The "Citizen Soldier," "Minuteman,” and "Volunteer," were hardened sons of pioneers, the backbone of our early Nation's defense. While Washington debated the need for levies of troops, the "fog of war" was already shaping the borders of the continent that would define North America to this day. It was these farmers, tradesmen, and professionals from new territorial towns who heard the call and marched to the country's immediate needs.
Barely entities, Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky were full of self-made adventurers and free-spirited individualists who would not wait for proclamations. Instead, they joined up in great numbers and waded across vast stretches of territory to confront and challenge the British empire in the Nation's, "Second War of Independence.”

The development of the regiment stemmed from the fact that recreated 1812 Battle Engagements and Reenactments lacked an important element. The “Citizen Soldier,” who has been traditionally portrayed in today's recreated Battle Tacticals, did not have the look and feel of a collective military unit. More of a concern was the fact that many interested uniformed interpreters were bringing uniforms from earlier time periods to portray the "frontier militia" as they looked in the 18th century, not in 1812.

The volunteer groups being recreated were some of the most patriotic and fervent supporters of the war, they were not "shrinking violets." On the contrary, they were the most ardent supporters of rights of the Republic, and felt their direct and immediate actions would bring the situation to a decisive end.

The 1st Regiment is originally based on the 1st Regiment of Kentucky Volunteers, (Captain Sebree's Company). The Kentucky Volunteer was distinguished by the fiery oratory of Kentucky's war hawk Governor Shelby who saw the infringement of British rule and their Indian allies as an assault on the sovereignty of the republic.
Our current vision for the First Regiment is to build flexibility into the impression to portray volunteer companies, not just as they appeared in the Old Northwest, but also on the Niagara Frontier.