CivilWarTalk Throwback Thursday, 5 - 27 - 2021

James N.

Colonel
Annual Winner
Featured Book Reviewer
Asst. Regtl. Quartermaster Antietam 2021
Joined
Feb 23, 2013
Location
East Texas
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Since Memorial Day Weekend starts in a couple of days, this week Throwback Thursday revisits Memorial Day Weekend in May, 1976, and my very first reenactment ever, held at Corinth, Mississippi! Although the anniversary of the battle there is in October, someone decided it would make a good Memorial Day event in this Bicentennial year, now exactly forty-five years ago. For the battle reenactment our unit, then known as Good's Texas Battery, divided, half going into this sandbag fort which was "standing in" for the original huge Union earthwork Battery Robinette. (Our 3/4 scale six-pounder and mountain howitzer were a far cry from Robinette's two original twenty-pounder Parrotts too.) I'm at right above and left below acting as No. 1 (rammer) on the gun crew - above at left the late Jim Marrs prepares to pull the lanyard while @1863surgeon Doug Garnett winces beside him in the No. 2 position. For additional photos from this horrible farbfest, please see: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/reenacting-the-battle-of-corinth-may-1976.150459/

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Anyone else having (preferably) old Civil War-related photos, mementoes, or memorabilia from reenactments, living history or other events or vacation or other travel they would like to share with us is welcome and encouraged to do so in this weekly thread!
 
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Since Memorial Day Weekend starts in a couple of days, this week Throwback Thursday revisits Memorial Day Weekend in May, 1976, and my very first reenactment ever, held at Corinth, Mississippi! Although the anniversary of the battle there is in October, someone decided it would make a good Memorial Day event in this Bicentennial year, now exactly forty-five years ago. For the battle reenactment our unit, then known as Good's Texas Battery, divided, half going into this sandbag fort which was "standing in" for the original huge Union earthwork Battery Robinette. (Our 3/4 scale six-pounder and mountain howitzer were a far cry from Robinette's two original twenty-pounder Parrotts too.) I'm at right above and left below acting as No. 1 (rammer) on the gun crew - above at left the late Jim Marrs prepares to pull the lanyard while @1863surgeon Doug Garnett winces beside him in the No. 2 position. For additional photos from this horrible farbfest, please see: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/reenacting-the-battle-of-corinth-may-1976.150459/

View attachment 402118

Anyone else having (preferably) old Civil War-related photos, mementoes, or memorabilia from reenactments, living history or other events or vacation or other travel they would like to share with us is welcome and encouraged to do so in this weekly thread!
I was recently reading about the First Manassas reenactment for the centennial in 1961. They used about 2,000 National Guard troops with gray or blue shirts firing blanks out of M1 Garands to beef things up . Now THAT'S a Farbfest !
 
View attachment 402117

Since Memorial Day Weekend starts in a couple of days, this week Throwback Thursday revisits Memorial Day Weekend in May, 1976, and my very first reenactment ever, held at Corinth, Mississippi! Although the anniversary of the battle there is in October, someone decided it would make a good Memorial Day event in this Bicentennial year, now exactly forty-five years ago. For the battle reenactment our unit, then known as Good's Texas Battery, divided, half going into this sandbag fort which was "standing in" for the original huge Union earthwork Battery Robinette. (Our 3/4 scale six-pounder and mountain howitzer were a far cry from Robinette's two original twenty-pounder Parrotts too.) I'm at right above and left below acting as No. 1 (rammer) on the gun crew - above at left the late Jim Marrs prepares to pull the lanyard while @1863surgeon Doug Garnett winces beside him in the No. 2 position. For additional photos from this horrible farbfest, please see: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/reenacting-the-battle-of-corinth-may-1976.150459/

View attachment 402118

Anyone else having (preferably) old Civil War-related photos, mementoes, or memorabilia from reenactments, living history or other events or vacation or other travel they would like to share with us is welcome and encouraged to do so in this weekly thread!
Thanks to who ever took these photos for doing them in black and white for realism.
 
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Sometimes I miss those days of reenacting - not for the authenticity, but for the spirit that was brought to the hobby.
Another of Carol's photos showing her banjo-playing husband Jim surrounded by our unit members in a typical songfest the following year at Billie Creek Village, Indiana, illustrates that spirit.
 
I do have one humorous story of my first re-enactment. Writing a period historical fiction novel, I was searching for some material when I learned of a Civil War re-enactment taking place in Boston Georgia. I contacted them and asked if I could listen in on the officers to get a feel for realism. He asked me if I’d like to participate in it. I was ecstatic over the idea so I purchased a Union Cavalry uniform and my first 1860 Army revolver. I watched videos how to operate it. Upon learning that revolvers were only issued to officers, I purchased Lieutenant bars. When I went to register I was promptly informed with much sternness, that You dont bring rank on the field unless you have men under your command! Not knowing what to do with me the General let me be his adjutant. I said what do I do? He said just stand by the General. Could have just as well called me “Major Boring.” We we’re overrun by Confederate militants so I asked “General, permission to engage the enemy sir?” He said, “You might protect that Cannon over there son.” So I shot my six rounds of hominy grits at them. Before they blasted me with a volley. It was only a few minutes in. I didn’t want to die yet! But hundreds were watching. I couldn’t pretend that I was bullet proof. So I did the best dying scene that I could do worthy of an Oscar. Nobody told me how to die. And yes there IS a proper way to die! Falling forward so you can peak and see what is going on around you. I fell flailing on my back and could see nothing but sky and the sun full in my eyes. Soon I found my body on fire as I realized I had fallen in a bed of fire ants! I dared not move, and lay still for 20 minutes until everyone started yelling “Resurrection! Resurrection!” Still I lay perfectly still thinking “ what is with the Resurrection thing? Did Jesus come back?” Finally the enemy approached I assumed to be sure I was dead. He said Resurrection a few times. I dared not move for fear he may bayonet me. Then he grabbed my hand and yanked me to my feet. And said you can get up now and get them ants off you Lieutenant.” I then stripped right in front of the crowd brushing off ants. My kids were bawling thinking I had really been shot. I waved to them after to show I was among the living. Everyone clapped me on the back and said I died so well, and invited me to join their respective units. It was the best day ever! After that dying became my signature move. I have never lived through a single engagement to this day. I galvanized as both a Confederate Cavalry Sgt Major and Union Cavalry Lieutenant. I’ll tell you another funny anecdote at a later date. Here is picture my wife took of that day.
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