SAN PASQUAL: Re-enactments return to battlefield

Park completes fire damage repairs

By ELENA CRISTIANO - For the North County Times | Friday, October 10, 2008 5:11 PM PDT ∞

Jim Caldwell, Tom Vilicich and Mary Lou Jimenez team up to fire this 12-pound 1841 mountain howitzer during a demonstration last Sunday at the San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park on a hillside of the San Pasqual Valley, overlooking the Mexican-American War battle site. (Photo by Don Boomer - staff photographer)

Tom Vilicich, dressed as a first sergeant of Company K, 1st U.S. Dragoons, talks to people about the Battle of San Pasqual during a demonstration last Sunday at the San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park on a hillside of the San Pasqual Valley, overlooking the Mexican-American War battle site. (Photo by Don Boomer - staff photographer)

Tom Vilicich, in character as a first sergeant of Company K, 1st U.S. Dragoons, checks his pocket watch before a demonstration at the San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park in the San Pasqual Valley, which overlooks the Mexican-American War battle site. The re-enactment includes the American soldiers' campsite after the battle. (Photo by Don Boomer - staff photographer)

SAN PASQUAL VALLEY ---- After the Witch Creek fire raced through the San Pasqual Valley last October, the organizers of history events at the San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park were forced to call it quits for a while.

But the association is back in business and needs volunteers to help pull off upcoming events, especially for Dec. 7, Battle Day.

A burned-out footbridge; dangling, scorched power poles; and the remains of two old school buildings made the park unsafe for visitors after the wildfires, and the California State Parks and San Pasqual Battlefield Volunteer Association had to close operations.

The association had hosted monthly living-history days and an annual battle re-enactment for 20 straight years before that.

The fight between the vastly outnumbered United States dragoons and the Californio lancers Dec. 6, 1846, is recorded as the bloodiest battle in California during the Mexican War.

Each year, on the Sunday closest to the battle's anniversary date, the association reproduces Battle Day, a re-enactment featuring horse-riding volunteers dressed in period attire. Real 1840s-style black-powder weapons are fired, and the audience gets a true feel for history.

With final repairs to the park completed just a few weeks ago, the group held its first living-history day since the fire last Sunday.

According to one of the founders of Battle Day, Leroy Ross of Vista, the biggest challenge facing the group is that people might have forgotten about the park during its year-long closure.

"We must get young people started early in history, especially local history," said Ross. "This is the battle that really won California for the United States."

While the year of down time may be a problem, the World War II veteran said that "soldiers never give up."

The association is seeking volunteers for its upcoming events, including school programs geared toward fourth-graders, the living history days and, particularly, Battle Day.

Needed for the Dec. 7 event are about a dozen people willing to dress up as dragoons, Californios and mountain men, as well as docents to give tours, and folks with arts and crafts experience to help with the children's activities.

According to association President Tom Vilicich, plans for the 2008 Battle Day include tribal period dancers, a military encampment, "needle in the haystack" hunts, and talks from San Pasqual Indian "Running Runyon." Craft demonstrations will feature dipping candles, weaving baskets, and making cornhusk dolls and adobe bricks ---- during which latter activity the children reportedly love getting muddy.

This year's Battle Day will also feature the Salute to the Fallen, a memorial service that names all the battle's dead. Streamers for each of the deceased from Companies C and K will be attached to guidons ---- the marker flags used during the period.

"All the events are free," said Vilicich. "What we really need is public support."

To volunteer, call Vilicich at (951) 674-0185.

San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park and Museum is at 15808 San Pasqual Valley Road in Escondido, east of the San Diego Wild Animal Park. It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is free. Call (760) 737-2201 or visit www.sanpasqual.org.

San Pasqual Battlefield Volunteers Association events

Living-history days -- First Sunday of each month

Battle Day -- 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dec. 7

Cultural history program for grades 3-5 -- January through mid-November -- Contact: Darlene Hansen (760) 480-6320

History discussions -- Third Tuesday of each month except December at the Escondido Public Library, second floor boardroom