan Tavern. The Hospital will conduct ongoing interpretation of life in a military field hospital. The Hospital is also equipped for minor medical care. If anyone has a minor injury or is feeling the effects of the heat - go to the Hospital!
The Officer's Mess
All morning, “Officer's Servants” will work on preparing a Mess, to be served in the afternoon in a Marquis tent set up at the Nelson House. Meal preparation will begin Saturday morning with a shopping trip to the Yorktown Market Day held on the waterfront green.
Camp life
A soldier's off-duty time was filled with the necessities of life; whether it was cooking rations, cleaning their musket, mending kit, or any of the many chores which required their attention.
Officer life
Most officers were not allowed to quarter in town; they were obliged to camp near their units. The Hornsby House has graciously allowed us to use their front yard to site Officer's Marquis, which will also be the location of the Officer of the Day. He will interpret organizing and arranging military duties as well as assigning responsibilities to the civilians in town.
Merchants
Merchants will interpret the hardships of commerce in a war zone, as well as display and interpret 18th C. trade goods unusual to a 21st Century visitor. They will set up in the yard at 606 Main Street.
Refugees
Refugees were not allowed to sit idle. They would be assigned military tasks, such as the kind of heavy labor involved in building the revetment. They could also try to ingratiate themselves with the military by doing whatever services they could provide; cooking, cleaning, mending, sewing, laundry, chopping wood, hauling water, etc. The refugee area will be the grounds around the 606 Main Street site.