"Civil War" stuff

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Well, many of us have or have had an interest in "Civil War Stuff" over the years.  So... I reckon the topic might deserve its own discussion.  

 

Here's MY start: 

 

Late one October Saturday morning back in '95 I was out working in the garden.  And then I heard it - thunder!  But what the heck?  Not a cloud to be seen!  Odd...

 

That evening the television news had a piece on an event called "The Civil War Revisited," which was being held at Fresno's Kearney Park.  The "thunder" I'd heard that morning was cannon fire, the rumble carrying a full fifteen miles!  By golly, since this was evidently an annual event, I was going to check it out and go next year!

 

So, the following October on a foggy Saturday, the then not-quite-five-year-old Sassparilla Kid and I were out of the house before the sun was up.  I had a map and nothing else, but shortly after sunrise I'd found Kearney Park.  I had no idea where to go, so after locking up the li'l Ford Ranger, the Kid and I set out through the fog, walking through a grove of trees.  After a few hundred yards we popped out of the trees - and found ourselves in a Confederate campsite, with the soldiers and camp followers busily engaged in eating breakfast and organizing equipment.  Needless to say, every person there was very much in character; every aspect of the setting was authentic.

 

This was truly a Twilight Zone experience.

 

The rest of the day was amazing - and guess what!  Those cannons are a HELL of a lot louder close up!!

 

Anyway, this became an annual "must do" for us; we've missed very few over the years.  (Obviously, we'll probably miss it this year)

 

When Sassparilla became a Boy Scout I arranged for his troop to work the event - that was a wonderful experience, as they got to camp with the soldiers.  

 

One year I took a Cub Scout pack... their experience was terrific!  Parents were amazed, and their youngsters were absolutely thrilled. 

 

For that I'd like to again thank our own Subdeacon Joe!  Joe, in the persona of a Confederate artilleryman, was very gracious and patient with these kids, and led their imaginations on a trip through history that I'm sure became a life-long memory.  

 

Something I'll never forget was the young African American lad.  He'd been pretty much overwhelmed; and he now gazed at Joe, then finally asking something like "Mister, you're nice, so why are you dressed like a bad guy?"  Well, Joe smiled kindly at the young man and spoke with him, taking his time.  I don't know what he said, but when done, that kid's eyes were twinkling and he had a big ol' smile and stepped out taller than when he arrived.

 

                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme]

Tip of the hat, to both you and SDJ, for keeping these youngsters in touch with American history.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Was that the Civil War Skirmish Association, Hardpan. 

They started on the west coast as a sister organization to the

North South Skirmish Association  in Virginia.

Had different by laws and a lot more members than the CWSA had. 

[Subdeacon Joe]

1 hour ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

Something I'll never forget was the young African American lad.  He'd been pretty much overwhelmed; and he now gazed at Joe, then finally asking something like "Mister, you're nice, so why are you dressed like a bad guy?"  Well, Joe smiled kindly at the young man and spoke with him, taking his time.  I don't know what he said, but when done, that kid's eyes were twinkling and he had a big ol' smile and stepped out taller than when he arrived.

 

Thank you, sir.  Seems as if I made a bit of an impression on you, too.
All I did was explain to the young man that while slavery was one of the big issues in secession, it wasn't the only big issue.  Also that contrary to what is taught there were many free blacks in the South, many of whom did fight for the Confederacy. I had ready some quotes garnered from letters to northern newspapers, soldiers journals, and some official reports by federal officers commenting on the bravery and shooting skills of the colored troops fighting for the South.  And the story of the slave who had accompanied his master into the army, took up arms at his side, and when he master deserted, stayed with the army, commenting when asked why something like "I didn't want to be no runaway like him! I have my pride."

[Subdeacon Joe]

15 minutes ago, Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 said:

Was that the Civil War Skirmish Association, Hardpan. 

They started on the west coast as a sister organization to the

North South Skirmish Association  in Virginia.

Had different by laws and a lot more members than the CWSA had. 

 

Officially the reenacting portion was an American Civil War Association event in conjunction with the Fresno Historic Society.  The outfit I was with was part of the National Civil War Association. A lot of joint events like that.

I especially liked the "school day" held on the Friday of the event.  Had about half an hour or so with groups from junior high through high school.  Maybe a few grade school classes.  Mostly stuck to the guns, but did touch on some of the importance of California in the War of 1861.  Gold and mercury, mostly.  Ran through it, last 5 minutes were demonstrating the loading drill, then discharge the gun as the signal for the groups to rotate.  

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

Just now, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Thank you, sir.  Seems as if I made a bit of an impression on you, too.
All I did was explain to the young man that while slavery was one of the big issues in secession, it wasn't the only big issue.  Also that contrary to what is taught there were many free blacks in the South, many of whom did fight for the Confederacy. I had ready some quotes garnered from letters to northern newspapers, soldiers journals, and some official reports by federal officers commenting on the bravery and shooting skills of the colored troops fighting for the South.  And the story of the slave who had accompanied his master into the army, took up arms at his side, and when he master deserted, stayed with the army, commenting when asked why something like "I didn't want to be no runaway like him! I have my pride."

Yeah... Sure there were exceptions. But don't kid yourself into thinking that the South was all for the war / succession.

