2023 March: September 25-October 7, 2023.

2023 March Schedule

Every person participating on the March must sign the OVTA Lability Wavier and Code of Conduct Form and attend a safety briefing.

Anyone firing a firelock at any OVTA event must have the OVTA Blackpowder training.

Anyone firing a firelock at Cowpens and Kings Mountain NP must also have taken the OVTA Blackpowder training.

Meals on your own unless otherwise indicated.

Following is a day-by-day schedule of the reenactment including a short description of each day’s walk, logistics and planned activities. Last minute changes to the schedule will likely occur so please be patient when that happens.

Trail walking information is a separate document and can be found on the OVTA website. The trail information is a work in progress and needs a lot of updating. Information for the updates is being collected.

This year’s March Officers are:

Grand Marshall David Doan 423-366-8091 daviddoan@hotmail.com

Trail Marshall Tom Vaughn 423-366-8639 tpvaughan@aol.com

Director of Interpretations Steve Ricker 423-278-0439 primitivetrails@gmail.com

Safety Officer Jane Doan 423-366-8092

Safety Officer Dalton Wade 423-620-8297

Ordinance Mel McKay 423-930-5552

Wilkes/Surry Marshall R G Absher 336-902-1760

Marion Marshall John Garrou

Morganton Marshall Bryant Lindsey

2023 March Schedule

Revised 9/17/2023

Saturday, September 16

10:00am-5:00pm OVTA Day: Kings Mountain: The Overmountain Men Story Rocky Mount State Historic Site

Sunday, September 17

2:00pm Campbell gravesite service

Following Campbell service Brody gravesite service

Monday, September 18

9:00am-2:00pm Abingdon Call to Arms Muster Grounds Abingdon, VA

Tuesday, September 19

9:00am-2:00pm Abingdon Call to Arms Muster Grounds Abingdon, VA

Wednesday, September 20

9:00am-2:00pm Abingdon Call to Arms Muster Grounds Abingdon, VA

Friday, September 22

8:30am-11:30am Sullivan East Middle School program

6:00pm-8:00pm The Parting Shots @ “The Tavern” (NPS) The Tavern restaurant, Abingdon, VA

Saturday, September 23

10:00am Fort Watauga Muster Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park

10am, 1pm, 4pm Guided Hikes (NPS) Muster Grounds, Abingdon, VA

6:00pm The Night Before Muster Grounds Abingdon, VA

Sunday, September 24

Col William Campbell and his men leave the Muster Grounds. Col Shelby & Col Sevier’s men head toward Fort Watauga

10:00am Fort Watauga Muster Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park

10:00am Muster Grounds Muster Muster Grounds Abingdon, VA

2:00pm Muster Grounds Ceremony Muster Grounds Abingdon, VA

2:00pm Constitution Week Bell Ringing Bogart Bowman Cabin

6:00pm Rocky Mount Public Program Rocky Mount

Encamp:Rocky Mount Actual: Ft Womack

The Gathering

Monday, September 25

Col’s Campbell, Shelby, and Sevier and their men arrive at Fort Watauga

2:00pm Watauga River crossing Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park

Following river crossing “Campaign to Kings Mountain” public program Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park

Following public program Jerry Mustin memorial service Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park

Encamp: Sycamore Shoals Actual: Sycamore Shoals (Fort Watauga)

The March Begins

Tuesday, September 26

The Overmountain Men leave Fort Watauga heading toward Shelter Rock/Resting Place looking for Major Patrick Fergusson

11:00am Rev Doak Sycamore Shoals Elizabethton, TN

9:00am Walk Yellow Mountain Meet at Roan Mountain Community Park

6:00pm Roan Mountain program & music (Virginia Boys) Roan Mountain Community Park

Encamp: Roan Mountain Community Park Actual: Shelving Rock/Resting Grounds

Wednesday, September 27

The Overmountain Men cross Roan Mountain at Yellow Mountain Gap, drill and roll call, find two men are missing

Col Cleveland and his men leave Wilkes Surry

9:00am Sibelco School Day and Sevier gravesite

6:00pm Orchard at Altapass meal and program

Encamp:Apple Orchard Actual: Roaring Creek

Thursday, September 28

The Men continue along trail

9:00am Carson House Living School Day Carson House

Encamp:Carson House Actual: Grassy Creek

Friday, September 29

The Overmountain Men divide into two groups to follow the two trails (North Cove & Turkey Cove) off the mountain

5:00pm Guided Hike (NPS) Visitor Center, Lake James State Park

6:00pm Patty Creek evening program

Encamp: Patty Creek Visitor Center/Campground Actual: North Cove & Turkey Cove

Saturday, September. 30

The two groups join back together and camp at Quaker Meadows, Wilkes Surry Militia under Col Ben Cleveland join the Overmountain Men at Quaker Meadows

10am, 1pm Guided Hike (NPS) Visitor Center, Lake James State Park

1:00pm-5:00pm Living History Day McDowell House, Morganton, NC

Encamp: Patty Creek Visitor Center/Campground Actual: Quaker Meadows

Sunday, October 1

The combine Militia head toward Gilbertown crossing the Catawba River, heavy rain begins, camp at Bedford Hills

11:00am Sunday Church service Quaker Meadows Presbyterian Church

12:00pm Guided Bike Ride (NPS) Catawba Greenway, Morganton, NC

2:00pm Monument dedication & River crossing (actual date) Greenlee Ford, Morganton, NC

Encamp: Lucky Strike Campground or Scout Camp Actual: Bedford Hills

Monday, October 2

Heavy rain continues, Overmountain Men remain in camp, officers elect Col Campbell as overall commander

Pond Mountain

Encamp: Lucky Strike Campground Actual: Bedford Hills

Tuesday, October 3

Militia head toward Gilbertown

9:00am Wilkes School Day Wilkes Heritage Museum

4:30pm Guide Hike (NPS) Purple Mountain Trail

6:00pm Rutherfordton program Kiwanis Park

Encamp: Church next to Kiwanis Park? (Scout Camp backup) Actual: Marlins Knob

Wednesday, October 4

Arrive at Gilbertown, Ferguson is gone

9:00am Elkin School Day Elkin Municipal Park

7:00-8:00am Breakfast by DAR Rutherfordton Scout Cabin

8:50am Golbert School Day Gilbert Town

4:30pm Guided Hike (NPS) Alexanders Ford

Gray’s Chapel public evening program Gray’s Chapel

Encamp: Grays Chapel Actual: Gilbertown

Thursday, October 5

The Militia head southwest and camp at Alexander’s Ford on the Green River. They learn from scouts that Ferguson is marching toward Charlotte Town and the protection of Cornwallis’s army.

7:00am Breakfast Pleasant Hill Church

9:00am Polk County School Program Gray’s Chapel/ Alexanders Ford

Encamp: Cherokee Co History & Arts Museum Actual: Alexanders Ford

Friday, October 6

The Militia head toward Cowpens and join with militia from South Carolina, Georgia and Lincoln Co., NC.

At 9 pm militia of best 900 men leave in pouring rain and head toward Kings Mountain

TBA

4:00pm Cherokee Ford Trail hike (NPS event) Wolf Den Lane, Gaffney, SC

5:00pm Guided Walk (NPS) Cowpens National Battlefield

6:00pm The Night before Kings Mountain program Cowpens National Battlefield

Encamp: Cherokee Co History & Arts Museum Actual: Cowpens

Saturday, October 7