This was my fourth Perryville event, but the first since the 140th. The park has expanded since then. Saturday's battle was fought on the same hillside cornfield as at the previous reenactments--the same hillside and cornfield fought over in the actual battle. Charging uphill through head-high dried corn rows is a unique experience. Visibility is restricted. People are tripping on the corn stalks, officers and sergeants are shouting and tugging men, trying to rally to the regimental flag. Others are shooting near you. It was crazy.
On Sunday, we fought on ground I'd not been on before. Our brigade made a long uphill march to start our battle where the New Orleans battery was deployed in the real battle. When the battle started, we marched downhill, through some woods, crossed a creek, and attacked uphill on the flank of the Yanks who defended another hilltop.
For me personally, the highlight of the event was serving in a large company of 38 men. That's twice the size of a normal "big" reenacting infantry company. But 38 men was a medium-small company in 1862, when regiments were still often over 400 men strong, with 40-men companies being normal. Wheeling, especially, with 40 men in two ranks is much much harder than with 20 men.
Bu the large company allowed us to fire some volleys by rank by platoon. If you ever seen the Zulu movie when the Brits were firing volleys by
three ranks, that's what we were doing, only in four groups instead of three. Very intense, very cool.
One nice touch at Perryville was the presentation of the proper replica regimental or national flag to each regiment portrayed at the reenactment. We received a regiment
al flag for the 9th Tennessee on Saturday and the national banner for the 13th Louisiana on Sunday. The presentation parade allowed all of us to get a chance to see the other regiments, blue and gray, without the clamor of battle all around us.
The weather was perfect and the staff at the Perryville State Park and the reenactor organizers appeared to have done a fine job with logistics and the battle plans. And all vehicles were by golly gone from our Confederate camp by Saturday morning!
Bringing the