 

Fact is that the majority of citizen in nearly every State voted against succession.

 

The Planter Class pushed the war... Made promises to the public that they reneged on such as planting a percentage of food crops to feed the people...

 

While folks may hate the North, the South really sucked.

 

Phantom

[Utah Bob #35998]

Back in the day I did programs for the local schools when there was virtually nothing in the curriculum on the war. The history teachers were always  thrilled when I  showed up. A couple of times we got to set up a small encampment and visit multiple classes. Two high school kids actually joined our reenactment unit. They loved it. We took em all over Florida, to Georgia And Gettysburg.
Kids learned History isn’t just memorizing dates about things that you have no interest it. We made it live.

[Utah Bob #35998]

One thing about reenactors I noticed was,we seldom argued about the war. Campaigns,  tactics and strategy, yeah. But not the causes, motivations and attitudes. We discussed it. We studied it. And we kind of understood both sides. Arguments were pointless. Our aim was to pay homage to those who walked the fields before us. I can’t tell you how many of those fields I walked at twilight or dawn  and contemplated the monumental tragedy that was the Civil War.  I view with a jaundiced eye those who spout platitudes and vagaries about a conflict which they have not seriously studied in depth.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

We did a couple of in class room talks with the schools. 

The wife of one of the members was a school teacher. 

Kids took a real interest in it with lots of questions.

 

I believe the fellow that got the CWSA off the ground lived 

in Thousand Oaks, California. See if I can't find a picture 

of our troop. 

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

1 minute ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

One thing about reenactors I noticed was,we seldom argued about the war. Campaigns,  tactics and strategy, yeah. But not the causes, motivations and attitudes. We discussed it. We studied it. And we kind of understood both sides. Arguments were pointless. Our aim was to pay homage to those who walked the fields before us. I can’t tell you how many of those fields I walked at twilight or dawn  and contemplated the monumental tragedy that was the Civil War.  I view with a jaundiced eye those who spout platitudes and vagaries about a conflict which they have not seriously studied in depth.

I agree completely!

 

One can continue to have their head in the sand believing the hype from either side, or they can study the many sources and get a true understanding of what happen pre, during and post.

[Subdeacon Joe]

18 minutes ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

The Planter Class pushed the war... Made promises to the public that they reneged on such as planting a percentage of food crops to feed the people...

 

Kinda like the anti-Second Amendment crowd today, eh?

I reread what I wrote and didn't see anything about the popularity or support for the war.  Nor about social class and societal structure.

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

2 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Kinda like the anti-Second Amendment crowd today, eh?

I reread what I wrote and didn't see anything about the popularity or support for the war.  Nor about social class and societal structure.

That makes no sense...

 

My response to your quoted post was done with my first two sentences.

 

Cheers!

Phantom

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Good grief.

 

So much for a fun thread about kids and friends having enjoyable times at reenactments.  

[Tom Bullweed]

My oldest friend (known since 9th grade) is a bugler in the NC 26th.  His fellow reenactors have been in movies and talk about how many times the have 'died'.

[Henry T Harrison]

When I was eleven years old my grandmother gave me a copy of Fletcher Pratt’s Civil War in Pictures. That was sixty years ago and the start of my passion for studying the Civil War. My library is several hundred books and my walls are covered with prints from Gallon and Kuntsler as well as swords guns and bayonets I loved taking our scout troop to Gettysburg. The highlight of my year was chaperoning the fifth grade field trip to Gettysburg the kids always had such great questions and it became more than grass and statues to them. I can’t wait to take my grandsons there. In my career as a police detective when things were at there worst I always found peace and calm there

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Sassparilla Kid's middle school used to do an annual eighth grade Civil War study project - six weeks of coordinated study between all classes; history, of course... science focused on advances of the period... same with math... music classes... even PE focused on period dances.  The project ended the Friday before Spring Break, with The Civil War Ball.

 

The kids tried to dress appropriately; it was fun seeing all the "generals" strutting about, and girls doing their best to construct 1860's type gowns.  (Sassparilla Kid was happy as a 6th Iowa Infantry private bugler). 

 

The school had an open house, student's projects were displayed, they were given extra credit for bringing in "authentic" dishes*, there were a few speeches and presentations and then the ball itself, with the youngsters doing waltzes and reels and the like for a half hour, then let loose to unwind with "their own" music to close the session.  It was terrific!      *Sadly, the event was cancelled after many years due to a parent complaining that it was "racist," since fried chicken was included on the list of suggested foods. No kidding. This was two years before her son was in the school.  Many of the student projects displayed paid homage to contributions of African Americans.

 

Knowing a bunch of reenactors and being on the schools Site Council, I made some introductions with the principal and history teachers; that year, the week of the Ball an entire troupe of re-enactors showed up and made classroom visits, set up displays and lectures on the blacktop for the kids to rotate through in groups, and the Superintendent granted dispensation for them to come armed.  Armed!  Knives, sabers, revolvers, Enfields, Springfields, and even a Mountain Howitzer - which was fired with each rotation of the students.

 

To borrow from Kid Shelleen.... "It was SWELL!"  

 

 

 

 

               

 

    

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

 cancelled because of fried chicken ????:?  

 

 

 makes me want to go visit Col. Sanders right now .......