It was a chilly evening in 1989, and outside of the walls of the Fort
Crown Point, Rick Sherman, Noel Levee, Bud Minor, Ram Minor, and Gavin Watt were
huddled around a campfire.
All came to the collective realization that they had been mulling
around in their individual minds — the concept
for an event that even these "free thinkers" considered impossible to
pull off, thus none had ever verbalized the idea before.
I am not sure who was the first to test the water by suggesting this
event, but ten minutes later the idea was a dream, one month later meetings
were being held with local politicians and historians from all over the
Schoharie and Mohawk Valleys, and one year later the largest event of it’s
kind was over, and a grand success.
This event was the recreation of Col. Sir John Johnson's Invasion of the
Mohawk and Schoharie Valleys, more commonly referred to by historians as
"The Johnson - Brant Raid of October 17th-19th, 1780", held on Columbus Day
Weekend in October of 1990.
The original invasion was the largest and most successful Loyalist raid
of the entire American War for Independence, and the 210th Anniversary
Commemoration was the largest event of it's kind.
Nearly 800 men-at-arms and over 1000 living history specialists (reenactors), spent three days recreating every action that took place during the original invasion. Not only was every action recreated, but it was held on the original ground.
The entire event covered over 60 miles, starting on Saturday at sunrise at
the Upper Fort site in the Southern Schoharie Valley, encompassing the Battle of Klock's field
in St. Johnsville, and the final battle, the battle of Johnstown, done at the site of the actual battle on O'Neil Ave. near Johnson Hall in Johnstown in the Mohawk Valley.
Over the three days, there were 5 major battles, and several burnings and
smaller skirmishes, plus military and civilian balls, civilian
interpretations, Grand Reviews, musketry firing from the tower of the Old
Stone Fort for the first time in 210 years, and much more.
The event was such a huge success that Rick, Bud and Noel decided that
possibly a stronger link could be forged between the recreated Regiments
serving in the Upstate New York State area. Art Bush, the founder of the
Loyalist Claus' Rangers, also joined the cause.
Thus the founding Regiments of the BVMA are:
- the 15th Regiment Albany County Militia - Schohary District,
under Rick Sherman
- Capt. Lytel's Coy 3rd Batt. Tryon County Militia ( now "Congress's Own" 1st Canadian Regt.), under Noel Levee
- 1st Foot Guard - Lt. Company, under Bud Minor and
- Claus' Rangers under Art Bush.
Honorary status was requested by the King's Royal Regiment of New York under
Gavin Watt, and the Burning of the Valleys Military Association was formed.
