THE BATTLE OF TEMPLE JUNCTION 2012 - THE INSIDE STORY

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!

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!

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. 

ALLEN HEARREN'S HOME MADE RIFLE RACK

It's definitely fun!

IT'S EDUCATIONAL

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

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

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

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.

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

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.