The Battle Of Gettysburg was "scheduled" for three o'clock in the afternoon but we arrived at Wasioja early in the morning. While there were stores to shop in, speeches, music and authors to talk to, I most enjoy meeting and talking with the reenactors who are always in character. Come on along a take a look....
Mrs. T. stopped to visit with a friendly neighbor lady
Friends Gary and Rosie (on the right) joined a discussion with another local citizen.
Gary led the way up a hill to an encampment where things were just stirring.
A few of the "boys in blue" from the second Minnesota Volunteer Regiment, Company C (Wasioja) were just starting to gather.
I talked to a pharmacist who was just checking his supplies.
In another section of woods some rebels from South Carolina (the Pee Dee regiment) were up and about. They were confident they would be able to push the "damn Yankees" off the nearby ridge.
I talked to artillery men from both sides of the battle. Here are pictured some of the Confederate guns. Later, I met the men of a battery from New Ulm, Minnesota. They managed to put me in my place when I had said that I had visited their town many times and was highly enamored (being of German heritage) of their famous Schells beer. "So why are you wearing that Wisconsin beer hat, they asked. Yes, I'd forgotten I was wearing my Leinenkugels topper, recently purchased on a trip to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and its fine brewery. I must say were proud of their unit as well as their town beer!
Mrs. T. stopped to visit with a friendly neighbor lady
Friends Gary and Rosie (on the right) joined a discussion with another local citizen. 
Gary led the way up a hill to an encampment where things were just stirring. 
A few of the "boys in blue" from the second Minnesota Volunteer Regiment, Company C (Wasioja) were just starting to gather. 
I talked to a pharmacist who was just checking his supplies.
In another section of woods some rebels from South Carolina (the Pee Dee regiment) were up and about. They were confident they would be able to push the "damn Yankees" off the nearby ridge. 
I talked to artillery men from both sides of the battle. Here are pictured some of the Confederate guns. Later, I met the men of a battery from New Ulm, Minnesota. They managed to put me in my place when I had said that I had visited their town many times and was highly enamored (being of German heritage) of their famous Schells beer. "So why are you wearing that Wisconsin beer hat, they asked. Yes, I'd forgotten I was wearing my Leinenkugels topper, recently purchased on a trip to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and its fine brewery. I must say were proud of their unit as well as their town beer!
I love events like this! We are always busy with soccer and so on so we often miss the ones here in Williamsburg, but caught them last summer or the summer before. I had the best talk with one of the reenactors about his family sheep farm and how a fabric mill had been built upstream and ever since the sheep have not done well (alluding to dye in the water but maintaining character and what would have been 'known' at the time) and so for financial reasons he'd joined the King's Army. They were marching to Yorktown tomorrow to finish off the rabble so they could go home to England. As I've enough history to know Yorktown wasn't going to go well I sat there a minute trying to come up with an appropriate response to the "character."
ReplyDeletethe last photo and your 'wisconsin beer hat' are too funny!
ReplyDeleteWe've been watching lots of stuff on tv about Gettysburg -- how neat you got to see this reainactment. Live action! :)
ReplyDeleteMost informative, and yet, for you must have been fun too.
ReplyDeleteI've been to one at Shiloh battleground (Battle of Pickwick Landing). It was real enough and had a live band dressed in Civil War years attire. This one looks more fun to attend, more like a festival.
ReplyDeleteYou got some wonderful photos of the reenactors. I'm glad the Minnesota artillerymen let you take their picture even if you were wearing that 'Wisconsin' hat.
ReplyDeleteI've always thought I'd like to attend a civil war enactment. With all its history, seeing one at Gettysburg would be even better.
ReplyDeleteIt looked to be an interesting event, especially for a history buff as you are. I have not been to a Civil War reenactment before although I have visited some battlefields, especially Vicksburg and Gettyburg, where the most enduring sight were the many solemn cemetery headstones. We had a big battle here in New Mexico in 1862 - The Battle of Glorieta Pass - http://www.nps.gov/peco/historyculture/copy-of-battleofglorietta.htm where the Union Army (primarily Colorado troops) defeated the Texas troops who got over-extended from their support logistics. I did attend that Reenactment Event
ReplyDeletelast year but before the actual battle reenactment started. The Battle of Gettysburg was, indeed, far more tragic and bloody.
Thanks for lightening the background color.....I can read this.
ReplyDeleteLove, Lo
Someday I really want to go to Gettysburg. Not sure it will be when they are have events going like you saw---but I just want to be there sometime and 'feel' all of that marvelous history... So glad you went --and I'm sure you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing your photos with us.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
More reenactments should be done. The research that goes into reenactments educates everybody. I'm sure that an old social studies teacher would agree with me.
ReplyDeleteThis is really interesting. I once saw a Seminole war reenactment in Florida. Fascinating. Loved the fierce looking fellows in that last photo.
ReplyDeleteHope there is more to come.
Love going to those reenactments♥ So much history and I love looking at the antiques that are always at them.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking as the "local citizen" in your photo, glad you made it! Wasioja was a fun event, there will also be one in Pipestone next year.
ReplyDeleteI love it when the characters in these reenactments do stay in character. I haven't been to one since the kids were little, and we were homeschooling them. It was a great way to introduce them to an important part of history that came to life right in front of them.
ReplyDeletemy husband and i have visited Gettysburg and I was fascinated by all the statues and markers, as well as the entire Little Round Top area... we've been to a couple of other sites, but Antietam stands out to me - it was a very sad place but feels so peaceful now - it's just gut-wrenching to imagine the horror that took place there... thanks for your story about being there, mr T
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun afternoon!
ReplyDeleteI like going to Heritage park in Calgary Alberta.
The little town has 'actors' in it and they stay in character. Very fun.
Hope you are having a lovely week my friend!
xo Catherine
What a great event! It is something I would really like to see..thanks for sharing your photos! :)
ReplyDeleteA perfect reenactment. I feel like I am actually there and the flat prairie is definitely cool for a setting.
ReplyDeleteSo fun and informative!
ReplyDeleteReenactments are fun. At least, if the weather is good. Of course, our ancestors did not get to choose whether to stay home if the day was too hot or too cold.
ReplyDeleteFascinating stuff! I'm glad I live in the era I do, if only so I can run around in shorts and a t-shirt in summer!
ReplyDelete