Civil War Weekend Near Cedar Creek

View of Massanutten Range

Last weekend was an annual event featuring Civil War history in the northern Shenandoah Valley. Unlike some localities like Manassas that canceled events for fear of trouble between Confederate sympathizers (or neo-nazis) and modern-day Unionists, Cedar Creek and Winchester went ahead with scheduled programs. I didn't hear of any problems.

I decided to attend a living history event on the Cedar Creek Battlefield. We parked at the Morning Attack Trails and walked to the encampment by the 8th Vermont Monument.  Yankee soldiers were there to greet us.

General Sheridan kindly told us about the weapons used by the Union Army. Technological advances were made during the war and his cavalry took advantage of them.

The life of a soldier was not an easy one, though. I'm sure they would have welcomed a pretty day like this one was.

My point-and-shoot camera has it's limits, and auto-exposure can be way off. I did not intend for the above to be a silhouette shot! (I keep thinking I should get a DSLR, although I like the light weight of my little camera.)

Fortunately there are ways to change an image using software. I experimented with some effects in Movavi and totally changed the look of the photo. The most dramatic change came about with a "gray acid" filter. I think black and white suits the subject.