Learning at a Civil War Demonstration

Last weekend, Linda and I headed south for Lamoni's 5th Annual Civil War Days. Neither Linda nor I are great Civil War buffs but the day was beautiful and it looked like an interesting event.

When we arrived, we wandered through the neutral camp site. Medical services, food preparation, musicians, tonic salemen, and other period appropriate non-combatants were conveniently located between the battlefield and the parking area.

We walked along a tree line to the near camp, the Confederate camp. While the cannons were quiet, we looked over the field, wandered among the tents, and watched as the bugler issued a call to prepare. The cannons were primed and prepared and cavalry scouts got their order to search for the enemy. Soldiers and their families prepared for the coming fight with hugs, kisses, and "be careful out there." Infantrymen gathered near their weapons in the shade... just in case.

As it was becoming apparent that something would be happening soon and not really wanting to be quite that close to it, we returned to the spectator area. One of the very interesting aspects of this display was the announcer explaining what we were seeing on the field. While the action was not scripted, there were certain very recognizable activities and tactics that were being shown and he was able clue us in to how the battle was flowing.

From our vantage point, we could see the Union pickets set out to provide the alarm should confederate troops get near their camp. They looked pretty bored until the opposing cavalry came within sight. Then it was a shot, a shout, and they were skedaddling for camp. The confederate cavalry pressed the issue ... right up to the point where they came within range of the Union cannons. Alerted by the shouts and gunfire, the cannons were prepared and opened fire with a startling salvo that caused the rebs to check up and reconsider. The Confederate cannons joined the battle as the cavalry probed the Union right flank. When they found the Union had moved a mountain howitzer into that position, the call "rally at the guns" was made and they headed back to their own cannon battery.

While the cavalry had been feeling their way along the Union line, the Confederate infantry had been moving under the cover of their cannons and claimed the rail fence for cover. From that position, they'd halted the Union cavalry's pursuit of the Confederates and put pressure on the Union front. With that position secure, they rolled up troops on their right side to pressure and contain the Union. With the rest of the front secured, they sent infantry to deal with that mountain howitzer. Creeping forward and flattening to the ground when the howitzer fired, they got into position to rush the gun. Luckily the Union soldiers "spiked" or disabled the gun so the rebs couldn't turn in on the Union camp.

The Union cannons kept the boys in gray at bay for a while. It wasn't long before the Union commanders saw they were in a bad spot and finally surrendered their camp. Both armies marched past our location on the way to their prison camp. An impressive volley of musket fire was shot off to assure that the weapons were no longer a danger. Commanders debriefed their troops, congratulating them on their victory, commending them for following orders, and finally releasing them to chat with the audience.

When Linda and I spoke with a few of the participants, we learned that the numbers this year were double that of last year. Last year, there weren't enough mounted cavalry to demonstrate a real action but there are six more horses and riders preparing to join in next year. Having the narrator was also very uncommon but truly a huge benefit for those who don't know how these battles were run.

Linda and I agreed that the event was excellent and looks to continue to improve in the coming years.