Yesterday after church we made a last minute decision to run to the city to watch the Civil War reenactment going on there. We've heard about it for years, but have never gone.
Actually I can remember watching it (in the same place!) when I was a kid and Mom was selling pottery there. I must have been... I dunno, 7, 8, 9 years old? I remember sitting high up on the hill being bored and confused and slightly scared. Why were they dressed up funny and shooting at each other? Why was it so loud? And when would it be over?
Like I say it was a last-minute idea, so by the time we got some things together and got on the road, we were late. But I remembered it going on and on when I kid, so I figured we'd get to see some of it...
But no, by the time we were there, the dead were rising and marching off the battlefield.
But we got to see the cavalry ride around a little...
...and there was a gratuitous bayonet charge and cannon fire.
So we didn't completely miss out. Next year, we'll have to plan our spontaneity a little better.
We walked around the camp and Daddy and his boys got to scope out some heavy artillery.
We listened to the band play...
...and pitied the poor ladies sweating buckets in their pretty dresses and hoop skirts. It was HOT out there!
Evan even got to help inspect the undercarriage of a covered wagon!
We managed to find some shade to sit in to eat a snack, and there was a cold fountain where Jonah and Nathan cooled their feet. We had a good time, but we were thankful for the air conditioning in the van... And all the way home we tried to answer Jonah's bazillion questions about the Civil War.
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Another learning obsession coming on? Time to go to the bookstore again!
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool that you went. I remember being disappointed to miss the battle because I had to sit in my booth but I thought the authentic camp was really interesting. Neal was a toddler, btw. Now, twenty years later...whoda thunk it?