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| Used with permission from John Larson |
INTRODUCTION
Last year I wrote about the reenactment
of the fictitious Civil War Battle of Temple Junction organized by the Major Robert M. White Camp #1250, Sons of Confederate Veterans. This year I
returned to the event and am writing the inside story about the
occasion.
While many Texans served on both sides
during the historical Civil War, there were relatively few battles
actually fought in Texas proper. So, there was no period battle
fought in or near Temple, Texas. However, interest in the Civil War
remains strong in the area, so the local government, some businesses
and organizations and not a few individuals keep the memory alive
through their sponsorship: City of Temple Economic Development Corp., Bell County
Historical Commission, Dossey Family, Saddler Civil War Mercantile
Co. & Concentus Media Group.
Of the several hundreds of
participants, vendors and visitors, most probably have their own
reasons for attending. While I was there, I had the privilege of
meeting many of them and learning their reasons for participating.
These reasons ranged the full spectrum from those who felt they were
fighting the war afresh to those who were compelled (by their parents
for example) to be there. In between was a full spectrum of more
typical reasons which I will attempt to describe below.
IT'S FUN
I went because it's fun. Among the
things I enjoyed as a child were camping, playing soldier with my
peers and discovering new things. As an adult, my likes have changed
mostly in their level of sophistication. This event offered all of
that and more. Reenactors live in conditions that approximate those
of the period. That means we live in tents, wear period clothes, cook
on open fires and use period technology in most applications. For
example, the firearms used are original or more likely replicas of
period pieces. Many subtle improvements for convenience and safety
have been made in terms of the materials used (like modern steel in
the firearms), clever implements that probably didn't exist (like gas
stoves) but could have, tent frame construction, cooking techniques
(ice chests are a must these days) and etc. So, camping is covered!
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| UNION REENACTORS CHAT OVER BREAKFAST |
Mostly men and some women (women didserved in uniform and as spies, messengers or nurses on both sides ofthe Civil War, though surreptitiously) play the roles of soldiers,
and more women play the role of camp followers such as wives, sutlers
(vendors) and the like. Some reenactors play strictly Union or
Confederate, but most play both sides as some balance in the numbers
is needed for realism. I belong to an ostensibly Confederate unit,
but play Union with equal enthusiasm when called upon. Typically I am
part of an artillery crew, but serve in the role of infantry too.
Last year in Temple I was artillery, this year I was infantry.
Perhaps when I am more affluent and skilled I will consider cavalry.
We soldiers march, shoot and pretend to die in battle. So, playing
soldier is covered too!
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| SPECTATORS WATCH ARTILLERY FIRE |
Then there's learning new things. I've
only been to four reenactments and two training sessions so far, but
have seen an amazing display of ingenuity and historical research.
The variety of firearms is phenomenal; only exceeded in scope by the
clever camp furniture and implements of all kinds. Some
innovations are as simple as cooking biscuits over an open fire by
clamping them between two pie plates. Other discoveries are like a
wooden display rack for rifles that is intricately made, but very
simple to set up and break down into a conveniently small and
portable package. (I'm also impressed by the folding tables and
chairs made from recycled wooden pallets.) There is also a nearly
infinite variety of stories to hear told by interesting people with
active minds and very colorful experiences. So, discovering new
things is also covered.
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| ALLEN HEARREN'S HOME MADE RIFLE RACK |
It's definitely fun!
IT'S EDUCATIONAL
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| TWO BOYS CHAT DURING A DEMONSTRATION OF PERIOD SURGICAL TECHNIQUES |
I first learned about the Civil War
from a set of American Heritage magazines we kept at home when I was
a boy. Even at the age of 9 I was fascinated by the exciting articles
and exotic illustrations of a time and people long gone. Public
school exposed me again to the subject, but the dry, lifeless
presentations of names, dates and time lines made painful by the
administration of standardized exams forced much of the joy out of
the subject for me. Then, one summer afternoon I heard a great
racket coming from a nearby historical park. I followed the sounds
and discovered a great crowd had gathered for a Bicentennial
reenactment of a Revolutionary War battle.
Men in period uniforms fought a mock
battle with period weapons while other men, women and children acted
as members of the respective camps. Seeing the people in period
clothing with it's strange fabrics, accessories and styles breathed
new life into my appreciation of history. The smell gun smoke and
authentic cooking and sight and sounds of real animals like horses
was an altogether new experience. I even had a genuine thrill mixed
with sincere fear when a group of highlanders staged a mock bayonet
charge that stopped inches from the crowd where I stood. It was
almost real!
