North Carolina: Female Reenactors Celebrate Fort Fisher Anniversary
WILMINGTON, N.C. — While Confederate soldiers attempted to defend Fort Fisher in the waning months of the Civil War, most of the women in their lives had spent years keeping the farms going, making munitions, feeding and clothing the children, or even working for the state treasury printing Confederate money, says AMANDA BRANTLEY, programs coordinator at the Bentonville Battlefield near Smithfield.
“Women did everything,” she says.
Photo of Amanda Brantley by Harry Taylor
Every year, largely men show up to participate in reenactments or living history events marking the battle at Fort Fisher, which protected blockade runners until its fall January 15, 1865.
But like at other Civil War sites that draw visitors and history bluffs, female reenactors turnout to Fort Fisher as well, dressed in period clothing and providing a glimpse into life for women during the war.
Brantley has participated in living history events and reenactments for the past ten years, including several at Fort Fisher. She has a special interest in Fort Fisher since two of her ancestors served there.
This month, the Fort Fisher state historic site holds a one-day living history program for the battle’s 149th anniversary commemoration.
Next year, the site hosts a two-day reenactment event for the 150th anniversary to reconstruct the Second Battle of Fort Fisher – in which the Union took control of the fort.
Brantley notes the differences between living history and reenactment events. Participants in living history events create an impression of life in the time depicted through demonstrations, period clothing, and interpretations of how people lived. A reenactment recreates a battle or scene in history. The Fort Fisher battle is reenacted every five years.
Though it was not proper for women to stay at the battlefield, Brantley and her counterparts camp at the site and interpret the duties of women in those times during these events.
“Usually if there is not a separate civilian camp, I am with the military camp,” she says. “My real passion is cooking, which is labor intensive, doing everything from scratch.”
Brantley says she tracks down and follows original recipes from reprints of cookbooks from the era.
“It’s easiest to do soups and stews (because they feed a lot), cornbread, sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, chicken noodle soup – I make the noodles on site,” Brantley says. “I make the bread and butter. Period food gets you into the era, puts you into the period you are trying to portray.”
This year’s commemoration focuses on the medical care that was available to soldiers.
For women, the need for help in hospitals during the war created a shift in duties, so nursing emerged during that time, Brantley says. Until then women could bring bandages, food, and water, but it was not proper to touch the men.
Fort Fisher officials say at least two female interpreters will be on hand during this month’s event to serve as a hospital matron, or nurse, and to wear period mourning clothing to discuss death and mourning during the Civil War.
Detailed and historically accurate clothing is an important part of reenactors’ gear.
“I put a lot of research into what was worn then. I try to make it as close as possible to 150 years ago,” Brantley says. “I make all of my clothing except shoes. There are specialty retailers who make certain things. I wear six to eight pieces of clothing: chemise and drawers, corset, petticoat, hoop skirt or cage crinoline, dress, an apron if I’m cooking, stockings and boots – and if it’s cold – a jacket.”
Fort Fisher’s 149th anniversary commemoration will be 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, January 18, featuring infantry units talking with visitors about camp life. Artillery units also will conduct drills and firing demonstrations. And Civil War authors will be on had to talk about their research. This year’s event focuses on medical care during the war.
1610 Fort Fisher Boulevard South, Kure Beach
458-5538
-WILMA magazine
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Mississippi: Heritage Museum Looking to Expand
HOUSTON, Miss. — The new year means big plans for the Chickasaw County Heritage Museum.
“We’re putting together a project now that is going to feature some of the artifacts that have been found here in Chickasaw County as well as some of the people who have fought in the Civil War,” Chickasaw County Historical Society President Larry Davis said.
To be able to fit all of this, the historical society is looking to build an 800-foot expansion to the museum.
“Part of that addition is going to be focused on the Chickasaw Nation,” Davis said.
The Chickasaws were the original inhabitants of the county up until the mid-1830s.
