The sounds of rifle shots and cannon blasts broke the calm at
San Benito County Historical Park last weekend when enthusiasts of
the War Between the States donned the uniforms of Union and
Confederate soldiers and gave spectators a taste of a Civil War
battle.
Hollister – The sounds of rifle shots and cannon blasts broke the calm at San Benito County Historical Park last weekend when enthusiasts of the War Between the States donned the uniforms of Union and Confederate soldiers and gave spectators a taste of a Civil War battle.
Hundreds of people attended Civil War Days. The two-day event was a first for the county’s historical society, which organized the reenactment with the National Civil War Association. During the event, the historical park was transformed into a battlefield with Union and Confederate camps set up on opposing sides.
“It’s very good,” said seven-year-old Ciaran Rule, who watched the morning battle on Sunday with his older brother and friend. He said he liked the loud noises from the cannons, rifles and revolvers most of all.
His brother, 10-year-old Connor Rule, thought the reenactment might be helpful for school.
“It was really cool,” he said. “It might come in handy. I might study the Civil War this year.”
About 100 reenactors took part in the four battles over the weekend. Each fight included sharpshooters and regular soldiers from either side taking shots at one another with rifles and revolvers as cannons blasted away intermittently. Throughout the battles, soldiers would feign injury or death. After about 30 minutes, the battle would end with no decisive victor.
Long-time reenactor Shannon Scott, a Confederate major, was pleased with the weekend’s event and anticipates more reenactors will turn out for future events at the historical park as people become more familiar with the venue.
Though reenactors get a thrill from taking part in battles, many are also historians of the period or have a family connection to the war that divided the country over the issues of slavery and state’s rights.
“It’s part of history, it’s part of my blood,” Scott said. His ancestors in Kentucky fought for the Confederacy during the war. Scott, originally from Kentucky, now lives near Lake Tahoe.
Prunedale resident Mike Harvey, company clerk with the 69th New York, has a history degree and is interested in the Civil War period, which lasted from 1861 to 1865. He said he also sees reenactments as a way to pay tribute to those who fought in the war.
“We’re honoring the people who did do it, who laid down their lives for it,” he said.
Others, like San Jose resident Michael Solano, brigade sergeant with the 7th Virginia Infantry, see reenactments as a chance to educate.
“We teach the public what they don’t know about, and show how it was in those days,” he said.
While the battle reenactments were a big draw for many of the, Civil War Days also offered living history demonstrations that gave attendees a look at both camp and civilian life during the period. The buildings at the historical park were used to give a school house demonstration and for a church service on Sunday.
Shaylee Scott, 12, dressed in period garb and played the role of a student.
“It’s fun,” she said. “There’s lots of kids I get to play with.”
Luke Roney covers politics and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at [email protected]
