Civil War Soldiers in Action

Reenactment at Middletown, VA
October 16, 2010

I took a huge number of photographs at the "Battle of Cedar Creek." Many are similar shots which aren't worth posting or printing, but I kept clicking away because the action was changing quickly. Since I was using the digital camera there was a brief lag between the time I pressed the button and the time the picture was taken so I couldn't be sure what image was actually captured.

For a while I felt overwhelmed by the task of picking which pictures to post out of the over 200 that I transferred off the memory card, but this week finally selected some. This pair is from the height of the acted-out battle.

The reenactment was entertaining. It can't look completely authentic because the actual battle took place over a much larger area than is available or practical for a public exhibition, plus the number or reenactors is not nearly as large as the number of soldiers who were actually involved in the battle. Also the safety of the horses who are used impose some limitations. And of course no one gets killed.

If you haven't been to a reenactment, I recommend seeing one. It's based on history but the overall feeling is one of spectacle rather than warfare, and reminiscent of a parade but more exciting.