Traci is a budding photographer, and reenactments provide her with a rich source of material. I have chosen to put a few of the literally hundreds of images shot during the past season on to this page. Due to the size and number of images, the photos on this page are merely "thumbnails"; if you wish to see a larger version of a particular picture, click on the photo.
Philippi, West Virginia: June, 1999
I once read that this event is one of the hidden gems of the reenacting season, and I must concur with that opinion. This was a wonderful way to open our 1999 season. The amenities were excellent, the battles were well organized and often intense, the townspeople were friendly and extremely accepting (I know of few people who would be willing to tolerate a midnight tactical, with artillery, on the outskirts of town), and the village itself was charming.
Historically, Philippi claims the distinction of being the site of the Civil War's first land battle. Approximately 800 Confederate troops under the command of Colonel George A. Porterfield were camped along the banks of the Tygart river. Attacked by 4,000 Federal soldiers on June 3, 1861, the small force left the field in confusion. No soldiers on either side lost their lives, although Col. Benamin Franklin Kelly, commander of one of the converging Federal Columns, was severely wounded with a ball in the chest. In addition, two Confederate soldiers lost a leg. Fauntleroy Daingerfield, one of the amputees, has the dubious distinction of being the first surgical amputee of the war. The other lost limb belonged to J. E. Hanger. Dissatisfied with his prosthetic leg, Hanger designed a more comfortable limb for himself. As causalities mounted over the war years, other amputees requested similar prosthetics, and Hanger eventually started a company to manufacture his improved prosthetic limbs. Given the frequency of amputations due to primitive medical techniques and the bone-shattering 500 grain minié balls during the war, his company flourished. J.E. Hanger remains the world's largest manufacturer of prosthetic limbs.
June, 1999: Confederate advance along the Tygart river.
June, 5, 1999: Union troops fall back toward the covered bridge over the Tygart. We took quite a beating on the event's first day.
June, 5, 1999: Confederate guns in Philippi: The Rebs had several full sized artillery pieces parked across the river (the Union camp was located opposite the town). Traci and I pulled in around 9 on Friday night, and were promptly greeted with several reports from these guns firing towards us across the river. The steep hills of the valley tended to amplify the noise from these guns.
June 5, 1999: Lincoln (left) inspects the troops. There were roughly 200 reenactors and 7 or 8 cannon at this event.
Covered Bridge at Philippi: Extensively damaged by fire in 1989, the bridge was restored to its original appearance.
A pleasant event in western Ohio, the Lisbon reenactment features two battles, a focus on historical preservation (a portion of the funds are used to preserve monuments at Gettysburg), and a scenic rural setting. Organizers provide participants with several meals, including enough breakfast rations to feed all of the civilians and soldiers, with food to spare. Portions of the proceeds from the event are used for monument preservation at Gettysburg.
Although the event doesn't commemorate a specific battle, the site is within easy driving distance of Buffington Island, where General John Morgan's Confederate force met with disaster on July 19, 1863. Morgan's raiders were attempting to ford the Ohio river into West Virginia following an expedition through Indiana into Ohio when they were attacked by two Federal Cavalry columns, and defeated with the loss of 900 killed and captured. Although Buffington Island is the site of the largest Civil War battle in Ohio, the battlefield's existence remains in question. Portions of the battlefield are earmarked for use as gravel pits, and despite legal opposition from preservationists, matters do not bode well at the present time.
August 29, 1999: Union battalion fires a volley. This event, combined with the hospitality of the hosts and the generosity of the 7th West Virginia, made for a pleasant 32nd birthday.
August 29, 1999: Federal troops advance with artillery support. About 300 reenactors attended the event, and there were a surprising number of cannon on the field.
South Mountain, Maryland: September, 1999
This is an event the focuses extensively on historical preservation. All of the funds raised at the funds raised at the event go toward preserving the battlefields at South Mountain; In addition, the event featured a 16 mile preservation march, which managed to raise a considerable sum for the sponsors. The reenactment itself is held at Fox Gap, near one of the three sites of intense fighting that comprise the South Mountain Battlefields, and the scenery is often breathtaking.
When two soldiers from the 27th Indiana discovered Robert E. Lee's campaign plans (the famous Special Orders, No. 191), George B. McClellan had a golden opportunity to trap and destroy the Confederate army in Maryland. His plan called for a swift assault through three gaps in South Mountain, a move that would catch the Confederate Army divided (a large detachment of the Army of Northern Virginia was off attacking the Federal Garrison at Harper's Ferry). In theory, the assault would also trap half of Lee's army at Boonsboro. However, stiff resistance from small Confederate forces at Crampton Gap, coupled with delays caused by hard fighting and terrain at Fox's and Turner's Gaps, enabled Lee's army to escape to Sharpsburg. The fighting at Fox Gap also resulted in the death of a promising northern officer, IX Corps commander Jesse Reno.
