Before the Mast Vol II

Our second weekend as the first, brought great success to our continued training. It began by reintroducing everyone as we had been apart for some three weeks and was followed by a refresher on safety equipment on board the Friends Good Will. After we were all reacquainted, we practiced tossing our mooring lines to the dock as well as adjusting the main and head sails. After a slight weather delay we made ready to sail up the channel out onto the lake for our first hands on sail. While we made preparations, the Captain did us Acasta’s a great honor by flying the royal ensign on the flag halyard! We gave our heartiest cheer and thanked him for his kind gesture.

Once we set the main and head sails out on the water, we practiced tacking our good ship to windward and wearing her to get us landsmen used to adjusting the sails to the Captain’s desires. The lake was calm and we had a pleasant breeze to aid us in or practice. We sailed our course parallel to the shore back and forth roughly two miles out for a few hours until it was time to return. As we sailed into the channel we were greeted by many onlookers. Between readying our stations to dock, were able to wave back and enjoy the comfort of the return ride. Once we were moored, the Captain called a huddle at the mast and thanked us all for our time and eagerness to learn. With that, we concluded our training and were accepted as volunteer crew. We now have the opportunity to gain more sailing experience as often as we want and have a wonderful organization and ship to turn our passion for interpretation into real life experience.

Before the Mast Vol I

Though the HMS Acasta excels at portraying everyday life of Royal Navy sailors during the wars with France, many of our interpreters aren’t true sailors. 

To amend this, the weekend of April 28th and 29th, several Acastas attended the first portion of basic sail training at the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven, Michigan where we began our voyage to becoming true sailors. The museum was gracious enough to host us, as well as several new volunteers eager to learn to sail their square-rigged topsail sloop Friends Good Will. 

The training began as we learned basic directional terminology for travel as well as directions aboard ship. We continued on with the geography of the ship herself and all of her various parts that make up the vessel that she is.  After we got more familiar with the decks, masts, yards, spars, rigging and sails we practiced some useful knots to aid us in adjusting the many lines for the rigging as well as for mooring the ship to port. 

In our down time between classes, we were able to watch the Friends Good Will launch on a crew refresher sail out onto Lake Michigan from the museum. Being as we know proper respect for Captains, we gave her a salute as she sailed down the channel which was celebrated amongst the crew as she pulled away.  

Overall, the first weekend was a great success! It not only fulfilled a long time unit goal, but brought us that much closer together as a group. 

All About Apple

Ship's Carpenter, Jas. Apple (as portrayed by Jim Apple, YES that's really his name) is another of the crew that has contributed a great deal of content to the Acasta website.

Jim is a great 'idea-man' and always ready to jump in and tackle whatever the group is doing at full speed. He also has about seven full suits of sailor's clothing at any given event, if you need to borrow something, he's your man!

You can go back and find all of the posts labeled "APPLE", which means it was a post written BY him or ABOUT him. Either way, you come up a winner...

Find all APPLE posts here!

Last Call for the MAIL!

FINAL Call to ALL Reenactors, 

Historians and Creative Writers!

The Royal Navy reenacting group that represents HMS Acasta will be attending the Jane Austen Festival in July of this year. One of the things that I'd like to be able to do is deliver a 'mail packet' full of letters to the various Acasta members. This is a project that we have undertaken in the past with awesome results.

This is where YOU come in, but HURRY! ALL submissions must be received by June 30th to be included.

Anyone who would like to submit a period correct letter to add to the packet is encouraged to do so! We'd love to have your contribution, however large or small! Anything added to the packet will help to enhance the historical experience for not only the Acastas who receive them, but for the public who will attend the Festival as well.

Need some ideas for what to write? Try one of these:

Letter from a friend or colleague back home. 
(But none from 'family' this year if you please)
A bill or request for payment.
An overdue payment of debt.
A letter carrying news of the war(s)

Or, use the link below to see some other types of period letters:

The Complete Letter Writer...

