Several dozen history buffs from across the state and as far as Albuquerque are getting ready to make some history in Julian this weekend. They’re cleaning their muskets and battle gear and polishing the buttons on their 19th century uniforms. They’re reenacting a portion of Napoleon’s Grande Armee during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s in Europe. They make it so real, down to last bit of gun powder, that they call it living history.
The 30 or so reenactors are from the California Napoleonic Reenactments group, which stages living history events to recreate life during the Napoleonic era, especially the military aspects of the Napoleonic Wars. The group will set up camp at Julian Farm and Orchard and will let the public come and take part May 3-4.
There will be drill and tactical skirmishes with weapons, uniforms and equipment made like the ones of that era, down to the last detail. The event is slated to include dueling demonstrations, muster and inspection, open field battle and cavalry demonstration.
This event is focused on the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoros, which occurred on the border of Spain and Portugal from May 3-5 in 1811.
“We want to give everyone a feel for what it was like then and how soldiers lived while on campaign and how they often struggled while away from home. Our intent is to bring history to life and give it more dimension, relatability and immediacy than what one can read from a book,” said Jeffrey Hedgecock, who is spearheading this event and is owner of Ramona-based Historic Enterprises Inc., which creates reproductions of historical items for history reenactors worldwide.
Nearly four decades ago, Hedgecock got started reenacting 15th century medieval history and began crafting replica arms and armor professionally in 1987. He formed a 1470’s-focused group five years later and narrowed his focus to portraying a “mounted man at arms” when he got a horse in 1997.
“That led to the fulfillment of a childhood dream of jousting in 2003 at the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, England,” Hedgecock said. “I was the first American to have been invited there and I had to pinch myself when thinking about having been included,” said Hedgecock, who jousted at the Armouries until 2010. He formed the Order of the Crescent jousting team in 2005. “We were the only team to win the team tournament at the Armouries three times consecutively in 2007, 2008, 2009,” Hedgecock said.
Hedgecock competed in jousting tournaments in nine countries around the world, organized an international jousting tournament in Poway from 2007 to 2015, and continued performing jousting at renaissance fairs in the Southwest until last year.
“Through nearly my entire medieval reenactment career, in the back of my mind I’d always wanted to participate in Napoleonic reenactment as a French light cavalryman, known as the “Hussars.” His interest was sparked by the 1977 movie “The Duellists.”
Through his jousting connections in he got to participate in the 200th anniversary reenactment of Napoleon’s last battle, the famous Battle of Waterloo in 1815. He made his own uniform and horse gear and went to Belgium to participate with the 5th Hussars, a group of about 12 riders.
There were 6,200 reenactors, 330 horses and 120 cannons, which drew more than 80,000 spectators, according to Hedgecock.
Now he’s trying to share that excitement with the community through his Napoleonic reenactments. His wife, Gwen Nowrick, who has participated in medieval period reenactments and who constructed the clothing for their reenactment supply business, will prepare food from the Napoleonic era for the reenactors based on her research.
The research is part of the “detective work” that Hedgecock says goes into making an authentic reenactment.
“My favorite part of the reenactments is understanding the life people led long ago and knowing that people throughout history face many of the same struggles we do today,” Hedgecock said.
Hedgecock looks at the event as a window into the past, which most people wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to experience.
“I’ve been involved in reenactments for a long time, and in the end it’s about respecting our ancestors’ lives through our recreation of their history,” Hedgecock said.
The reenactment is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 3-4 at the Julian Farm and Orchard, 4381 Julian Highway. Entry is $10 per person over the age of 3. Visit julianfarmandorchard.com/and https://historicenterprises.com/.
