Mas Menendez

Busy week, now that I've started to try to blog regularly again. As I mentioned in a previous post there were a lot of photographers at the Menendez Landing, two weeks ago in St. Augustine. The latest, and best I might add, pictures that I've seen posted on-line can be found here:

http://jackiehird.zenfolio.com/p321443822

The annual Founding Day heritage Event, commemorating the 445^th anniversary of the founding of the city of St. Augustine, was held on September 4, 2010, in St. Augustine, FL. The Event was hosted by Mission Nombre de Dios ( www.missionandshrine.org/ ), in partnership with the living history group, La Compañía de Santiago (The Company of St. James), a member unit of Florida Living History, Inc.

Menedez Landing Cannon Salute

Just found some video of the 12 cannon salute as Menendez landed.

Menendez Landing, St. Augustine, FL 2010

Cannons firing at the Menendez Landing 2010, Part 2

Menendez Landing & Casket Crawl

After a long reenactment absence over the summer I'm back. With the exception of a day at the Tampa Bay History center for Hermann Trappman's Obscured by Time: The Magic of Florida exhibit opening, I've done nothing outside of research, and armor repair since April. So I finally, after many tribulations not limited to expensive vehicle repairs and a dead gerbil, I got a daddy's day off and went to St. Augustine for the annual Menendez Landing reenactment last Saturday.
It has never been my favorite event, as it is a long drive (4+ hours) for me and until the past few years it was little more than the landing, mass and tailgate party. The sermon seemed endless (I recall one time when a gentlemen asked me to shot the Monsignor) and other than posing for photos the ceremony was over in about ninety minutes. Simply not worth the drive. of late, however, -I think largely in preparation for upcoming St. Augstine 450th anniversary - the Fountain of Youth has opened up the ground to reenactors . Giving us an opportunity to to do a weekend of living history, and me the chance to do more than dirty my musket with a couple of blackpowder salutes.


Here's the account of the original landing:

Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales:

The Founding of St. Augustine , 1565

"On Saturday, the 8th, the general landed with many banners spread, to the sound of trumpets and salutes of artillery. As I had gone ashore the evening before, I took a cross and went to meet him, singing the hymn Te Deum laudamus. The general marched up to the cross, followed by all who accompanied him, and there they kneeled and embraced the cross. A large number of Indians watched these proceedings and imitated all they saw done. The same day the general took formal possession of the country in the name of his Majesty, and all the captains took the oath of allegiance to him, as their general and governor of the country. When this ceremony was ended, he offered to do everything in his power for them, especially for Captain Patino..."

HFM's Men of Menendez provided said artillery support from the FOY grounds.
Nice shot of said artillery:
http://spotted.staugustine.com/photos/index.php?id=1988088&size=large

Whilst FLH's newly formed Company of Santiago did the reenactment on the mission side:
http://spotted.staugustine.com/photos/index.php?id=1989823&size=large

I don't know if Davis was singing the Te Deum but flags and banners were flying. We had an Indian but there were plenty of spectators in attendance.

The "casket crawl" mentioned in the title was a one off for this day. Menendez's casket (his bones are interned in Spain) had been in the Mission gift shop and was moved with great ceremony to as the center piece in the new museum on the Mission grounds. I'd been honored with a position as part of the casket detail, and wisely, asked, "how heavy and how far?" and got assigned as a flag bearer instead. At dinner that evening there was much good natured moaning and groaning about lengthened arms and neurological damage. After the pagentry and museum opening I got a chance to spend the rest of the day at FOY and joyfully getting some much need arquebus practice in.



Here are some new stories on the event:
Cannon fire Indian drums and pageantry at Mission
http://www.historiccity.com/2010/staugustine/news/florida/cannon-fire-indian-drums-and-pageantry-at-mission-5219

St. Augustine Thanksgiving a bit different
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2010-09-04/st-augustine-thanksgiving-bit-different

Menendez coffin moved
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2010-09-04/menendez-coffin-moved

At times it seemed that the number of credentialed photographers outnumbered the participants, some that I've found on-line thus far:

Photos:
My Gallery
http://spotted.staugustine.com/galleries/index.php?id=331603

Mission Nombre de Dios Museum
http://spotted.staugustine.com/galleries/index.php?id=331623

Landing Reenactment & Mass
http://spotted.staugustine.com/photos/index.php?id=1989823

Don Pedro Menendez Landing
http://spotted.staugustine.com/galleries/index.php?id=331588

Men of Menendez Commemorate St. Augustine 445th
http://spotted.staugustine.com/galleries/331638/

La Sociedad de la Entrada 1598

A few weeks ago I got an email from Dave Poulin in New Mexico asking to include Calderon's Company in his links. The least I can do refer back to the Sociedad de la Entrada. There are few enough of us of like mind out there, and I'm always glad correspond with them.

"De Soto's Footsteps: New Archaeological Evidence from Georgia" at Fernbank Museum of Natural History

I've been following the progress of the recent De Soto excavations in Georgia for some time now and I came across this news item, the other day:

http://www.accessatlanta.com/AccessAtlanta-sharing_/3-exhibits-to-keep-556833.html

"De Soto's Footsteps: New Archaeological Evidence from Georgia" at Fernbank Museum of Natural History

In a photo at the beginning of this modest-sized but fascinating exhibit, Ellen Vaughn, then a high school senior, holds a tiny glass bead in the palm of her hand. Her 2006 unearthing of the red, white and blue orb, in South Georgia's Telfair County, was the first clear evidence that Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto may have taken a different route through the region starting in 1540 than history has recorded.

Or so Fernbank's lead archaeologist, Dennis Blanton, concluded, as the earth yielded more trade beads -- plus pottery, pipes and stone tools -- during that summer's dig and subsequent ones.

"Each time we come, new questions are raised, and we feel an obligation to come back and try and answer those," Blanton says in a five-minute video that's one of the exhibit highlights.

Beyond tracking the conquistador and his small army -- which was searching for food, information and riches -- the exhibit provides a intriguing glimpse at the archaeological process. There's information here appropriate for students age 6 through high school.

Getting the chance to study seven of the glass beads and other discoveries in a viewfinder doubtlessly will make some of the younger visitors take trowels and brushes to their back yards as soon as they get home.

Through March 1. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. $15 adults, $14 students/seniors, $13 ages 3-12, free members and ages 2 and under. 767 Clifton Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-929-6300, www.fernbankmuseum.org.

I'm glad to see the artifacts going on exhibition. I don't know if I'll get up to ATL anytime soon, so if anyone does let me know how it is. The Museum's website shows a photo of beads, mostly faceted chevrons, but the article mentions metal objects.

http://www.fernbankmuseum.org/exhibitions/special/DeSoto/

Drake's Raid 2010 Video

Not the best quality either in terms of video,(w- no sound), or combat as its a rather ragged volley. But still where else can you see reenactors shooting down the middle of the street?


Sir Francis Drake's Raid 2010 - Musket volley
http://vimeo.com/12372554

Drake's Raid 2010

Long time, no blog.

I missed the mayhem again this year, but there are news stories and photos on the event.

In the News: Drake Takes City Once Again
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2010-06-06/drake-takes-city-once-again

Re-enactment of Sir Francis Drake's Raid on St. Augustine
http://photos.jacksonville.com/mycapture/category.asp?eventID=1018787&CategoryID=17901

Drake's Raid 2010
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wskunze/sets/72157624218137736/