Reenactors bring Revolutionary War history to life at Fort Laurens in Bolivar

Andrew Dolph, The Times-Reporter
·2 min read

BOLIVAR – The annual Revolutionary War reenactments returned to Fort Laurens Saturday and Sunday, bringing with them typical balmy weather conditions consistent with the season. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures were hovering around 85 degrees with 85 percent humidity at noon Saturday, making it quite sticky for re-enactors wearing multiple layers of wool clothing.

Kids learn how to pack musket cartridges during the annual Revolutionary War reenactments, at Fort Laurens in Lawrence Township. They included, from left, Michael Shaw, 5, from North Carolina and his brother, Kendon, 2,; their grandmother, Cathy Linz, above, of Wooster, and Annalise Carr, 9, Asa, 8, of Utah.
Kids learn how to pack musket cartridges during the annual Revolutionary War reenactments, at Fort Laurens in Lawrence Township. They included, from left, Michael Shaw, 5, from North Carolina and his brother, Kendon, 2,; their grandmother, Cathy Linz, above, of Wooster, and Annalise Carr, 9, Asa, 8, of Utah.

Spectators could take in a multitude of dynamic and exciting battlefield demonstrations as well as period-accurate, hands-on crafting exercises. Activities also included drills for children, clothing demos, artillery demonstrations, skirmishes, cartridge rolling, food production, and more.

Mark Gaynor, of Zoar, portrays a mess cook during annual Revolutionary War reenactments, Saturday, July 15 at Fort Laurens in Lawrence Township. Gaynor was cooking bacon, scrambled eggs, and potatoes, as well as brewing coffee. Cooking vessels were typically made of tin, and eventually sheet metal as the British withheld tin supply from Cornwall, England.

Of particular interest for many revolving around camp life was the demonstration of bread baking and food production by the mess – a company of typically four to six men that cooked two meals per day and slept together in the same tent, making for a tight-knit group charged with nourishing soldiers on the battle front. Breakfast and supper were commonly served and consumed early in the morning and after noon respectively. Lunch back then was not a concept, and "If you were lucky, you got to eat a supper meal before bed, which was usually leftover breakfast" according to Mark Gaynor, of Zoar, who was portraying the lead mess cook.

Jeff Pavlek, from Mt. Clemens, Michigan, prepares a bread recipe during annual Revolutionary War reenactments, Saturday, at Fort Laurens in Lawrence Township.
Jeff Pavlek, from Mt. Clemens, Michigan, prepares a bread recipe during annual Revolutionary War reenactments, Saturday, at Fort Laurens in Lawrence Township.

Jeff Pavlek, of Mt. Clemens, Michigan, brought a fully functional bread oven hand made from earthen materials and baked several rounds of loaf breads and hard bread, or hardtack' as it became known later on. As salt was very uncommon, breads were quite bland.

Both days of reenactments over the weekend featured a ceremony at the Tomb of The Unknown Patriot, outside The Fort Laurens Museum

According to the Ohio History Connection Website, "The Americans completed the construction of Fort Laurens named after Henry Laurens, president of the Continental Congress — in early December 1778. The fort was to serve three purposes. First, the Americans hoped to use Fort Laurens as a base to attack the British garrison located at Detroit. Second, it would hopefully deter American Indians loyal to the British from conducting raids against American settlers in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. And, finally, by offering protection to the neutral Christian Delawares, as the Americans might convince them to forsake their neutrality and join the patriots’ cause.

In total, 21 soldiers lost their lives at Fort Laurens before it was abandoned in 1779. Later, part of the fort was demolished during the building of the Ohio and Erie Canal. None of the original fort remains above ground, but the outline of the fort is visible.

Fort Laurens is managed locally by the Zoar Community Association.

More: Ohio History Connection announces plans for reconstruction of Fort Laurens

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T-R staff photographer Andrew Dolph can be reached via email at adolph3@gannett.com, or by phone at 330-289-6072.

Bob Cairns, organizer of the annual Revolutionary War reenactments at Fort Laurens, in Lawrence Township, paints Dave Graham, who was portraying a Lenni Lenape Native American Indian, Saturday, during the annual event.
Bob Cairns, organizer of the annual Revolutionary War reenactments at Fort Laurens, in Lawrence Township, paints Dave Graham, who was portraying a Lenni Lenape Native American Indian, Saturday, during the annual event.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Revolutionary War battles and everyday life reenacted at Fort Laurens