The Civil War reenactment was all this
and more. This time I was on the inside. I slept in a tent and
contended with heat, moisture, insects and a lack of real privacy. I
wore the muslin and woolen period clothes and shoes that chafed my
skin, quickly became too hot and didn't fit altogether that well. The
food we ate tasted good and was quite safe, so it didn't compare with
the appalling rations I read about. So, that was one significant but
welcome divergence. We reenactors sat around the campfires and talked
at length about a great variety of subjects. Even some of the
accents were still richly southern and the genteel hospitality hadn't
changed much in over a century! If I didn't examine the details too
much, I could feel like I was really there. This is the kind of
history lesson only time travel could improve on!
IT'S ROMANTIC
This reenactment included something
special which has precedent, but is still a rare treat. A wedding!
Professional photographer Marcus Rubio showed me photos of a real
wedding he had photographed of the great granddaughter of Gen. She
married her modern fiances in period costume with fellow reenactors
as wedding guests. The black and white photos of the wedding could
easily be mistaken for a wedding of the period under similar
circumstances. On this occasion James and Angela Burleson were
renewing their vows on the fifteenth anniversary of their weeding in
1997. Back in 1997 they had barely finished exchanging vows when
James, a medical doctor, was urgently summoned to the local emergency
room to assist with a trauma victim. The patient's life was saved,
but by the time all was said and done it was too late in the day to
resume the wedding festivities. Neither James nor Angela had any
regrets, but had to spend their honeymoon night back at home,
surrounded by family, exhausted and prevented from travel by a raging
storm.
They renewed their vows in period
dress. The bride wore a white ballroom gown from Pam's Bridal Gowns,
accented by floral brocade taken from her favorite period dress. The
groom was in the uniform of a Confederate Colonel with while gloves
and highly polished leather accessories. The service was opened by
Michelle Herbelli who (on short notice) sung a very beautiful
rendition of “I Dreamt I Dwelt In Marble Halls.” The minister
read from a period wedding service and the couple exchanged vows with
a firm but pleased expression on the groom's face and some obvious
mirth on the part of the bride. The service ended with the couple
departing under an arch of swords made by Confederate and Union
reenactors alike. A reception with refreshments open to all
followed. Due to the period mores, there was no kissing of the bride
as is commonly practiced in modern weddings. The happy couple went
about the camp enjoying the festivities and receiving congratulations
from those attending.
IT'S DANGEROUS
What!? Yes, even acting can be
dangerous and some people are attracted to that. While no actual
bullets are used, the weapons are authentic, including the bayonets,
swords, small arms and artillery. Even without projectiles, these can
be injurious and even lethal. The muzzle blast from a pistol or rifle
can burn, scar, mutilate and even blind at close range. The blast
from a cannon muzzle can deafen, seriously burn or even vaporize
flesh. Reenactors and their mounts can trip or fall in the field,
carelessly handled arms and equipment can contuse or crush. And there
are a myriad of small hazards from such things as fire, splinters,
chiggers, snakes, tent ropes and etc.
During this weekend the reenactors
marked the passing of one of their members recently from natural
causes. This is an echo of last year when another reenactor also
died of a heart attack while on the trip home. This year a young man
also mishandled his rifle and suffered powder burns to his face. He
was hospitalized and is recovering. My worst injury was a mild
sunburn and a small sting to my pride when my rifle failed to
discharge during the salute for the deceased reenactor.
Therefore, safety is necessarily
foremost in all that is done. Weapons are inspected before the
battles to be sure none are loaded with live ammunition. The
reenactors are regularly briefed on safe practices such as elevating
their rifles, wearing hearing protection when servicing artillery and
watching for holes and snakes on the battlefield. Real injuries are
thankfully rare due to very professional oversight by the senior
reenactors.
IT IS PROFITABLE
The reenactors are by custom unpaid
volunteers. They provide their own uniforms and equipment (though
some borrowing and sharing of equipment and meals is customary) and
pay their own travel expenses. (This can be especially significant
for those with horses or artillery pieces.) The single exception to
this is that infantry typically receives a ration of ¼ lb of black
powder per person to use as ammunition and artillery teams also
receive a larger powder ration measured in multiple pounds. Naturally
the reenactors receive free admission.
