Blackpowder Overview
We are the Black Powder group here at WWCCA and we’d like to welcome you to the Club.
We encourage you to attend the various meetings and get involved in all the activities available here at the club. Get to know people and ask questions. That’s the best way to navigate around and enjoy the place. If you don’t feel comfortable participating yet, then just come out and watch how things are done. Eventually you will get to know people and realize we’re all here for one main purpose…to have fun!!!
Our particular group, the Tonquish Muzzlerloaders of WWCCA, have our monthly meetings on the second Thursday of each month, at 7:30 p.m. Open to members you are encouraged to come out and introduce yourself. We are very eager to share our hobby with anyone who may be curious, so come on by! Our shoots consist of a monthly “walkthru” which is a variety of targets we’ve set up in the woods beyond the wall along the 200 yard range. The entrance to the walkthru is at the very southeast corner of the 200 yard range parking area. There is a sign marking the entrance. These walkthru’s are usually the first Sunday of every month, depending on our event schedule for that month, and usually at 10:00 a.m. However, read your “Clubhouse Window” to make sure as these dates change on occasion depending on our schedule. We also shoot sometimes on Saturdays and Wednesdays.
We hold to major Rendezvous’ every year here at the Club. The big one is the annual “Labor Day Weekend Rendezvous”, which is the largest primitive Rendezvous held in the state of Michigan. The other one is “The Wintering” held on the last full weekend of January. A much smaller affair but every bit as enjoyable as the other. We sometimes have a small campout on Memorial Day weekend, and sometimes also on the July 4th weekend, and these are very relaxing events as well.
Our Chairman is Greg “Shortcut” Baack. His phone number is on page 2 of your Clubhouse Window newsletter.
See below to see what it is that we do!!!
Blackpowder Monthly Article
In the June newsletter I addressed the Semiquincentennial (250) Anniversary of the United States which officially began by recognizing some of the pivotal events that preceded the Declaration of Independence. This month I will continue that recognition.
March 28, 1775 an impassioned plea was made by Patrick Henry (lawyer, planter, orator, politician,) at the Second Virginia Convention (Virginian legislators establishing constitutions of fundamental law for the colony of Virginia). Henry was continuing his practice for arguing against the many acts, especially the Stamp Act, of Parliament passed after the F&I war and his movement of thought towards American independence. In his 1765 speech opposing the Stamp Act he said “If this be treason, make the most of it.” He saw the Stamp Act as a threat to Virginians rights. Ten years later the Virginia legislature was addressing complaints about British actions and proposed that Virginia raise a militia recognizing that conflict with Britain was inevitable. “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God. I know not what course others may take: but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” His amendment was adopted. Sometimes I wonder how many Americans would willingly make the same choice today.
Fort Ticonderoga, in upstate New York sits on a strategic point between Lake Champlain and Lake George. It was originally established by the French and called Fort Carillon. In the shape of a star it was designed for defense. Virtually every wall of the fort’s walls could be covered by cross fire from other parts of the fort. During the F&I war it was captured by the British and renamed Fort Ticonderoga. The name is a corruption of an Iroquoian word referring to a place where two bodies of water meet. It would remain a British fort until Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys as well as Benedict Arnold captured the fort on May 10, 1775. In 1777 it would again fall into the hands of the British, led by General Burgoyne, but not before many of the canon were transported to Boston and used to break the siege of Boston in 1776. After capturing the fort General Burgoyne would press his advance but meet his match at Saratoga. After his defeat there the British would retreat and abandon Fort Ticonderoga.
In June, the 15th of 1775, the Second Continental Congress appointed a quite Virginian planter with military experience background to Commander in Chief of the American militias laying siege to Boston, an action that began after Lexington and Concord as the militias harassed and followed the British army back to Boston. Several New Englanders argued their officers should command the army surrounding Boston. Others thought that an outsider in command would truly make the militia a “Continental” army. A need for unity and common cause among the colonies motivated the delegates. An army drawn from all of the colonies with a Virginia commander would make the Massachusetts cause a struggle shared by the entire continent. Washington’s unanimous choice signified the beginning of a national cause. It also appeased the Virginia delegates and the participation of Virginia – the wealthiest and most populous colony – was essential to the success of the cause.
On July 5, 1775 a formal declaration to King George III by the colonists, now called the Olive Branch Petition was adopted by the Second Continental Congress as a final attempt to avoid declaring war. The petition reaffirmed the colonists loyalty to the crown and their rights as British subjects.
A day later on July 6. 1775 the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms to explain why the colonies had taken up arms and the hostilities at Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill and Ticonderoga had occurred. The Declaration describes what colonists viewed as the effort of the British Parliament to extend its control over the colonies. After decades of profitability for the merchants in England, as well as the colonies, arguably due to the Laissez-faire attitude of the King and Parliament prior to the French and Indian War (F&I War). Parliament was now taking away the long held practices and rights of the colonist for free trade as well as taxing them without mercy and without representation for the debt of the F&I War. A debt that only partially was incurred defending the 13 colonies located in North America. The Continental Congress, while declaring the colonies reasons for taking up arms, and reiterating the pleas made in petitions for the last ten years, state clearly that their actions were “in defense of the Freedom that is our Birthright and which we ever enjoyed until until the late Violation of it”. They add that they will “lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the Aggressors (Parliament). Perhaps with a nod to Patrick Henry the opening paragraph likens the colonies as being enslaved to the Legislature of Great Britain by violence. Unfortunately it would be ignored by the powers in England.
Important dates in September for Tonquish Muzzleloaders: the monthly meeting will be held the second Thursday of the month on September 11 at 7:30 pm in the Blacksmith Shop. Sept 20-22 – Oakland Fall Rendezvous. Also Sept 20-22 is the River of Time in Bay City. Attica One Day Rendezvous will be the 27th of September. September 26th to October 4th is the Eastern National Rendezvous in Pennsylvania. The Never Ending Gun Class will continue meeting on Thursdays at 7:00 pm.
Peace, Spellbinder