Wondering what a period letter looks like? Here are some beautiful examples:

http://www.bathpostalmuseum.co.uk/john-palmer/

Contact me to find out where to send your finished letter… or questions, or for any other additional information.

Finshed letters will need to be to ME by the end of June so that they can find their way into the Mail Packet! But remember, all submissions need to be received by June 30th so that they can be included.

So pick up your pen and paper and get writing, and HAVE FUN!

Samples from the Mail Packet

Some video of Acastas having gotten their mail and reading through it! If you want YOUR letters to be included, hurry and get them sent off TODAY!

A Letter Home from Mr. Cullen

My Dearest Father,

Wintering in the Bermuda station has proved to be an excellent opportunity to put to rights all of the damage and neglect to Acastas gear, that has been a result of arduous duty in the Americas. We have received material to fabricate new hammacoes for the crew, but strict adherence to the surgeons orders to not let the men lie in hammocks while being wet has preserved the majority of the crews hammocks and will allow me to save the excess material for when we are at sea.

Being at anchor has given me the opportunity to conduct training when there is a lull in repairs. Most of my mates have performed admirably save one. Richard Martin was appointed a Boatswain mate when one of my previous mates was struck down with a fever and expired during our transit to Bermuda. He was chosen based on his many years spent at sea and for his competence as a seaman. However he lacks any type of skill in delegation which is essential in completing his vast amount of duties. Instead he exerts himself to the point of exhaustion by attempting to complete everything himself. I have found him many a times in the later dog watches recoiling ropes that his men have neglected to do so properly. This has landed him into Doctor Roberts care on two separate occasions. In spite of his lack of authority his persistence and determination has proven to be his strongest trait. When he learns how to wield his authority he will no doubt make a very fitting Bosun someday.

Ah Father I cannot explain how good it is to spend lengthy periods in port. We are never for want for fresh vegetables or beef, for the Captain though his kind heart has made it possible for the crew to dine on the best possible victuals. What money I have made though Acastas prizes will eventually make it back to England to help with expenses from my brothers gambling debts. I only hope I am not to late to keep him out of prison. I pray that this letter finds you in good health and I am awaiting your correspondence.

Your Loving Son,

Matthew

Meet the Acting Third Lieutenant

Lord William FitzRoy, KCB was a Napoleonic War British Naval officer and politician, retiring as Admiral shortly before his death in 1857. He was the third son of Augustus FitzRoy, Duke of Grafton and former Prime Minister of Great Britain. Serving in or near almost every major naval action of the Napoleonic War(s), FitzRoy’s story is an exciting and interesting tale of adventure, ambition, and promotion. Today, FitzRoy’s legacy is being carried on and his story told through the first person interpretative acts of Bryan Andrews and the recreated crew of the HMS Acasta reenacting group. 

Andrews has been a member of the reenacting community for almost his entire life, beginning reenacting at a very young age. He is involved in multiple time periods and can normally be found in a number of uniforms, ranging from the American Revolutionary War to WWII, and just about everywhere in between. He is a volunteer at the Indiana Military Museum and George Rogers Clark National Historical Park in Vincennes, Indiana and can be found giving interpretative talks both there, and at a number of other historic sites around the Midwest. Andrews has been the Drum Sgt. For Kellar’s Coy Illinois Regt of Virginia for almost 10 years, has done WWII US Medical Corps and British Commando reenacting, WWI British Cavalry reenacting, and has a variety of other impressions as well. Recently, Andrews started one of the first known Continental Navy reenacting units in country and worked on restoring and rebuilding a boat in the period style, as well as making a number of other naval related items and clothing. An article covering these activities was featured in the June 2017 issue of Early American Life. 

In “real life” however, Andrews is in college. He is studying History at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and has already graduated with an Associate’s degree from Vincennes University to that effect. He plans on continuing his education and going on to Law School. Andrews has done some sailing and has also dabbled in a few other hobbies as well, but his main interest is in historical reenacting and living history interpretation, which he is involved in just about every weekend, somewhere around the country.