“Stuart’s Rangers” West Florida Loyalist Refugees: UWF Historic Trust Village

Name: “Stuart’s Rangers” West Florida Loyalist Refugees: UWF Historic Trust Village
Start: 2026-05-09T09:00:00-05:00
Location: Historic Pensacola

Schedule

Sat, 09 May, 2026 at 09:00 am

UTC-05:00

Location

Historic Pensacola | Pensacola, FL

May 9th is the UWF Historic Trust Open House in Pensacola.
On-site camping is approved, with arrival beginning May 8th.
If you’re interested in participating as the West Florida Loyal Refugees, send me a DM. This year marks the 249th anniversary of the unit’s founding, and it’s a great opportunity to help represent a lesser-portrayed part of the Revolutionary War. The site comprises 8.5 acres of preserved historic structures, including a colonial-style village.
Street parking is available around the surrounding block.
For the America 250th Celeberation this event is open to Revolutionary War impressions only.
*Stay tuned for more details; there might be plans for a skirmish in the works as well.*
In early 1778, James Willing’s raid down the Mississippi sent shockwaves through British West Florida. Patriot forces struck deep along the river, alarming colonial authorities and forcing an immediate response to reassert control and restore stability in the region.
For those of us portraying Stuart’s West Florida Loyal Refugees, we will be coming as Captain Pearis’ Company, returning from a March 1778 raid against a Patriot position at Manchac. American Patriots had established themselves in an abandoned Spanish fort along the Mississippi, using it as a base to threaten British authority and river traffic. In response, British forces were dispatched to counter Willing’s incursion and drive the rebels from the area.
Lieutenant Pearis, acting under orders from Captain Pearis, was given command of the operation. He was accompanied by Adam Chrystie, a locally known Loyalist active in British West Florida frontier operations. Moving against the Patriot position, the Loyalist force surprised the garrison. Eleven American Continentals were captured—several caught while on picket duty—while an additional twenty-two rebels escaped into the Old Spanish Fort. British losses were light, and once the remaining Americans withdrew to a stronger position, the Loyalist force disengaged rather than press the fight.
The eleven prisoners were then secured and escorted onward to Pensacola, where they were to be delivered to Governor Peter Chester of West Florida, marking a sharp British response to the Patriot challenge along the Mississippi.