Step into history at this weekend’s Battle of Baton Rouge reenactment
Watch out for cannon fire at this history-focused event 👀💥
This weekend, watch the history of Baton Rouge unfold before you.
The Battle of Baton Rouge reenactment brings the Sept. 21, 1779, fight to life with cannon firing, soldier drills, blacksmithing and more. The history-focused event, held at the Audubon State Historic Site, will offer hands-on activities to help attendees remember a piece of the city’s history.
Friday will be a special school day morning where students will explore the life of a soldier during the Revolutionary War, with plenty of educational demonstrations. Saturday and Sunday are open to the public and will include the full reenactment as well as demonstrations. On both Saturday and Sunday, the site will open at 9 a.m., followed by demonstrations and drills. On Saturday, the battle takes place at 2 p.m. and on Sunday, the battle will be at 1 p.m. After both reenactments, there will be other activities, like a 250th cake celebration on Saturday, before the park closes at 5 p.m.
“At the reenactment, there will be infantry and artillery, and it is probably the furthest west reenactment of the War for American Independence,” Paul Bergeron says.
Bergeron is a member of the Gulf Coast Artillery Louisiana Chapter and the Color Guard Commander for the Southern District of the Sons of the American Revolution. The Sons of the American Revolution chapter participates in many historic events like this across the state.Derrick Spell is the vice president, color guard adjutant chairman and longtime member of the local Sons of the American Revolution chapter.
“I think that seeing what people wore and the weapons of the time makes you further appreciate how difficult it was,” Spell says. “It was more direct person-on-person fighting, and I think the uniforms and the weapons are what really get people’s attention when you have events like that.”
Spell says many Baton Rougeans do not realize that they may have descended from people who fought during the battle, making events like these more special.
The chapter is much more active this year because of the 250th anniversary of the United States of America occurring on July 4 of this year. The Battle of Baton Rouge reenactment is the America 250 event for the Audubon State Historic Site, located at 11788 LA-965, St Francisville.
The event is free and open to the public.