On the other hand, the event charges
the visitors admission. Most of the admission fees pay for such
things as rental of the venue, pavilions, trash disposal, hiring
musicians, firewood and portables. A portion pays for the black
powder used by soldiers and artillery. (Black powder is fairly
expensive at about $16/lb. A typical cannon blast can consume
between ½ to 2 lbs of black powder in a single charge!). Sometimes
there is a small profit left over. If so, it helps defray other
related costs of the reenactor's organization. None goes for personal
enrichment.
Then there are the vendors. Many are
the typical modern vendors your see at fairs, carnivals and
street-fests. They sell food, drink and trinkets and have little or
no direct connection to the period or reenacting. They are welcome
because they provide necessary services to the visitors and pay a
nominal fee to participate in the event. A special kind of vendor
are the sutlers. These are merchant reenactors who also dress in
period clothes, often set up in tents and sell mainly period clothes
and other merchandise. Historically, such sutlers followed the
respective armies and also sold necessities, conveniences and
trinkets to the soldiers and camp followers. In the modern, mobile
stores it is common to find a delightful array of period clothes,
utensils, toiletries, food and sundries. A special find are
handcrafted items often made by the proprietor such as String Bean
the blacksmith. The sutlers also typically stock the usual tourist
paraphernalia that appeal strongly to young children and thus impose
a toll on their parent's wallets.
IT'S SPIRITUAL
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| Rev. Dennis Partrich preaches to the Confederate Camp |
Although real battles were largely
indifferent to holidays and days of the week, deference to modern
convenience means that most reenactments are staged on weekends. The
Judeo-Christian faith was for all intents and purposes the universal
practice of the nation at that time. Likewise, many if not most
reenactors are of the Christian faith and among these are a
substantial number of families that would ordinarily attend church on
the Lord's Day. For these, there are authentic church services held
on Sunday mornings. By custom, the Union and Confederate groups hold
separate services. The preacher is an ordained minister who dresses
the part of a period chaplain or minister. The sermon is preached as
if to a congregation or assembly of the period. The hymns and
responsive readings are also taken from period literature. It
wouldn't seem that different from a modern fundamentalist service
except the hymns lack choruses which typically came later in history.
The troops are also lead in prayer
before the engagements by their commanders for success and safety in
battle. The prayers are sincere for safety due to very real hazards
present in reenacting. Success in battle is predetermined, with one
side prevailing the first day and the other the next.
Besides the organized spiritual
activities, there are plenty of other occasions that inspire a person
to transcend the mundane. There's something in the unique blend of
being close to nature, close to one's fellow human beings and close
to historical events that are larger than life which puts an eternal
perspective on the experience. In the actual times, men from all
walks of life were called upon to phenomenal acts of heroism and
mortal sacrifice that cannot be fully measured but is indicated by
the tremendous number of Congressional Medals of Honor awarded during
the Civil War. Today, the reenactors also make efforts and sacrifices
well above the norm. The Civil War was a terrible conflict indeed,
but it brought out the ultimate in many souls. I am sure others
share with me the connection to the courage, strength and ingenuity
expressed by our forefathers. The high quality of the people I mingle
with here also inspires me.
IT'S GOOD FOR THE CHILDREN
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| A little standard bearer anticipated artillery fire. |
As I mentioned before, besides adult
men and women, children also participate. The youth attending the
Temple reenactment ranged all the ways from infants to near adults
with everything in between. Young boys between 8 and 14 filled the
roles of drummers and standard bearers. Those aged 15 and older could
participate (as some did in the actual war) in infantry of artillery
crews. Girls in period dress typically assisted their mothers in camp
chores and festivities. There was plenty of free time to fraternize
and the teens were especially keen to gather and talk on adolescent
subjects at length among themselves. It was plain that some girls
enjoyed the period dresses with their corsets, bustles and lace,
while others preferred shorts and sleeveless tops.
I was impressed at the knowledge of
many of these children on historical and practical subjects. Besides
the obvious connection between firearms and boys and horses and
girls, there was a well above average appreciation for history. Many
were also quite advanced in their knowledge of camping skills such as
setting up tents and fire building. Others knew a great deal about
their genealogy and the intricacies of genealogical research.
Conspicuous by their absence were
televisions, video games, cell phones and other electronic
distractions. It was heartwarming to see the children outdoors
happily playing and exploring about the camp. It was a bit
disconcerting to see the boys routinely aiming wooden rifles at stray
Yankees, but that's the culture.
THEN THERE'S THE MUSIC AND DANCING
If Sunday morning was orderly and
spiritual, Saturday night was active and musical. Dave Turner lead
the group in performing for a folk dance that was open to all comers.
