Today is the final day of the Siege of Bridgeport re-enactment. I have attended this event many time through the years, but did not go this year or last.
For years I was a Civil War re-enactor. I started when I was 21. I served in a glorious unit called the 6th Virginia Cavalry when I first enlisted. We were one of the best units around, our name and reputation spread far and wide. We set the standard for discipline, as we behaved as a military unit. I fought dismounted as I did not have a horse.
After several years I struck out on my own, organizing a re-enactment and then forming a unit of my own.
Later on I joined a partizan unit, left that and went Infantry for several years, eventually ending up in an Artillery Battery.
I have done small events of only a 100 men and I have been to massive events with 10,000 troops on the field.
I have created characters and given lectures on the life of the common soldier.
As a character once in Hickory N.C. a friend of mine was "hit". I walked to a tree and sat him down. I was giving him water from my canteen. I was several years older, dressed in a mix of Dragoon and Confederate, the other fellow was in mostly civilian clothing.
As he sat under the tree some Ladies came over, older Southern ladies there to watch the fight in town as we were fighting in the streets. We slipped into period and I started telling him that he was going to be alright. I was saying that I promised mom to bring him back home alive. We were portraying brothers. Well we really got into it and as he sat there he "passed on". That was when I noticed the ladies were all in tears.
At New Market, Va. we always came thru the orchard at the Bushong House and ended up being slayed on the fence as we tried to take a cannon. I would hit that fence line with my "Walker" roaring like a hand cannon, finally collapsing from my fatal wounds and laying over the fence till the end, trying to give my best to the people watching the battle. At this event I was photgraphed and published several times in Southern Living as I stood at that fence looking forlorn at the setting sun. I also appear in a book called "The War In Southwest Virginia", those photographs taken at New Market.
At Brandy Station I was filmed and used in a documentary. And here I was laying inwait to ambush an attempt to slow a Federal Cav detachment. I got off one round from my Cook and Brother Carbine and then emptied my "Walker", finally catching a round myself and falling to the ground mortally wounded.
These are just a few of the event through the years.
I fought at Bull Run, the First Manassas and to the end were our original unit was captured in Lynchburg, Va. were we stacked arms and were given pardons to return home. That day we all cried in honor and memory of the men we portrayed.
But now I am old and gray, my body aches, and I can no longer go and enjoy the fight. Instead of fun and adventure it is work. It takes days to recover and get back to my semi normal.
I will miss Civil War re-enacting. I will miss the people and the camaraderie. I will forever carry the memories of sitting by a campfire at night swapping tales, the laughter, the bonding. I will see their faces forever as I will also recall their voices.
It is hard to admitt to retiring from re-enacting, but I can no longer give it my all.
And honestly I can no longer portray a correct soldier. Wars are fought by our youth. I am no longer young. My body is no longer hard and tough as a soldier.
Yes, it is time to hang up my guns.....
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