Old Bedford Village: The Conclusion

With fixed bayonets the British troops swept the opposing forces from the field

A casualty lies upon the field of battle

Of course this series was that of a reenactment conducted at Old Bedford Village. The action appears much better in photographs than it did while watching it unfold for the re-enactors exercised the utmost care to prevent “real” causalities.

Reoccurring among the various comments on this series is mention of the bright uniforms and the massed formations used in the fighting of that day. One must remember that with the uses of these tactics the Great British Empire ruled much of the world. With the inaccurate and slow rate of fire of the arms of that day, the massing of men and firepower was of much more consequence than stealth. The bright uniforms and large hats made the forces appear larger than life, scaring the opposition more than if they had been concealed.

Changes in weaponry relegated these tactics to antiquity; what a shame that the same cannot be said about all war!