School of the Renaissance Soldier, 16-18 April 2010

After hearing tales from John and Pia about SRS, I finally made the time to go. It is a private, participants-only, all-period-all-the-time event. It is intended to teach participants some of the historically accurate military maneuvers from the time of the English Civil War and Thirty Years War.



This year's event got moved at the last minute to Camp Tamorancho in the rolling hills of Marin County. Sadly, this meant that the cavalry couldn't participate, because there was precious little level ground for them to ride. Instead, the drills were specifically for pikemen and musketeers. There was also one cannon crew who made many a goodly BOOM!





Camp followers like Pia and I got to tend camp while the men (and some military women) were away, or bring water to the troops as they drilled and skirmished. Water-bearing meant I could wander about and sometimes follow a quiet trail, and to take photos of the action. I think that next year I might help in the kitchen a bit, if only to learn some open fire cooking techniques.



At night the tavern was open, and there was much drinking, singing and gambling. Of course.



Some of the more seasoned camp followers devised a competition that filled time here and there. One task was to hold two jugs of water with arms outstretched. I was napping at the time, so could be wrong, but it sounded like they were using the Hail Mary as a timekeeper.



I never did find out what the second task was. An evening competition in the tavern consisted of looting the fallen. Ten men got to have their clothes and body parts rifled in the pursuit of gold. The final competition was a dice roll, but I got distracted by something else. The winner bore a crown of golden furze, and the fame of being the first best camp follower.



Our next-tent neighbor was Lodema the Potter, and Pia and I made off with many a piece of her wonderful crockery. She came with 80 pieces, and went home with only six. There was also a participant who had a number of leather bottles and knives for sale, but I resisted. Pia came home with a nice bottle, and John a rondelle.




Our table, with many of Lodema's wares

John, Pia and I, along with Lodema, Patrick (Col. Gaul) and Barry (Cpt. Syler), stayed over on Sunday night. The Camp Tamorancho manager, Linda, graciously invited us to dinner. Homemade lentil and split pea soups and a baked pasta dish made a wonderful cap to the weekend. Some of us were even able to dine fresh and clean, thanks to a belatedly revealed shower. Oh bliss!



This really was the best event I've been to. Ren Faires are fun because of all the frolicking and shopping, but they're hardly accurate. And there are people in T shirts and shorts drinking Budweiser out of a plastic cup. American Civil War reenactments are infested with too many people who take themselves far too seriously. I've only day-tripped to one Rendezvous, but I think it holds a close second to SRS.

For more photos, please visit S.N. Jacobson's (Jacob) site, David Luckhart's (Lt. Thorne) Flicker page and Stacy's Flicker page.