A portion of the Union army could have forced its way through Crampton Gap had not the VI Corps commander, William B. Franklin, chosen to halt and deploy his 12,000 troops under the mistaken belief that he faced an force twice as large as his own, even after his men had stormed the Gap. The battle resulted in roughly 4,600 casualties, and forced Lee to abandon any hope of invading the North in 1862. However, McClellan had failed to trap the ANV, or to save Harper's Ferry from capture. This failure would lead to the Battle of Antietam, three days later.
September 12, 1999: Union cavalry skirmishers face a Confederate Attack.
September 12, 1999: Casualties in the wake of the Federal Attack. There were over 1,000 participants at this event, making it one of the larger reenactments Traci and I attended this year. We were again fortunate to be able to fall in with another group, this time with the 27th Indiana.
The final event of our season was also one of the best. This is an outstanding event, well organized and efficient. Like South Mountain, there is a strong focus on preservation, and the proceeds from the event go toward preserving the battlefield and the Heater House. Traci and I are to be married here at the 2000 event.
Part of the charm of this event lies in it's location; not only is the battle staged on a field that is ideal both for reenactors and spectators (this is not always the case), but the reenactment is held on a portion of the actual battlefield. This year marked the 135th anniversary of the battle, and was well attended (6,000 reenactors, 55 guns, and thousands of spectators). A great event that also provides a direct source of income for preservation. At a time when some event planners seem more interested in the bottom line, it's nice to see that sponsors can hold a large event that is affordable, well organized, and focused on using capitol for something we as a nation can share, rather than using funds to line personal coffers.
Historically, the Battle of Cedar Creek marked the end of large scale Confederate activity in the Shenandoah Valley. Following defeats at Winchester III, Fisher's Hill and Tom's Brook, Jubal Early attacked Philip Sheridan's encamped army on the morning of October 19, 1864. The attack, aided by fog and a lack of preparation on the part of the Federals, routed elements of VIII Corps and drove the XIX Corps west, past Middletown. However, the 2nd Division of the VI Corps held its position against the Confederate attacks, allowing other Union forces to retreat and consolidate a final defensive line northwest of the town.
Early's men were exhausted, and many Confederates broke ranks to plunder the capture Yankee camps. Early himself seemed to lose sight of the grand picture when, in a move somewhat reminiscent of Bragg's obsession with the Hornet's Nest at Shiloh, he concentrated his forces on the stalwart Federals in the Middletown Graveyard. Although he finally forced the stubborn defenders back, but the delay enabled the broken Union ranks to regroup and consolidate.
Sheridan, recently returned from Washington, was not with his force when it was attacked. As soon as word of the attack reached him, he rode quickly towards the main body of the army, imploring stragglers to return to the fight. The charismatic General's presence helped to rally the faltering army, even as Early's Confederates halted their advance to await the next Federal move.
Despite their heavy losses, the Federal's still greatly outnumbered their assailants. Had Early's troops continued their advance, rather than wasting time trying to rout the defenders from the Cometary and settling down into what essentially amounted to a defensive position, the battle might have been won by the South. As it was, the normally aggressive Early ceded the momentum to Sheridan, who counterattacked the stationary Rebel lines, driving Early's army from the field and capturing most of Early's rolling stock. Dodson Ramseur, like so many of the Confederacy's best and brightest generals, was mortally wounded during the Federal counterattack. He was taken to Belle Grove Mansion, Sheridan's headquarters before and after the attack, where he died several days later.
The price the North paid for its lack of defensive preparations was 5,672 casualties, out of 32,000 men engaged. Early's hesitations cost the South 2,910 dead, wounded or missing, out of 21,000 Confederates.
October 17, 1999: Final Union assault.
October 17, 1999: A 3 inch Parrot rifle fires on the enemy. There were 55 cannon on the field, making this the loudest reenactment we've been in. There was a section of 12 pounder Napoleons behind our battalion that spoke with particular authority.
October 17, 1999: Confederate advance (note the length of the Federal line in the background). This was the first time I "saw the elephant" (entered that state where, for a fleeting moment, one actually feels that rush of terror/excitement, and the present seems to merge with the past).
October 16, 1999: Confederate battle line.
October 17, 1999: Federal artillery and infantry fires on advancing rebels. The Heater House is to the extreme right of the picture.
October 17, 1999: The battle rages, as the Confederates are driven back.
October 17, 1999: Federal counter-attack.
October 17, 1999: An unusual sight; Confederate horse drawn field piece, with limber.
