Advantages of Prepping With an 18th Century Living History Group.

Advantages of Prepping With an 18^th Century Living History Group.

·      Participating in living history activities is fun & educational.

·      Children love living history activities & are able to share the experience with their parents.

·      Children who participate in Historical Trekking become used to carrying their own equipment & getting ready for the trek. IF a shtf situation should arise, the child knows what to do to get ready to leave, no fuss & no worries.

·      As a group member you can train with the local militia which is completely legal & does not attract unwanted attention.

·      You can learn many primitive living & survival skills including flint, steel & tinderbox fire lighting.

·      You can use a variety of period items & learn how to make your own clothing & equipment.

·      You can learn muzzle-loading, archery, sword fighting & tomahawk throwing.

·      You can participate in historical treks & get to actually use your equipment. In this way you are able to choose the right equipment to suit your needs & you will know that it all works.

·      You will learn to set up an oilcloth shelter & construct other primitive shelters.

·      Lone wolves can still take advantage of group membership either by learning from the group instructors, or by participating on the group’s internet forum.

This is the New England Colonial Living History Group 1680-1760 forum address if you are interested:  http://eighteenthcenturylivinghistory.freeforums.org/

Useful Information For On The Trail.

Not all of this will be relevant to your situation should you have to leave your home if or when the SHTF. But modern guerrilla warfare was based on the following 18th century rules, & I think they are worth taking note of.
Keith. 

Rogers Rangers Standing Orders 1759.

1.  Don't forget nothing.
2.  Have your musket clean as a whistle, hatchet scoured, sixty rounds powder and ball, and be ready to march at a minute's warning.
3.  When you're on the march, act the way you would if you was sneaking up on a deer.  See the enemy first.
4.  Tell the truth about what you see and what you do.  There is an army depending on us for correct information.  You can lie all you please when you tell other folks about the Rangers, but don't never lie to a Ranger or officer.
5.  Don't never take a chance you don't have to.
6.  When we're on the march we march single file, far enough apart so one shot can't go through two men.
7.  If we strike swamps, or soft ground, we spread out abreast, so it's hard to track us.
8.  When we march, we keep moving till dark, so as to give the enemy the least possible chance at us.
9.  When we camp, half the party stays awake while the other half sleeps.
10.  If we take prisoners, we keep 'em separate till we have had time to examine them, so they can't cook up a story between 'em.
11.  Don't ever march home the same way.  Take a different route so you won't be ambushed.
12.  No matter whether we travel in big parties or little ones, each party has to keep a scout twenty yards ahead, twenty yards on each flank and twenty yards in the rear, so the main body can't be surprised and wiped out.
13.  Every night you'll be told where to meet if surrounded by a superior force.
14.  Don't sit down to eat without posting sentries.
15.   Don't sleep beyond dawn.  Dawn's when the French and Indians attack.
16.  Don't cross a river by a regular ford.
17.  If somebody's trailing you, make a circle, come back onto your own tracks, and ambush the folks that aim to ambush you.
18.  Don't stand up when the enemy's coming against you.  Kneel down, lie down, hide behind a tree.
19.  Let the enemy come till he's almost close enough to touch.  Then let him have it and jump out and finish him with your hatchet.