Union And Confederate Soldiers Return To Gettysburg On 50th Anniversary

Our group demonstrated the accouterments, saddles and horse equipment, the weapons and living accommodations that the cavalry endured during the Civil War. We had living history demonstrations at Gettysburg, Kennesaw Mountain, Chicamauga, Stones River, Parker's Crossroads, Corinth, Shiloh, Fort Donelson, Pea Ridge, Brices Crossroads, and many other places too numerous to count. We also had a six horse artillery hitch limber and harness made to CW specifications. Living history brings much of what those men endured to life. Our color guard led the Homecoming 86’ Parade in Bristol, Tennessee, and several Governor's parades in Nashville. We take it serious to honor our heritage and ancestors, both Union and Confederate.

ping

How beautiful. Thank you.

Our group demonstrated the accouterments, saddles and horse equipment, the weapons and living accommodations that the cavalry endured during the Civil War. We had living history demonstrations at Gettysburg, Kennesaw Mountain, Chicamauga, Stones River, Parker's Crossroads, Corinth, Shiloh, Fort Donelson, Pea Ridge, Brices Crossroads, and many other places too numerous to count. We also had a six horse artillery hitch limber and harness made to CW specifications. Living history brings much of what those men endured to life. Our color guard led the Homecoming 86’ Parade in Bristol, Tennessee, and several Governor's parades in Nashville. We take it serious to honor our heritage and ancestors, both Union and Confederate.

As a disclaimer i must tell the both of you that the US Civil War was not "my war". My grandparents and father came over from Scotland in 1937. Both fought in WWII, Grandfather in the US Navy, and Father in the "Big Red One" in the Army.

i have been to several re-enactments, and live in the Gettysburg area (although originally from the Pittsburgh area). Both my wife and i participate in the Gettysburg Re-enactment. i quite concur that it is a learning experience to see how those who went before us suffered and lived in that era.

It makes one wonder how today's "snowflakes" would have stood up under those (by today's standards) draconian conditions.

Imagine, grinding your own beans --if you have them on hand-- finding your own water, and boiling coffee over a camp fire. Imagine having gone through all of that when the drums sound for muster....

Then imagine the medical care available. If the round fired at you hits a bone, you lose the limb...MAYBE you have chloroform to knock you out for the process, but probably not. Imagine the procedure being performed in a barn under lantern light with a surgeon who has probably not washed his hands from the last soldier he treated. Imagine the stench of 160-180,000 bodies either dead, wounded, captured, or simply trying to survive in the 90 degree+ heat of Gettysburg on 1-3 July 1863.

imagine eating rations of that era that barely deserved the name of "food".

Imagine firing one's musket into a smoke generate cloud where the enemy might be located because nitro-cellulose bullets did not exist at that time.

Imagine an entire regiment of troops (up to about 1,000 men at full strength) crammed into a space that would be cramped to a modern US Army platoon these days.

Imagine the sheer terror of seeing one's comrads torn apart by projectiles that dwarf the modern M2 Model 1919 50 cal BMG machine gun.

Many of us have no idea what we should be thankful for. i'm thankful that i never had to be a part of THAT back in 1863.

Yes, having seen combat, i'm thankful that it wasn't during those years. It would have been far worse.

When was the last time you heard of a general officer dying in a modern conflict? Couple that to how many died or were severely wounded at Gettysburg or other battles of the US Civil War.

Thank you for your post, and hope to see you in the Chicamauga re-enactment if my wife and i are able to have time to get there.

Nikki Haley says it didn’t happen /sarc

Thanks Daffynition.

As one who has served in combat, i can say without qualification, better playing than experiencing the reality. i would have given a lot just so that my son didn’t have to experience the same thing in Afghanistan along with the nightmares and necessary alterations to his life so that he can function without wanting to shoot up some of the a$$#0le$ making derogatory statements about the military and US veterans.

—Once again Bob, i don’t place you in that category. You are being honest as far as i can tell, and i’m answering as honestly as i am able. i’m sorry that you can’t understand, but i certainly do not hold that against you. i can’t speak for your veteran relatives. They have their own stories that may be the same, less or worse than what i went through.

Maybe, just maybe, another person will see the futility of the whole thing, and put a damper on those boldly proclaiming that “Civil War II” is about to start.

Maybe those people need the education about what war and combat entails. Better that they learn BEFORE the real bullets start to fly. Maybe it will prevent those bullets from flying.

Good, bad, or indifferent, it is NOT a good thing to forget about our history lest we repeat it and the mistakes that lead to it.

I am a veteran having served in the Army and USAF, my Father was a veteran, three of my Uncles retired USAF, and six GGF served on both sides of the CW. Many of our organization are veterans. One was a Recon Marine that participated in the raid on Hanoi Hilton and Hue. Another was in the 7th Infantry during the First Gulf War and is mentioned in the book on the 7th when his scout encountered fifteen Iraqi tanks and he faced them alone, another Afghanistan, and others Iraq. We all share a love of history and respect those that have gone before us and honor our heritage that should not be forgotten.

I've had the honor to demonstrate the tactics and uniforms that were used to men who's Fathers served in the CW. Many of us serve as advisers to the movie industry for authenticity and equine wranglers as well as donating our time to the NPS for educational purposes. In Corinth a cottage industry makes uniforms for Army Ceremonial units that portray men of different times in our history as well as making the accouterments.

I will type this slowly so you can comprehend....she was being attacked for asking for the thread to be removed, when she clearly meant for her post to be removed. It doesn’t matter what the post was - she asked for the post to be removed and it was.

Childish

Reading comprehension is your friend

As I said before

To: WhyisaTexasgirlinPA you admit you have no idea what you're talking about. Your quote"I don't know what her post was" 74 posted on 7/1/2018, 6:36:08 PM by piroque

What's your problem? get a life and get lost again ,can you under stand that.......

Knock it off, both of you.

thank you

I was a nine year old when my father arranged for us to stay in Gettysburg for ten days during the Centennial of 1963. Of course, we were there for many re-enactments before, during July 1,2 and 3, and after. I’ll never forget it. To this day it was the biggest event I have ever attended. God bless the re-enacters. The smoke, the cavalry, the cannons, the stacked muskets, the tents and field hospitals, hearing “Gary Owen” played on fifes all over the park. I am getting goosebumps just bringing back the memories. Eisenhower was in attendance for the re-enactment of Pickett’s Charge.

Not sure about it, but one story going around at the time was that well before the Civil War, a young Culp ran away from his family home on Culp’s Hill. He ran away to the South. When the War broke out he joined as a Confederate. He marched all the way north to Gettysburg. He snuck away to visit his family on Culp’s Hill. He was seen in his Confederate uniform and was shot and killed on Culp’s Hill. Not sure if it’s true. But it always will be to me.