Reenactment armies battle on the Metolius

Imagine stepping back in time during the Civil War in 1863 and walking into the campgrounds behind the frontline of a field filled with Confederate and Union soldiers at battle. The Northwest Civil War Council (NCWC) brought history to life for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War during a full reenactment at House on Metolius, Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18.

House on Metolius, located in Camp Sherman, offered the setting of a beautiful meadow along the Metolius River, with breathtaking views of Mt. Jefferson and Three Fingered Jack.

NCWC is a non-profit living-history organization dedicated to educating the public and their members about the American Civil War. There are just over 1,100 members that come from all over the Northwest.

The council is made up of individual units (Union, Confederate and civilian) who come together several times each year. The war cost the lives of over 620,000 Americans (North and South) and profoundly changed our nation down to the present day. Each member has the opportunity to re-create parts of the past in educational drama at reenactments. Spectators as well as the participants learn more about their history and people who lived during the year 1863 in Virginia and Pennsylvania.

During the reenactment, the members wear authentically reproduced clothing, handle black-powder weapons, cook over open fires and sleep in canvas tents while they participate in battle reenactments and military or civilian life.

"We stay like this 24 hours a day, and continue to reenact after all the spectators are gone. Some of the members are so authentic that they eat hardtack, which are hard crackers made with flour and salt. It was the Union soldiers' main source of food because it was cheap to make, easy to transport, and lasted a long time," said Scott Ingalls, NCWC chairman. "This is our very first time in Central Oregon."

Life during the Civil War in 1863 wasn't easy, and the reenactment members presented their activities and struggles during the war. Spectators walked around and viewed life as it was during the war. They got the chance to watch everyday lives of the men, women and children of that time period.

Convincing 1863 camps spread out around the meadow, Confederate camps on one side and Union on the other. Across the footbridge that stretched over the Metolius River was the Rockbridge Artillery camp, named after the town in Virginia. First Sergeant John Leckie, a NCWC member, was on hand to describe his camp.

"The Southern Confederate camps usually had their families along camping with the soldiers during the war. The Rockbridge Artillery was Robert E. Lee's main artillery. I am a descendant from the Civil War, my ancestor with the same name was in the Civil War," said Leckie.

No matter what the weather, women in the Civil War era wore nine to 15 layers of clothing or more. Mary Robinson, a NCWC member and civilian in the Union town, was very informative about what a woman in 1863 sported.

"Consistent characteristics of that era would be hoop skirts, bonnets and decorative hair nets. The material from which clothing was made would be anything natural like wool, silks, or cotton. The idea was to create the perfect hourglass figure back then, so that meant corsets. Dresses only got washed once a year, but the cuffs and collars that were removable got bleached occasionally."

Civilian merchants that sold provisions to an army in the field or in camp were called sutlers. Sutlers sold wares from the back of a wagon or a tent, traveling with an army or to remote military outposts.

Sutler Art Gorgen, a NCWC member, stood by the entrance of his tent as spectators walked in looking for goods to purchase.

"Usually every regiment had a sutler attached to it," he said. "They had supplies that the army didn't, like stationary, stamps or toothpaste, and more."

Billowing clouds of smoke exploded out of authentic pre-Civil War cannons as spectators watched the Union and Confederate army soldiers battle it out on foot (infantry) on horseback (cavalry) and with cannons (artillery).There were two battles set at specific times each day.

During the Civil War, music played a prominent role on both sides of the conflict. On the Civil War battlefield, different instruments including bugles, drums, and fifes were played to issue marching orders or simply to boost morale.

Michael Larsen, a NCWC member from Corvallis, marched with the Confederate soldiers, beating a cadence on his drum as they prepared to go into battle.

"A drummer is needed to provide communication and keep order among the units, and has a lot of other responsibilities. We start at 5:45 each morning with the 'drummer's call' then proceed to reveille with 20 minutes of music."

Dale Coats and wife Irene, spectators and Sisters residents, had a great time watching a morning battle.

"This is pretty exciting for us westerners," Coats said. "This is our first time at any reenactment. This 'hidden valley' is a beautiful place for the reenactment to happen. We are hoping it will happen every year."