The Wareham Minutemen and Militia formed in 2013 for the “Summer of Celebration," but they have no plans to break camp any time soon.

The group of 12 was one of the highlights of Wareham’s 275th birthday celebration and the 200th anniversary of British troops invading the town in the War of 1812.

In the months following the in-town celebrations, they’ve been busy helping others celebrate.

In August, the Minutemen battled the British at Rock Harbor in Orleans for the 200th celebration of that War of 1812 skirmish. They marched in Dartmouth’s 350th anniversary parade on Sept. 7. The next weekend, they were at Fort Taber in New Bedford for a two-day encampment and reenactment there. They marched in a Rhode Island parade and at Marion’s 4th of July parade. Later this year, they’ll march in Wareham's Veterans Day and Christmas parades.

On Columbus Day weekend, they will make their triumphant return to Wareham at A.D. Makepeace’s Cranberry Harvest Celebration, with an encampment and a reenactment there.

Captain Mack Phinney and Sergeant David Maxim are the only two holdovers from a similar group that formed in 1976 to celebrate America’s bicentennial. That group eventually disbanded, but the 2014 version—which does both 1812-style reenactments Revolutionary War reenactments—is still going strong.

“Things are a bit different—I have different perspectives from then and now, ” said Phinney.

He said that the overall seriousness of the other groups Wareham has performed alongside this year far surpasses those formed in the mid-1970s.

“The other groups have really honed their knowledge and interest in history. They’re better at it than they were in the bicentennial.”

Phinney said there's more red tape than in the '70's.

“It’s not as easy as it was. There are all sorts of rules and regulations and insurance you have to get involved with in order to have a group nowadays. It’s not quite as easy, and it’s not quite as fun, but we’re having a good time,” he said.

Phinney said the group is trying to improve the authenticity of its equipment and its reenactments.

Most members of the group come from Wareham, but there are two members from Bourne and two from Rochester. And more members of all sorts are sought.

“Most military groups of that time had at least a drummer, and that person would drum out the signals to the soldiers on the battle field,” said Phinney. “We’d really like to have someone who could do that.”

Husband and wife Howie and Claire Smith are both involved in the Minutemen and Militia, with Howie serving as commander and Claire as one of the camp-following wives.

“Everybody that got involved has a very strong interest in history, and we got into it and it’s been a lot of fun,” said Howie.

He said he’s gained a newfound respect for what it took to fight for a very young America.

“I have a lot of admiration for these people now having some idea of what they’ve had to go through in their everyday life,” he said. “The campsite, having to live the same way they did, it gives me a whole different perspective. They had a hard life.”

Claire said the group got a lot of help from other militias, such as the 13th Continental Regiment of Massachusetts from the greater-Rehoboth area, and that they’re looking to spread what they’ve learned to Wareham’s students through some educational programming.

“The militia really appreciated the other militias who came to help with the Wareham celebration, and we've been very happy to support them with their commitments in other towns,” said Claire. “It's been a lot of fun and we've really enjoyed learning the history of other towns as well."