Great Events I've Enjoyed

[matthew mckeon]

I don't re enact, but I've enjoyed reading the "bad reviews" in the Five Worst Events thread. What about some events folks have enjoyed and what made them good?

 

[Craig L Barry]

I don't re enact, but I've enjoyed reading the "bad reviews" in the Five Worst Events thread. What about some events folks have enjoyed and what made them good?

Dec 31, 2010, the first event in the anniversary weekend at Stones River, it was on a Friday.
We did both US and CS at three different tour stops, so six programs. Good crowds for a weekday, probably because it was a 70 degree day during late December. Stones River Battlefield Park ranger Jim
Lewis delegated the narration to somebody else and dressed out with us. It was exhausting but it was absolutely great. I swear I got chills looking out over the cotton field and firing behind one of the new
split rail fences they put up (it occurred to me those would not afford much cover).

It was great to "play" Civil War on the actual battlefield on a beautiful day with a history heavy
program and other arrested development cases to enjoy it with (park rangers pretty much all are in that category). I had a big stupid grin right until Saturday morning rolled around, the temperature dropped 40 degrees and it started to rain/snow/sleet.

 

[Republican Blues]

I would have to say that the Greatest event that I have gone to was the Mainstream event at Tunnel Hill in 2003......The event was OK, but it was that weekend that I first met the woman that is now my wife.....greatest event I have ever been to.

 

[Craig L Barry]

I would have to say that the Greatest event that I have gone to was the Mainstream event at Tunnel Hill in 2003......The event was OK, but it was that weekend that I first met the woman that is now my wife.....greatest event I have ever been to.

Wonder what she would say about the event...

 

[34 NC Co. H]

I did a living history at Gettysburg in 2010. We camped in Pitzer's Woods. It was a very laid back weekend with hardly any drill. We had two firing drills a day on the actual battlefield which was fantastic. However, the highlight of the weekend was that my unit and I were allowed to march on the horse trails from Pitzer's Woods to the Virginia Memorial (about a one mile march) in full attire. Once we got to the Virginia Memorial, we marched about 100 yards out in the Pickett's Charge field in a battle line. I had goosebumps the entire team. It was by far the greatest reenacting event I have ever done and will probably ever participate in.

 

[Joey12thga]

Best events in no particular order.

Immortal 600 - Savannah, GA We portrayed CS officers who were imprisoned at Ft. Pulaski. Lived off the rations they had and stayed in the same casemates they stayed in. Experienced the same things they had too which was no food, damp cold casemates, limited comforts ( I had a ragged wool blanket on a bunk we slept three people on), and we had constant harassment from guards. Just a great time.

Sparks of Secession (2008)- Lumpkin, GA. Immersion event in an 1850s town in rural Georgia. Listening to recruiters, politicians, and everyone else chant on about going off to fight. Big BBQs, rallies, recruiting and training and all mixed in with us doing normal day to day jobs. Having to decide whether or not to enlist in service and leave your home. I decided too and talked my coworkers into it and off we marched. I also ran an original 1840's cotton gin for my job.

Struggles of Secession (2010)- Lumpkin, GA. Stepping away from the BBQs and speeches of "Sparks of Secession" we get to see how the war has taken it's toll on the community, Shortages, infighting, vigilantism, deserters, and just harsh life for the once patriotic. Got to run the cotton gin again and do other things………………I am still wanted so I can't admit to them.

Franklin Living History - Franklin , TN. Got to do some programs at Carnton Plantation. Slept on the same grounds some of my ancestors walked over. Got to tour the house as we pleased and go any and everywhere while Eric Jacobson gave us talks about Carnton and we got to handle relics from private collections that were at Franklin. Then marched from Carnton to the Carter House and stop at important sites for the battle and be lectured on what happened at each spot. I got to wear General Cockrells' Kepi he had on when he shot during the battle within 25 yards of where he got hit. Got to camp at the Carter House and get the good tour of it and the surrounding sites.

Ft. McAllister - Richmond Hill, GA. We were federal and assaulted the fort. I was in charge of building scaling ladders and then used them. Pretty kewl stuff.

 

[Tin cup]

Pickett's Mill, Georgia 2004

This was on the actual battle ground, in the park boundry.

A march and fight, live off your issued rations event. The Yanks started at one end of the Park, we Confederates started at another section. Nothing in the park is level, the wheat and corn fields are on hills, and even Pumpkinvine creek is running down hill.

We marched till we met, then fought.

Never having been there, or seen a map of the place, I NEVER knew where we were, in relation to the battles that took place there, till we lined up near the Visitors center, and headed down the trail to the Corn field.

I was in the last company, and the two companies before me had just lined up on the rail fence, and so the firing, yelling, and the smoke were heavy by the time I got on line.
We got to the fence, and knocked a few rails off to get over, and I saw something that totally amazed me...I looked out on the field and thru all the smoke and confusion I saw dead yanks everywhere. (Picture shows the effect of the battle)
http://www.westernindependentgrays.org/pictures_files/pmill2004/charge.JPG
Now, what makes this so interesting to me was that THESE yanks were absolutely correct in uniform, hats, gear...something I don't see at events here in Texas. This was something that will stay with me forever. The noise and smoke was something I had also never experianced at all the events I had been to before.

