VOLUNTEERS II

Some of the men that had begun working on a recruitment banner some time back used the past few sunny, idle days to continue work on it. They have gotten a great deal done, and the banner is nearly complete. The detail is quite impressive, though, I do not think that they were much appreciative of my comments on the anatomy of the lion and the unicorn, so I left them to paint in peace.

Tall Ships 2013

The Tall Ships® 1812 Tour, presented by Redpath Sugar, will sail to 16 Ontario ports this summer to commemorate the bicentennial of the War of 1812.

This pan-provincial tour, produced in partnership with the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Great Lakes 2013 series, will feature tall ships from around the world. From June 14 to September 2, 2013, you can tour the decks of the majestic fleet of ships, participate in War of 1812 interactive experiences, enjoy live musical performances, kids programming and much more.

Thirteen tall ships sail in to Brockville, the first port of call, from June 14th to the 16th.

The scheduled ships are:
* Cangarda
* Empire Sandy
* Fair Jeanne
* Hindu
* La Revenante 
* Mist of Avalon
* Peacemaker
* Pride of Baltimore II
* Liana’s Ransom
* Sørlandet
* St. Lawrence II
* S.V. Caledonian
* Unicorn 

www.tallshipsbrockville.com

The Acasta Bible

 

After the bicentennial of the Battle of Queenston Heights,  near Fort George, Ontario, 3rd Lt. Tom Tumbusch had the honor of meeting with John Cocking, a likely descendant of a historic Acasta crew member named Robert Arber. He showed Lt. Tumbusch Robert's Bible and several other interesting documents it contained.

Robert Arber's Bible. For scale, the coin to the right is a "toonie" (a Canadian two-dollar coin).

Mr. Cocking.

Close-up of the inscription...Plymouth Dock, July 1813

Text of a petition for Greenwich Hospital to more adequately provide for old sailors who had contributed the Greenwich Sixpence. Robert is listed in census documents as having been a Greenwich pensioner.

Letter in Robert's hand from 1840.

This document was among those preserved between the pages of Robert Arber's Bible.

Special thanks to Mr Cocking for contacting us so that we could examine his lovely family bible, and to Tom Tumbusch who did the examining and took all these pictures!

A Letter Home - Translation

18 Febry, 1813

Royal Naval Dockyard

at Bermuda

My dearest Emily,

As you do go on so about my not writing often enough, I have taken up my pen in an attempt to remedy the situation and forgo your certain wrath.

Since my last letter we have had several great windfalls!

On Christmas day we captured the American Privateer Herald as she and her prizes were bound for Baltimore. She had two other vessels with her, the Friendship and the Little Catharine.

The Herald, being a ship of only 10 guns and barely 50 men, was no match for the combined might of the Poictiers and the Acasta. According to the reports I've heard from the Acastas that have been aboard the Friendship, she had a fortune in cargo aboard her, a fine Christmas present for every man in the crew, in terms of prize money.

Then, upon my birthday, in company with the Poictiers, we captured the American schooner privateer Highflyer, mounting five guns, and having on board a complement of seventy-two men : she was on her return from the West Indies, where she had made several captures, is a particularly fine vessel, coppered and copper fastened, and sails remarkably fast.

We only just finished a hunt for a mysterious American Frigate that chased one of our ships into Bermuda.

It caused quite a stir at the Royal Navy Dockyard. The story got 'round with haste of the Captain of the Dotterel's claim that they had been chased the previous night by an unidentified American frigate. As a result, the Ramillies, Acasta, and Dotterel were sent out in search of the enemy.

Whoever she might have been, she must have been fast and well ahead of us. We searched for near on a month with no success, and have returned to Bermuda to report and take on fresh victuals before returning to the blockade.

The Acasta will be ashore in Halifax again in June, and if you are able, I should very much enjoy your company there. I know that the Captain and your other friends aboard would be gratified to see you again as well. It is my sincere wish to see you there upon our arrival!

Please forgive the brevity of this letter, but it must go into the post with haste before we depart. Know that the length of this missive is not directly proportional to my esteem and affection for you my dear, but that I must also get a letter out to my man of business in London. Please pass along my regards to our friends, and know dear that I am 

Yr ever faithful, loving & obt,

A Letter Home

My last letter to Miss Waterman.

Some 1812 Events for this Present Year

37th Annual Spirit of Vincennes Rendezvous 

May 25 & 26, 2013 

Vincennes Indiana 

http://www.spiritofvincennes.org 

The Heritage Fair 

June 21-23, 2013 

Spencerville, Ontario, Canada 

http://www.spencervillemill.ca/heritage-fair-2013.html

at the 6th annual  Jane Austen Festival 

July 20th & 21st, 2013 

Louisville, KY. 

http://www.jasnalouisville.com

The Fair at New Boston 

August 31 & September 1, 2013 

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Both Days 

George Rogers Clark Park, Springfield, OH 

 http://www.fairatnewboston.org 

Mississinewa 1812 

October 11-13 Marion, Indiana 

http://www.mississinewa1812.com 

Muster on the Wabash

Fort Knox Vincennes, Indiana Territory 

War of 1812 Encampment 

November 2 & 3 , 2013 

http://www.spiritofvincennes.org

April Business

HMS Acasta website report for April. 

At the end of March, the site had over 29,366 hits with the top 4 countries to view the site continuing to be the United States, United Kingdom, China and Russia. We also seem to have gotten the Russian spambot invasion under control.

If you enjoy reading the adventures of the HMS Acasta, be certain to become an honorary member of the crew. This is an easy way to show us that you're out there and paying attention. It is a simple matter really, there is a blue button... NOW at the very bottom of this very page that will allow you to join. 

And Second, I would ask that you comment from time to time on the posts that interest you the most. This is an excellent way to let the crew of the Acasta know what you, the reader, is the most interested in seeing. It is always most gratifying to know what the readers like. For those of you that have commented in the past, we thank you for you support and interest!

If you find a post that you are particularly fond of... be sure to share a link with your friends, over Facebook, Tumblr, Google Plus, etc. so they can enjoy it too!

Don't be content to LURK... participate!

HOW can you participate you ask? Great question... read on!

If you're a historical reenactor with an interest in the Royal Navy circa 1800-1812, you might be just the person we're looking for! Find out more about joining the Acasta HERE.

OR, if you like to write, you can participate in our MAIL PACKET project, wherein you write a period style letter to one of the crew and it gets published AND potentially answered here on the Acasta site. Be sure to click on the link for more details and EXAMPLES of some of the letters we've gotten thus far.

 WHERE CAN I SEE THE ACASTAS IN PERSON?

Great question. In this Present Year, the Acastas will be ashore at the following events:

6th annual  Jane Austen Festival
July 20th & 21st, 2013
Louisville, KY.
www.jasnalouisville.com

The Fair at New Boston
August 31 & September 1, 2013
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Both Days
George Rogers Clark Park, Springfield, OH 

www.fairatnewboston.org

Mississinewa 1812
October 11-13
Marion, Indiana

www.mississinewa1812.com

The Acasta log is generally updated every weekday at 8am CST, visit back often, and tell your History/Royal Navy friends to visit us.

Thanks for reading!