When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. October 18, 1775 Falmouth Burnt. After the march on Lexington, the British in Boston were cut off from the land and their only means of supplies was by sea. …
Author Archives: Michael Carver
Trade Wars are Bad! Consider the Vretslav Beer War of 1380.
Along the border between Poland and the Czech Republic is region of Silesia. Its largest city is Wroclaw and until 1327, this region was under the domain of the Polish crown. When King Henryk VI died without an heir, the region was annexed by Bohemia (peacefully) and under Bohemian rule the ‘Rata’ or ‘Rathaus’ was governed by …
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Historical Tidbits — John Adams DEFENDS Boston Massacre Soldiers
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. October 17, 1770John Adams DEFENDS the soldiers accused of murder as a result of the Boston Massacre Although a devout patriot, John Adams agreed to risk his family’s livelihood …
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Historical Tidbits — Surrender at Saratoga
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. October 17, 1777 Surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga In the summer of 1777, General Burgoyne led an army of 8,000 men south through New York in an effort to …
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Punchbowl Junto
In 2020, I tried to start a Jeffersonian Dinner program at Fort Mifflin. We had one “Jeffersonian Picnic” but the stringencies of the COVID 19 pandemic prevented this program from really taking hold. This year (2025), I want to try to reboot this program with a slight simplification. I am working to launch a new …
Handbell Cocktails
Well, I found this cool cocktail shaker. No, it’s not period correct but it’s cool. Looks like a bell. To that end, the Admiral of the Blue is adding the following “Bell Ringer” cocktails to our line-up for future Tavern Nights. You put your ice and spirits in the bell, assemble and ring the bell …
Doctor Heal Thyself — 18th Century Medicine Gone Wrong
John Hunter Gave Himself Gonorrhea and Syphilis John Hunter was a renowned 18th-century surgeon in London and eventually become the most famous physician in all of England. Hunter made enormous contributions to anatomy and embryology through the dissection of cadavers pilfered by the professional grave robbers known as resurrection men. This knowledge of anatomy allowed …
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Benedict Arnold American Wild Ale
Do you consider Benedict Arnold a brilliant general or an evil traitor? Despite what you may have learned in school, the answer to this question is far from simple and highly political. Blessed with almost superhuman energy and endurance, handsome and charismatic, he was a successful apothecary and a seagoing merchant before the war. Unfortunately, …
Join the Regimental Brewmeister
People are always welcome to come to my events and if you come in 18th Century kit, you can be part of the program or just hang out in the tent as you see fit. However, if you are truly interested in really learning the process, teaching the public, and being the brewer, you should …
Baldwin Apples
If you are serious about drinking cider, then you almost certainly know that US President John Adams also drank cider enthusiastically, and professed to consume a gill a day, before breakfast. Cider was John Adams’ orange juice, and in his day, it was understood that a good quantity of cider, and the Vitamin C that …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 