From left, Henry Cooke of Randolph, Ken Smith of Natick, and Arthur Martin of Southbridge, all of the 10th Massachusetts Regiment Light Infantry, will take part in “Redcoats & Rebels.’’
(Old Sturbridge Village)
Randolph man to lead reenactment
From left, Henry Cooke of Randolph, Ken Smith of Natick, and Arthur Martin of Southbridge, all of the 10th Massachusetts Regiment Light Infantry, will take part in “Redcoats & Rebels.’’
(Old Sturbridge Village)
A Randolph resident will lead a regiment of Revolutionary War reenactors at Old Sturbridge Village’s “Redcoats & Rebels’’ event next weekend.
The men of the 10th Massachusetts Regiment Light Infantry, led by Henry Cooke, will be among the more than 1,000 soldiers in 40 units from eight states that are participating in what is believed to be New England’s largest Revolutionary War reenactment. Cooke, a historian by training, custom tailors many of the uniforms that other reenactors wear.
In an interview with the Globe in 2000, Cooke talked about the appeal of historical reenactments. “Its about making history come alive,’’ he said. “It’s an imagination game, like playing cowboys and Indians as a kid, except we’re big kids now, with a serious purpose. By acting out a fantasy, you try to catch a kernel of experience of what it was like in a given time.’’
The Sturbridge event will feature mock battles, drilling, musket and cannon demonstrations, fife and drum music, and the chance to see military life up close. Reenactors portray British and Colonial soldiers, as well as their allies from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Germany, and France.
Admission to the living history museum is $20, $18 for seniors, and $7 for ages 3-17, and includes a free second visit within 10 days. For details and a full schedule, visit www.osv.org.
Wendy Chow 
© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.
