The following is from an interview with Captain Steven M. Gardner of His Majesty's 54th Regiment of Foot in America, or the "Flaming 54th."

Gardner and a crew of fellow reenactors have descended on Wareham for the weekend for "Redcoats and Residents," which commemorates the 200th anniversary of Britain's attack on Wareham.

Why did you choose to join the military?

"My reasons to join are purely personal. I have an elder brother who manages the estate back in Essex, and I am not entitled to manage that property nor receive any of its benefits until, through progression, my elder brother expires. I am told he is in ill health due to syphilis and the pox, being loose with the women in town I'm told, and upon his demise I am to return and assume the county seat in Essex, probably either as a Duke or as a Count or hopefully a Lord. But until then I shall stay in the military and earn my way here. I enjoy the adventure and the prestige. I am making a lot of money. That's why I'm here.

Can you tell me about your career history?

"Well originally I started out chasing the French in the Seven Years War, which was interesting. I served here in the colonies for a brief period of time. Wounded, wounded in upstate New York I was, as they say, and I returned back to our base camp in Albany and then back to England where I was then allowed to purchase a higher commission from an ensign to that of a lieutenant in the 54th, and I have been here ever since."

Why have you invaded this country?

"I didn't invade, we were already here. The purpose was to keep you fine colonists in line. It's unfortunate you're being misled by a number of miscreants with some sort of highfalutin ideas that they can supposedly take care of you better with independence, which I do not believe. I believe in the firm rule of law and I think that His Majesty has the proper manner and plans to manage his colonies. But it is not for me to decide that, I am purely a military man following my orders, which are to suppress the rebellion in any way I see fit."

Do you think victory is assured for your army?

"I am totally agreed with victory. This is nothing more than putting on a show! Flashing the bayonets, a few good skull bashings, what you say, every once in a while, will keep them all in line. But unfortunately they are a persistent and pernicious lot of people. They just don't tend to fall at my feet and unfortunately I have to use a heavy, heavy hand upon them."

Can you tell me how your men are feeling?

"Well, they all told me today through their sergeants that they were all doing quite well, highly motivated, because they're fed quite well, as you can see from this sergeant here waving his sword about and his expressions of joy. The men don't complain much because we have an iron discipline here, and the good sergeant here enforces that by irons, as I would imagine. We keep people in line.  First it's a verbal tongue lashing, and then it turns into a lashing. The men are feeling good, very good, about this. Especially when they learn they're going to burn something to the ground."

Is that your specialty in this unit?

"Yes, the 54th, our career here in the colonies has been rather colorful. And one of the more unique parts of it is we are always being called upon to do some sort of raiding into some sort of seaport. Now, we've had the pleasure of visiting Newport, Rhode Island, Bristol, Warwick, Warren, New London, Connecticut, Groton, Fairfield, Ridgefield, Danbury, and also here in Massachusetts we were in Fairhaven and New Haven, and also I believe in New Bedford, and we had the delightful pleasure of assisting His Majesty's forces in the, let's just say, elimination of the stores that would potentially be used against His Majesty's forces such as warehouses, sawmills, gristmills, shipbuilding facilities, artillery pieces, and the list goes on. We even burn an occasional ship or two. But it seems to be with the men that they have very nimble fingers and they have no control over the torches, apparently they accidentally drop them. I never myself ordered the burning of anything, but when you walk into someone's house with a lit torch, I mean, something is bound to happen. I can't be there for everything, you know! But all that can be avoided. A good pint of ale will keep me away from your front door--that's that way we look at it."