The historical society wants to bring some of that culture back and has been talking to the group’s current governor.
“[We want] the Chickasaw Nation in this area and having more presence with the people of their homeland,” Chickasaw County Historical Society member Janis Dyson said.
Historical society member Lamar Beaty is working on another project for the museum.
He is bringing a piece of the Okolona-Houston, Calhoun City Railroad in as an exhibit.
“My father used to ride the train to school to get to Houston, and I always thought that was one of the most fascinating things in the world,” Beaty said.
The group has a marker for the railroad display.
All it needs to do is put it up.
Davis said the society is always looking for more volunteers.
“It takes a lot of effort by a lot of people who are willing to spend some time working on this project,” Davis said.
The society said it is important to remember the past in order to shape the future.
-WTVA
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Georgia: Author forms Civil War Discussion Group
SAVANNAH, Ga, — Civil War enthusiast and author Toby Julian has initiated a civil war discussion group in Sun City.
About 50-60 people signed up at Sun City’s club fair in November and 25 attended the group’s first meeting Dec. 5.
“I was pleasantly surprised by the turnout,” Julian said. “Although, we don’t want to be more than 40 or so people, because then discussion could get awkward. The idea is to discuss, ask questions and make comments, and you can’t do that if you have too large of a group.”
Julian moved to Sun City from Hilton Head Island in July. He was an active participant in informal discussion of the Civil War and said he led discussions at the Hilton Head library on three or four occasions.
Toby Julian of the Sun City Civil War discussion group poses with a copy of his book, “Forever Wave: The Shaping of America.” Amanda Dickey/Hardeeville Today
“The interest in the Civil War is very high among a lot of people,” Julian said. “I decided before I moved into Sun City that I would try to form a group to meet regularly and discuss aspects of the Civil War. I’m formalizing something that I’ve been doing for several years. Sun City is a great place to do it. You have the people, the facilities and the encouragement to form groups and clubs.”
Born in Pennsylvania, Julian traveled and spent a lot of time in New England. He gained an interest in the Civil War during his time at Dartmouth College through one of his professors. Since his fascination with the war began, Julian has visited every major battlefield and has authored two books: “Forever Wave: the Shaping of America” and “Gettysburg II: We Have Two Countries.”
Though they have similarities, Julian hopes to distinguish his group from the well-known Lowcountry Civil War Round Table — an organization dedicated to promoting, educating and stimulating interest and discussion of all aspects of the Civil War and the preservation of war sites and monuments.
“They have about 300 members or so,” Julian said. “There are round tables all over the country. We are purely a discussion group and there is no connection between us. This is a brand new group and we aren’t in competition or in conflict.”
The Lowcountry Civil War Round Table began in 2000 as a small group, according to membership chairman David McColloch.
“In our early years, we went through all the battles and all the nitty gritty of the Civil War,” McColloch said. “Since then we have expanded out to medicine, we’ve had people come and talk to us about Civil War photography and things like battlefield logistics.”
The first session of the Sun City Civil War discussion group Dec. 5 covered Sherman’s march, a topic picked by Julian. Several individuals brought in memorabilia, including a collection of books, stories from ancestors about the war and DVDs.
As moderator, Julian’s job is to lead the discussion.
“It’s not a formal lecture or presentation,” Julian said. “I have to be prepared to speak to the subject at hand but not make a lecture out of it. I want to encourage people to discuss, comment, challenge and debate in a nonpolitical environment. There are both people from the North and South in the group. We’re not trying to say who should have won or lost; we’re discussing history, what happened, why it took place and why people are still interested in it.”
Julian said people who live outside Sun City are welcome to attend the meetings. The next meeting will be Jan. 2 with a discussion on the causes of the war.
“The group decides at one meeting what the subject of the next meeting will be,” Julian said. “We’ll eventually cover topics like the various battles, generals, President Lincoln, campaigns, war personalities, roles of women, weaponry and tactics among many others.”
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