Before that battle, Lee White showed up and fell in with our company. Now, I'm feeling real privilaged. After we pushed the yanks back into the woods, we set up as skirmishers, and pot shot at the yanks for a while. We made one big last push, and then retired for the night.

Now, it's in late May, its HOT, marched up and down hills all day long, rations were pig fat and rough corn meal, (and I left my frying pan at home!) We camped in a area that I questioned ever letting my dog camp at. We were so tired, our clothing soaked with sweat, we had to take our clothing off and try to dry them over the camp fires. but, when we bedded down I was near where Lee White, and a good frind of mine Joe Walker were set up, and to hear them two talk about WBTS history was something.

The most realistic event I have been to!

Kevin Dally

 

[34 NC Co. H]

Pickett's Mill, Georgia 2004

This was on the actual battle ground, in the park boundry.

A march and fight, live off your issued rations event. The Yanks started at one end of the Park, we Confederates started at another section. Nothing in the park is level, the wheat and corn fields are on hills, and even Pumpkinvine creek is running down hill.

We marched till we met, then fought.

Never having been there, or seen a map of the place, I NEVER knew where we were, in relation to the battles that took place there, till we lined up near the Visitors center, and headed down the trail to the Corn field.

I was in the last company, and the two companies before me had just lined up on the rail fence, and so the firing, yelling, and the smoke were heavy by the time I got on line.
We got to the fence, and knocked a few rails off to get over, and I saw something that totally amazed me...I looked out on the field and thru all the smoke and confusion I saw dead yanks everywhere. (Picture shows the effect of the battle)
http://www.westernindependentgrays.org/pictures_files/pmill2004/charge.JPG
Now, what makes this so interesting to me was that THESE yanks were absolutely correct in uniform, hats, gear...something I don't see at events here in Texas. This was something that will stay with me forever. The noise and smoke was something I had also never experianced at all the events I had been to before.

Before that battle, Lee White showed up and fell in with our company. Now, I'm feeling real privilaged. After we pushed the yanks back into the woods, we set up as skirmishers, and pot shot at the yanks for a while. We made one big last push, and then retired for the night.

Now, it's in late May, its HOT, marched up and down hills all day long, rations were pig fat and rough corn meal, (and I left my frying pan at home!) We camped in a area that I questioned ever letting my dog camp at. We were so tired, our clothing soaked with sweat, we had to take our clothing off and try to dry them over the camp fires. but, when we bedded down I was near where Lee White, and a good frind of mine Joe Walker were set up, and to hear them two talk about WBTS history was something.

The most realistic event I have been to!

Kevin Dally

That picture may be one of the coolest pictures from a reenactment I've ever seen. It looked so realistic.

 

[Craig L Barry]

It can definitely feel that way when the stars all line up just right. For me it takes being on
the battlefield where it happened to deceive myself that I am seeing what soldiers saw 150
yrs ago. Nobody shooting back though...that's one difference.

 

[CoA49thNCT]

Here are some of the events that I thoroughly enjoyed as a reenactor:

140th Bentonville (NC, March 2005: This was my first battle reenactment, and it was memorable. There were moments during the battle that it felt real, like I was actually in the middle of a battle, and that I could possibly be killed. And the fact that we fought on a portion of the actual battlefield near Newton Grove, NC made it feel all the more realistic. It was definitely a fantastic first event to do.

140th Pursuit to Appomattox (VA, April 2005: The Saturday portion of the event (The Battle of Sayler's Creek) was not too memorable, due to the fact that I had failed to properly hydrate, and temperatures were hot for that time of year in VA. But the Sunday event, the Stacking of Arms Ceremony, was very memorable and emotional. Not many of us left with dry eyes from recreating the final stacking of arms by the Confederate Army. I'll remember that event for the rest of my life.

141st Fall of Fort Anderson (NC, February 2006: This was a combined event for our group. The Carolina Legion, of which our group is a part, decided to have their annual Battalion Drill during the reenactment event. We fought in and on the actual fortifications at the State Historic Site outside Wilmington, NC. It was a small battle, but heated and exciting! Hope to do another event down there sometime soon.

Latta Plantation Living History (NC, May 2009): Latta Plantation is an historic site in Huntersville, NC. For this event, we portrayed the 49th NC in the summer of 1863, when they were reassigned to North Carolina for a time. We did this event first-person, meaning we took on the roles of actual soldiers from the 49th for the weekend. Saturday was the usual living history stuff, except for the little thing we did that went from being in a little fight with Yankees, which led to one of our men being wounded, to us (Me, my Dad and two others) being court martialed for drunken and disorderly conduct. It was a blast, and the spectators thoroughly enjoyed it!

Latta Plantation Civil War Reenactment (NC, July 2010): No Civil War battles were fought on the plantation grounds, but we have a battle every year to show spectators the tactics of Civil War combat. For this event, we portrayed a group of Federal Soldiers trying to oust the last remaining Confederate Soldiers still in the field that were refusing to surrender. During the Saturday Scenario, our battalion gets ambushed by the Confederates and forced to retreat, leaving the Confederates in possession of our campsite, where the battle took place. This event was memorable for two reasons: One, for nothing more than a small skirmish, it was the hottest fight I can remember being involved in. And secondly, it was the first time my Father was involved in a fight, and he thoroughly enjoyed it!