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 Rhode Island is the place to be on the
second Saturday in June each year. Pawtuxet Village, a historic area of
Warwick, Rhode Island, comes alive with history. Recreators show up in
costume and show you what is was like in colonial times. In addition to
the parade (which is what we mainly show in this sub web) there is an encampment
of recreators. (They actually stay in the park overnight in their colonial style
tents.) They love to tell you and your children what life was like
in 1772.
So take a look at the photos you can find by following the links at the
bottom of this
page, and enjoy Gaspee and American colonial history. It is a fun way to
celebrate the American Revolution and learn more about the Revolutionary War and
those who risked all their property and their very life in the revolutionary
event that gave birth to the United States.
This unit shown on the
right side recreates the Rehoboth Town Militia. Originally chartered in
1774 by the town of Rehoboth as a town Militia unit, the unit was
comprised of mixed Militia and Minutemen. In 1774 John Bucklin II was a
captain of the Rehoboth Minute Company unit. (John was a cousin of
Joseph Bucklin 5th, who fired the shot in 1772.)
By 1775 the Rehoboth Militia was a force of 210 persons. On April 9, 1975,
ten days before the confrontation between the British and American forces
at Concord and Lexington, the unit was sent to Freetown MA. Without a shot
being fired, the Rehoboth militia seized 40 stands of British arms,
munitions, and accoutrements, from the British military unit at Freetown.
Ten days later, the British marched from Boston to Concord and
Lexington, to seize American arms and munitions. The Rehoboth
Company was immediately dispatched to Concord and shortly thereafter were
dispatched to Boston, where they were absorbed into Washington's
Continental forces at the Boston camp. Many members of the original unit
went on to serve with Washington's Continental forces under the Mass. 3rd,
4th, 5th, 6th, 11th, 16th, and 13th Continental Regiments later in the
war. (Yes, there were Bucklins at Valley Forge.)
By the end of the war, John was a Capt. in the American Revolutionary Army
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 The
photo to the right (click to enlarge) is of the recreated
unit of the Rehoboth Minute Men commanded by John Bucklin, and with
several Bucklins in it, at the time immediately before the Revolution.
Every year they march in the Gaspee Days parade. (Not shown, but marching
behind them, are a contingent of women dressed as the women of Rehoboth.)
If you are a Bucklin, and you have get an appropriate colonial (1770's
era) costume, they may welcome you to
join them in the march. Contact us and we will get you together!
 Or
go directly to the Rehoboth
Minute Men web site to learn more about that unit!
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Now, click on one of the links at the bottom of the page for G(aspee) D(ays)
parades of 2001 and 2003
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