This past weekend the Marine Corps League Detachment 708 held a reenactment of the Battle of Boston at the Hernando County Fairgrounds. This battle was an important early battle in the Revolutionary War. The militiamen were able to prevent the British soldiers from traveling by land, and after eleven months of fighting, the British retreated from Boston to Nova Scotia.
The event raised money for veterans and veteran organizations. Some organizations that will benefit from the event are K9 partners and the Disabled Veterans Association (DVA), as well as individual veterans who are having financial problems.
The purpose of this event was partially to fill the void left by the ending of the Brooksville Raid. Last year they reenacted the battle of Lexington and Concord, which was later categorized as the shot heard around the world by Ralph Waldo Emmerson because it was the first battle in the Revolutionary War. This battle was followed by Bunker Hill with the colonists because they fought the British soldiers head-on. They learned it was better to fight a guerilla warfare style which they did with good success in the Battle of Boston.
When asked why he chose the subject of the Battle of Boston, Marine Corps League Detachment 708 President Jim Bravico said, “I think this is something Hernando County needs. I know it’s something the schools need because they’re losing our history… I believe that we should learn from our history. We shouldn’t try to cover it up. So I think something like this will help us in the long run.”
There were dozens of reenactors. They came from all over the state to participate in the reenactment, such as the East Florida Rangers, who were the minutemen on the battlefield. Also present was the 42nd Battalion out of Georgia. Some Hernando County students took part in the battle or volunteered in booths.
Looking toward future events, Bravico said, “I have another idea I don’t want to say yet. I got to talk to certain people. See if we can do it. But I’m gonna try to bring this to the next level.”
The event was an opportunity for visitors to learn more about the Revolutionary War and the culture of that time period.
