- Joined
- Feb 23, 2013
- Location
- East Texas
This was an early event from the 1970's I attended with another member of our unit, John Snapp. We drove from North Texas to Lexington to participate in this reenactment with friends Rick and Mark Tolliver from a group called Bledsoe's Battery who we had met and who served with us as part of our unit the previous June at Billie Creek Village, Indiana:
Unfortunately, almost all of my photos were taken in and around their camp which was located in the State Park on part of the actual battlefield, above, so I'll also include some other period postcard views as well, like the one above showing the valley of the Missouri River seen from the terraced grounds of the Anderson House.
Members of Bledsoe's Battery, including the two of us, from the left: John Snapp; in back, Fleet Kerr, owner of the 3/4 scale six-pounder gun and limber; Tim Miller; Lt. Mark Tolliver; myself; Dave Baker; and Corp. Kirk Wiseman. (Not pictured are parents Mr. and Mrs. Rick Tolliver, one of whom likely took the pictures.)
As often in this era we would share knowledge with members of other groups and John and I were happy to drill Bledsoe's in George Patten's manual of instruction reprinted as The Complete Cannoneer. Above and below, John is serving as Gunner instructing the fine points of artillery drill.
Our camp on the grounds of one of the historic Anderson House, dating from the September, 1861 Battle Of the Hemp Bales. Below Southern Belles Trilla Ray at left and Rebecca "Becky" Tolliver at right add a touch of class to the proceedings. Bledsoe's Battery also joined our unit for another living history event on their home turf held on Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Site outside Springfield, Missouri, to be featured in a later thread.
The Historic Anderson House
"Built in 1853 by Oliver Anderson. Used as a field hospital during the Battle of Lexington." Below, my photo of the house taken from the back side:
Above, "Main Hall - The solid walnut, hand finished doorways and U plan spiraling staircase give an inspiring view as one enters the house." Below, "Front Parlor - Furnished in the elegant style of the antebellum period."
Below, "The Lexington County Courthouse is white-painted brick of Classic-Revival design. The main part of the building was built between 1847 and 1849. The oldest courthouse in use in Missouri as a courthouse. At top of the nearest column is a cannon ball, which was aimed at the nearby headquarters of Maj. Gen. Sterling Price during the Battle of Lexington."
Last edited: