Civil War reenactors received some coverage in the Parkersburg newspaper on Thursday:
Civil War reenactors living history
By PAMELA BRUST, pbrust@newsandsentinel.com
POSTED: March 5, 2009
PARKERSBURG – Although many are already ardent students of Civil War history, reenactors say they continue to learn new things everyday, and that, combined with the camaraderie among their fellow “soldiers” translates into a hobby, some say can become an obsession.
“Reenacting really is a family event; there are a lot of wives, children and grandchildren involved. Once you smell the gunpowder, you’re hooked,” said Col. John Haddox, Fourth Battalion Valley Division, Kanawha Artillery. Reenactors said their schedule of events usually starts in early spring and runs into winter months each year.
The calendar for the Kanawha Artillery includes March 5, History Day in Charleston; March 27-29, Scary Creek, Hurricane; Battle for Volcano at Mountwood Park is May 15-17. Many local units plan to attend the Mountwood event, which will include Civil War living history day on Friday with area school children. There will be a Blue and Gray Reunion May 29-31 in Philippi; June 12-14, Woodsfield, Ohio; July 10-12 in McConnelsville and on and on.
The farthest event is scheduled Sept. 4-7, Pioneer Days in Greensburg, Pa. The last event is Nov. 6-8 in Guyandotte, W.Va. A new event this year is the Battle of Sycamore Creek near Grantsville, which will be held at Calhoun County Park on Sept. 18-20; it will be the reenactment of an actual battle. The Moccasin Rangers are holding the event.
“The 11th West Virginia was making a trip through Calhoun County to arrest Confederate sympathizers, and the local Mocassin Rangers heard about it, so when the 11th stopped for lunch at the fork of the Sycamore, they didn’t have enough food and sent men out to forage. While they were gone, Confederate troops attacked. The battle lasted about 45 minutes; there was one casualty, then the Confederates withdrew,” said Lt. Col. Fred Cornell, 17th Virginia Cavalry, Co. F, “Nighthawk Rangers.”
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