Young and old couples alike danced such old favorites as the West
Virginia Reel and the Grapevine. These are simple, repetitive and
graceful line and contra dances that can be quickly learned by
beginners. The caller explained how the dance is choreographed and
then calls out each step in time to the music.
The couples interact in a lively dance
that is all the more entertaining to dancers and audience alike as
the less experienced participants do interesting and unexpected
things. Those familiar with period dances naturally enjoy the special
pleasure that comes from this elegant form of socializing. Those new
to line dancing come away with a new skill and appreciation for
period social customs. These traditional dances are also very modest
and thankfully lack much of the suggestive and salacious posturing
common in contemporary dancing that would concern parents and sober
citizens alike. I can say I enjoy this form of dance more than I do
the modern variations.
YOU COULDN'T ASK FOR BETTER NEIGHBORS
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| Breakfast is cooking! |
In some ways, the reenactor's camp is a
home away from home. It is quite common for the same people who
attend geographically widely separated events far from home to camp
together by unit or with familiar company. These people are often on
a first name basis with their comrades and pick up former
acquaintances where they left off. I have observed the same
individuals and families regularly sharing meals and helping each
other with camp chores and such. Adults and children form lasting
friendships that are renewed and strengthened at each event.
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| Even at night the rifles and pistols are safe in Allen Hearren's Rack |
An interesting point of evidence of
this are how the reenactor's firearms are often stacked together in
the open areas of the camp. It is routine for the reenactors since
it is consistent with period practices and also allows visitors to
see the firearms and accessories close up. I can't think of any
other neighborhood I have ever lived in where the residents left
their weapons out on their front porches for all to see. Yet, this
does not mean security is lax. There is a plethora of active and
retired service members and peace officers among the reenactors. And
the women watch the children more diligently than any commercial
security force I am familiar with. It gave me a rare and special
feeling to leave my Kentucky rifle in a rack with several others in
camp and know it was as safe or safer than those in my gun safe back
home. I pity the thoughtless thief that tried to steal a weapon from
the midst of such an armed camp!
In an era when most people keep to
themselves it was refreshingly different in camp. When I arrived
late at night I was quickly greeted with several helping hands,
offers of flashlights and much helpful advice. In the morning I was
automatically invited to breakfast. Another reenactor, Robert, showed
me how to load blank charges in my newly acquired pistol. (Cream of
wheat is packed over the black powder charge instead of a bullet so
the charge doesn't fall out.) The uniform I had ordered hadn't come
in yet, so I was outfitted from other reenactor's collections. I
even received help tracing my ancestry online to look for Civil War
veterans in the bloodline. (We didn't find any yet.)
THE BATTLE – A WIN-WIN SITUATION
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| CONFEDERATE INFANTRY FORM UP BEFORE THE BATTLE |
Finally, an article on reenacting
without mention of the battle would be incomplete. My sister came up
for the occasion and watched from the audience as we staged a
pre-arranged scenario that included a skirmish, flanking maneuvers by
infantry and cavalry, a fusillade by artillery, fierce exchanges of
gunfire followed by a parley, and then a sudden charge followed by
simulated hand to hand combat. She told me later she enjoyed the
show, but wasn't sure who was who. I was in a line of Confederate
infantry that, after a lengthy exchange of gunfire, was overrun by
Union troops. I fired my last round and obligingly fell to earth
under their onslaught.
As I played out the scenario with my
fellow reenactors I thought about how an actual soldier of the period
might have felt. The excitement of battle was real and I scarcely
noticed the heat and humidity, the tall scratchy grass or the nearby
industrial park where business as usual was carrying on. Only
peripherally did I register the colorful line of spectators poised
with cameras along the fence line. Instead, I looked across the field
at the men in blue uniforms as fire and smoke burst from their
weapons. My ears rang with the thunder of gunfire and the shouts of
the combatants nearby. My imagination added the whiz and smack of
bullets and it seemed I could almost feel what those men felt long
ago. It was a feeling that was both wonderful and terrible all at
once.
As I lay in the grass after the
blue-clad lines had passed by my still form, my thoughts came back to
the present. I wondered if there might be a young boy in the
audience seeing a reenactment for the first time. How did it impress
him? What were his thoughts? What memories would he take away? I
hoped it would be similar to my experiences years ago. I'm sure
history came alive for someone that day. It did for me and it surely
did for someone else. It would be great if years from now they would
continue the tradition. At least I know my sister has a better
appreciation of the history of the Civil War. That is worth it all.
