HISTORY COMES ALIVE AS REDCOATS AND INDIANS SKIRMISH AT FORT

METROPOLIS, Ill. -- Wearing a feathered Indian headdress, nose ring and bright red military jacket, savage-looking Ted Belue walked to the front lines to discuss terms of surrender between the French and British troops. The British commander took one look, pulled his knife and stabbed him.

Such was the life of a white man living the life of an Indian during the late 1700s, said Belue, one of more than 500 reenactors taking part in the 23rd annual Fort Massac Encampment at Metropolis, Ill. Reenactors portray the time from the 1750s through about 1814.

The encampment continues today from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Over the two days, more than 100,000 visitors are expected at the park.

By day, Belue is a mild-mannered history professor at Murray State University and author of a new book on early American history.

But on weekends for 15 years Belue has relived the past through reenactments like the one at Fort Massac.

"Ever since the third or fourth grade I have been fascinated by American frontier history," Belue said, standing in a tent with a garrison of French marines.

Belue's savage costume, he explained, depicts a white man who lived with Indians. The costume, he said, emulates eye witness accounts of Daniel Boone and others around 1775. Often these characters were diplomats and mediators between Indians and whites. They also helped recruit Indian fighters for French and sometimes British troops.

Roger Ressel, a reenactor from Cape Girardeau, said he, like most reenactors, got involved with living history events because of an interest in history. "You learn a lot more about history by living it than by reading books," Ressel said. "For some of these people, it has become a lifelong pursuit."

Dale Black of St. Jacob, Ill., has been reenacting for 20 years. He shared some experiences with newcomer Dick Falat of Carbondale as they waited for Saturday's battle to begin. The two are members of the Illinois Ranger Militia. All the groups relive events that happened to real military organizations. The militia, for example, served as a volunteer civilian police force in Southern Illinois during the 1800s.

Authentic is the name of the game for reenactments. Mike Hines, a bag piper with the 42nd Royal Highland pipe and drum corps, explained the role the 42nd Highlanders played at Fort Massac. "We held the fort until the British lost the Revolutionary War. Then we were sent back to Scotland and then on to India."

Despite the authenticity of the reenactors' costumes and equipment, Fort Massac was never the site of any battle. The site changed hands over the years from the French to the British to the Americans. But the fort only once came under fire. A group of Cherokee unsuccessfully attacked.

But daily battles take place during the encampment to show off military tactics and entertain spectators. Reenactors fire blanks in their black-powder muskets and cannons. But the noise sounds real. And a number of reenactors are "killed" on the battlefield each time.

Black, the reenactor from St. Jacob, Ill., predicted he would remain standing in the battle "until I get tired or run out of ammunition."

Belue, however, fell victim to the knife at battle's center stage -- at least until the skirmish was over. Then he, like all the other casualties of Saturday's battle walked off the field ready to fight another day.

Who knows? Perhaps today, the French and Indians will win.

Terry Johnson, site administrator, recommends that visitors park in the free parking area outside the park and ride the shuttle to the encampment. Parking inside the park is limited.

FORT MASSAC SCHEDULE

9:30 a.m. Old time gospel service

10 a.m. Posting of the colors - forts

10:30 a.m. 42nd Royal Highlanders Bagpipe Band - battleground

11 a.m. Colonial Fife and Drum Corp - Battleground

Children's puppet show

11:30 a.m. Arrival of Voyageur Canoes - river

Great Rivers Fife and Drum Corp welcomes voyageurs - river

12 p.m. Music of the 18th century - stage

12:30 p.m. 18th century children's games - stage

1 p.m. Children's puppet show - stage

1:30 p.m. Ladies Tea living history

2 p.m. Music of the 18th century - stage

Colonial Fife and drum Corp - battleground

3 p.m. Mock battle and military tactical demonstration - battleground

4 p.m. Great Rivers Fife and Drum Corp - battleground

4:30 p.m. Military retreat ceremony, closing activity - forts.