It was two years earlier than quill was even put to parchment for the Declaration of Independence when a militia often known as the Kentish Guards was shaped to guard East Greenwich from the Tories. It was 1774, and Guards’ purpose was to attract a Colonial line within the harbor and strongly urge the British to take a protracted swim throughout the Atlantic again to the crown. 

Now, practically 250 years later, the Kentish Guards stays an energetic militia unit below its constitution with Rhode Island, having taken half within the Revolutionary Warfare, the Warfare of 1812, the Dorr Rise up, the Civil Warfare and the Spanish-American Warfare. 

“We have by no means been disbanded. We nonetheless maintain the constitution signed by Colonists,” mentioned Theo Aschman, the Kentish Guards’ commandant, who holds the rank of colonel.  “We’re dedicated to the historical past to what individuals did to protect our liberty.”

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Now, as an alternative of dealing with off in opposition to the redcoats, the Kentish Guards participate in ceremonial and historic duties, together with as members at each gubernatorial inauguration. Nonetheless, they practice, they drill, keep their armory in East Greenwich, conduct goal apply with muskets, fly their colours at public celebrations — all of the issues that troopers may do, besides participate in fight. 

“We can’t be despatched to Afghanistan,” Aschman joked, stating that the Kentish Guards unit is technically a part of the Rhode Island Nationwide Guard, and shortly including, “I am not even positive they know that.” 

A brand new chapter of their historical past ebook

However over the past two years there actually has been a altering of the guard. 

One, the Kentish Guards now name themselves a historic militia as a result of the phrase “militia” has taken on a political connotation that doesn’t painting the unit’s mission. 

“We’re non-political and apolitical,” Aschman mentioned, including that the violence on Jan. 6 in Washington has usurped the historic definition of a militia summoned to guard patriots unwilling to bend to British rule. 

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Secondly, the Guards unit now has extra ladies than at some other time in its historical past. Three years in the past, there have been none. Now there are 5. 

Lori Grenier, who holds the place of captain and is among the many Guards’ highest-ranking ladies, approached the Kentish Guards two years in the past. She first thought of becoming a member of the Fife and Drum Corps.

However, as Grenier admitted, dealing with a musical instrument wasn’t her most stellar audition. “However,” she was requested, “how are you with a gun?”

Seems, fairly good. Her former husband was a hunter and taught her the fundamentals.

“I’d hang around duck looking. I favored the thought of the persistence it took and the pioneer spirit of all of it.  Ladies again then needed to discover ways to shoot to take care of predatory animals,” she added with amusing, “and predatory males.”

“However I don’t need to kill animals for meals,” she mentioned. “I can go to Cease & Store.”

She took classes on dealing with a musket and methods to make ammunition. She realized methods to hearth a musket and finally was promoted to captain.

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The ripple impact of admitting ladies

Grenier’s entry into the Guards was on the time, pun supposed, revolutionary. 

“These early days weren’t simple,” she mentioned, describing it as a bit “cantankerous.” 

Aschman mentioned the unique bylaws, written centuries in the past, wanted to be up to date. Nonetheless, some older members of the Guards held on to the notion that the unit was presupposed to be an all-male unit as a nod to historical past, and didn’t imply it as a problem to ladies’s rights. 

“The unique constitution had the phrase ‘males’ in it. It was not anticipated that in the future we would come with ladies,” Aschman mentioned. “We modified the bylaws to confess women and men.”

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Now, Grenier helps with recruiting extra ladies into the ranks. Ladies at present serving with the Kentish Guards embrace a surgeon (who’s a doctor in actual life), fifers and a clerk.

For Grenier, the ripple impact of girls becoming a member of the ranks of the Kentish Guards may be seen on the streets of Rhode Island when she marches in full regalia  and a younger lady yells, “Mommy, look, it’s a woman. It’s a woman,” and Grenier realizes that the mixed definition of girls, soldier and historical past is being rewritten.  

Combating phrases for the Guards 

Should you come throughout a member of the Kentish Guards, except you need to encounter a chilly stare or the enterprise finish of a musket, keep away from two phrases: costumes and reenactors.

“Do not name them costumes,” Grenier pointedly instructed an interviewer. “They are uniforms.” She defined that they’re genuine replicas of the unique Kentish Guards uniforms and are made out of 100% wool. They’re custom-made and, for the ladies, specifically tailor-made. 

“After they bought their uniforms, they needed to put on it yr spherical, summer time, winter, for so long as the warfare lasts or as lengthy you lived,” she added. 

Additionally, Aschman defined {that a} reenactor is a civilian who takes half in restaging historical past, whereas the Kentish Guards, who take an oath as troopers and are not actors, are historical past.

David Ng is government editor of The Windfall Journal. E-mail him at dng@providencejournal.com.