MANASSAS -- The 150th anniversary of Civil War battles began not with shots but with speeches and portrayals of the men who made history at Manassas National Battlefield Park on July 21, 1861.
Some had an earthier connection than others.
On the ground where soldiers slept 150 years ago before the first major battle of the Civil War, Jimmy Orr of Frederick, Md., slept overnight in a tent.
Like some of his Civil War counterparts on the night before battle, sleep didn't come easily to the re-enactor in the 11th Mississippi. It wasn't fear that kept him awake but excitement at commemorating the soldiers who inaugurated a terrible four years of war on this ground.
"It's always a special feeling" to be on the battlefield, he said. "We have fun, but we are very serious about what happened here."
The commemoration of the battle combined serious speech-making with activities for kids and living-history demonstrations detailed enough to teach something new about Civil War medicine to a surgeon.
Other events continue on the battlefield and in the city of Manassas through Sunday. A massive re-enactment of the battle will be held Saturday and Sunday on a farm adjacent to the battlefield.
No comments:
Post a Comment