Civil War Travels With Ms. Rebelle

GATHERING OF EAGLES

One of the best Civil War events I have ever been to is coming up in Winchester, Virginia on May 31-June 2, 2013.  The event is held in the 1840s Winchester Courthouse Civil War Museum located at 20 Loudoun Streety.  Reservations are suggested as the Courtroom is small.  Last year was so interesting to watch the action of the reenactors making “their” generals come alive so I am definitely looking forward to this year’s events.

There is no script for the event.  The reenactor generals are given a year or an event to prepare for.  This year’s topic will be the events of 1863.  Last year’s action began with General Ewell reading a copy of Harper’s Weekly.  A reporter from Harper’s Weekly started asking questions of the generals on various topics relating to 1862.  Some of the generals were seated in the center of the Courtroom, while others were in the gallery on either side, or on the bench behind.  General McClellan was asked many questions.  Then the others started making comments so it was a lot of back and forth with the discussion.  Sometimes it gets very animated, and there is shouting back and forth between the Union and Confederates.  There were some heated discussions.

One of my favorites was Union General William Tecumseh Sherman (Jim Opdenaker).  This is the first time I have ever seen anyone portray the general.  He was sitting in the Courtroom with his rakish red hair in a slouched position that made you believe it really was General Sherman before you.  Afterwards the general told us that he has never lit a fire but people come up to him all the time and give him matches.

It was a treat to see Confederates Colonel John Singleton Mosby (Jimmy Fleming), Major Heros von Borcke (R.J. Cicero), and General JEB Stuart (Bill Frueh) there.  Bill Frueh lives outside of Denver, CO and several years ago, when I was in the Denver airport, he was there in full Stuart regalia including his sword and spurs getting ready to travel.  The airlines allow him to travel that way.  Colonel von Borcke was a German observer with General Stuart and had his blunderbuss with him.  He also presented a Confederate coat to General Stonewall Jackson (Greg Randall) replacing his Union coat that he had worn at First Manassas.  Mosby, von Borcke, and Stuart walked round and round the Courtroom singing Riding Around McClellan while General McClellan sat in the Courtroom.

The reenactor ladies had a tea and sewing circle discussing the war and the hardships they had to endure.  It turns out that one of the ladies had a birthday on June 2nd so General George Pickett (Niles Clark) sang to her.  He has a marvelous voice and sang A cappela. 

During intermission I approached Union General John Frederick Hartranft (John Schlotter) and asked him what it was like to read the death sentence on the gallows to the Lincoln Conspirators.  He said they were very respectful of Mary Surratt.  I told him I had found the grave of his aide Colonel William Henry Harrison McCall in Prescott, AZ (see October 17, 2012 Patch article “Civil War and Booth Conspiracy Connections in the West) several years ago.  We talked about the poor state of the Norristown, PA cemetery where he and General Winfield Scott Hancock are buried.  General Hartranft’s marker has bullet holes in it as well as several others in the cemetery.  In “real” life John Schlotter is the Postmaster of Gettysburg.

Al Stone (General Robert E. Lee) is head of Lee’s Lieutenants.  Al is a very believable General Lee.  At an event at Blenheim in Fairfax City once, and he stood while I sat down.  Wow!  Al headed up the event and got all the reenactors together for pictures at the end.

I enjoyed talking to Confederate Generals James Longstreet (Gene Pennell), General Isaac Ridgeway Trimble (David Trimble), Lewis Armistead (Dennis Cole), Maxcy Gregg (Tony Virando), and Union Generals Ulysses S. Grant (Barry Meadows), and General George Sears “Pap” Greene (Paul Bourget).  Tony Virando looked so much like General Gregg.  The beard was really something.  Confederate General William “Extra Billy” Smith (Dave Meisky) and Colonel Charles Venable (Mark Whittenton) were also in attendance.

In all my years of going to Civil War events, this was by far my favorite.  These men absolutely made the Civil War come alive with their portrayals of the generals.  I would heartedly recommend this event to all of you.  Lee’s Lieutenants website is:   leeslieutenants.com and the Federal general’s website is:  federalgeneralscorp.com.

Ms. Rebelle is a member of the Bull Run Civil War Round Table which meets every second Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Centreville Regional Library. The public is invited to attend at no cost and visit the website www.bullruncwrt.org for additional activities (tours, etc.)