Camp Sherman revisits the Civil War

Visitors to House on Metolius in Camp Sherman last weekend stepped back in time to 1861-65.

Infantry advanced and retreated across the meadow under clouds of pungent powder smoke from artillery fire and musketry; cavalry scouts loped through the greening grass as flags of the United States and the Confederate States of America flapped in a stiff, chilly breeze over canvas tents of the opposing armies' encampments.

The occasion was the second annual Northwest Civil War Council reenactment of camp life and battle during the War Between the States.

A special feature of this year's encampment was an appearance on Saturday by President Abraham Lincoln (expertly portrayed by noted Pacific Northwest actor Steve Holgate). Mr. Lincoln spoke at a "press conference" before packed bleacher seating filled with spectators from across Sisters Country who turned out to explore the reenactment.

"Private David Banks" of Co. K of the 69th New York Regiment of the Union Army introduced Mr. Lincoln, orienting the audience to a time-frame of April 1865.

"The war is winding down," Pvt. Banks said.

Lincoln at that moment had but days to live. He would be cut down by an assassin's bullet on April 14, 1865.

The nearly 30-minute presentation artfully constructed a narrative of Lincoln's life ("I'm going to break precedent and yammer about myself") and wove in the entire Gettysburg Address and a substantial excerpt of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address ("With malice toward none and charity for all...").

The famous dry and self-deprecating humor of the 16th president was much in evidence. He noted that critics of his policies accused him of being two-faced. "I ask you, if I had two faces, would I be using this one?"

He explained the dilemma he faced in seeking to emancipate the slaves. Four "slave states" did not secede from the Union, and Lincoln was anxious to retain their loyalty.

He explained that he told aides "I hope I have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky."

He offered a selection of press attacks that make contemporary partisanship pale in comparison. He quoted a newspaper editorial (a Northern one at that) that described him as "the cowardly tyrant who now disgraces the chair of Washington and Jefferson."

After his remarks, Mr. Lincoln took questions from the audience, all couched in the issues and concerns of the 1860s. He noted that, because of the war, "this country is something new; something it could not have been before."

As the music of fife and drum echoed across the meadow, spectators dispersed through the Union and Confederate encampment, where reenactors eagerly explained their clothing and equipment and described what life was like for soldiers and civilians during the great conflict.

"I talked to a Confederate officer who was a wealth of information about the Irish involvement," said spectator John Souter. "These guys are amazing. They really know a lot."

The classic impression of the opposing armies evokes images of the Blue and the Gray, but 19th-century uniforms could be eccentric and colorful - as evidenced by the Zouave who stood sentry at the entrance to Confederate headquarters. He wore a braided blue (yes, blue) short jacket, a red fez cap and baggy striped pantaloons.

This was Corporal Silas Willington (an actual historical personage) a member of the elite 1st Louisiana Special Battalion, known as Tiger Zouaves. They were largely Irish and recruited from the New Orleans docks. They were ferocious fighters, known for relishing hand-to-hand combat with their massive D-guard Bowie Knives. Silas was actually from South Carolina and joined the regiment at the behest of his sweetheart as it moved through South Carolina to join General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.

Corporal Willington explained that the Zouave uniform was popular among volunteer regiments on both sides of the conflict. It was a French style adopted from North African tribesmen the French encountered in their mid-19th-century colonial expansion in the region.

In the afternoon, time shifted to the summer of 1863. Forces from both sides mustered on the meadow and maneuvered in the tight linear style of the mid-19th century. Artillery fire boomed and echoed across the Metolius Basin and musket fire popped and crackled in mock battle. A reenactor had thoroughly explained the nature of 19th-century tactics to the watching crowd, noting that many Civil War battles - including the massive and decisive Battle of Gettysburg - were the result of forces running into each other and becoming entangled regardless of plans and orders of army officers.

After Saturday afternoon's battle, each unit was introduced to cheers, and the crowd of spectators dispersed. But the reenactment was far from over for the participants. They literally eat and sleep 19th century, and as 21st-century spectators drove away and dusk fell on the battlefield and encampment, they slipped closer than ever to the spirit of a bygone age - a four-year struggle that made modern America.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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