The Cedar Creek Reenactment 2017: Part 2

The driver of the truck was yelling something about a bomb and we need to get out. We all looked at each other perplexed. Because the idea that there is a bomb and your life may be in danger does not computer. For then least, everyone remained sitting. Others, came by telling us to leave everything and get to our vehicles. We all looked around at each other, some muttering things like, “ I’m not moving, I’m eating.” Eventually and by that I mean probably only 30 seconds having passed there seemed to be an exodus from the camps above us and Adam began to take things seriously. I don’t know what initiated our leaving, but Adam, told me not to wait for him and I began to walk toward the truck used to move the cannon. And then I remembered my teddy bear in the tent. Would a 27 year old takes a teddy bear with her everywhere she goes over night? Yes, because when I was little I had a fear that I would be gone and there would be a fire and here my silly childhood fear was coming true. So I sprinted across a cow pasture dodging cow patties in a hoopskirt to get to my tent to get my childhood favorite toy. No I haven’t ran in years. I hate unnecessary physical activity so regardless if it was a real bomb or a mysterious forgotten backpack I have a seething hatred for whoever was responsible. And I began to briskly make my way back to the truck. It was a bit chaotic everyone quickly getting in the bed of the truck. Climbing over a tailgate to get in the back of a truck may be the hardest thing to do in a hoop skirt especially when your leather soled boots a bit slippery. We all made it in and we began a great exodus of artillery tow vehicles out of the camps.

I did not think for a second that it was real. When I was in high school we had bomb threats and nothing came of those except loitering about the practice football field for an afternoon. When I was at Ohio State there were threats of violence at cafeteria locations and nothing came of that. And I was no longer a student in 2016 when the stabbing/ car running over incident happened. My world has always been a safe even if it was only an illusion. There was never a real bomb in high school why would there be a real bomb now?

The leaving was slow and we didn’t make it very far before we were told to turn around and go back to camp. It was then when I decided for myself that it was clearly a false alarm. So obviously annoyed we made out way back to camp. We had been gone just long enough for our food to have gotten cold. But despite having decided for myself it was a false alarm I still had the nervous knot in my stomach so I was only able to finish my salad. We were asked to search out camps and tents to be sure that there want anything out of place.

The sun was nested between two mountains on the horizon. And we noticed that there was a group of Confederates sitting under a tree near the path between our tents and the BBQ establishment. Adam decided to go talk to them to see what they knew from their side event. We found out they had been evacuated and they hadn’t had dinner, so we gathered up what snacks we had and took it to them. We also found out they were being evacuated to a local middle school so a thorough search could be conducted. That bit of info made me question the conclusion I had came to about it being a false alarm. It was in these moments that I saw the first powerful moments in reaction to the events taking place… Union reenactors taking food to Confederate reenactors who didn't get their dinner... it's not about sides it's about kindness. Everyone at Cedar Creek Battlefield was an American.

The evening was a strange one as darkness fell the blue and red flashing lights form emergency response vehicles illuminated the evening. There were supposed to be night activities like the night firing of the cannon and the ball. Both of which were cancelled. Around the campfire rumors in varying degrees of horror were spread.

At some point in the evening we were told that there was to be someone on guard all night, and that the confederates were being bussed back to camp. At this point we were unsure if the reenactment would go on the next day. It was at this point when it became an idea that even if the event was cancelled the next day the union and the confederate reenacting groups should meet in the middle of the field and shake hands.

Eventually we turned in for the night unsure of what the morning would bring. I lay awake listening to my ipod watching the the flashing lights on the walls of the canvas tent. I tossed and turned a bit more than normal and somewhere around 2am I checked facebook and Instagram and my school email. Earlier in the evening I had emailed my thesis committee chair. The email I received in response was something to the effect of, “Do NOT get blown up. I will not posthumously award you your degree.” I don’t know what time the flashing lights disappeared and the authorities departed but they eventually did.

I didn’t sleep in Sunday morning. I joined everyone else around the camp fire still in my pjs. There was still no news on what would be going on that day. Following the morning roll and formation Adam returned to say that there would be a battle that day for reenactors only, the spectators would not be allowed in. So I quickly changed and I decided I was going with them to get good photos for the weekend. While spectators were not allowed in there were a lot of spectators that parked on the sides of the roads to watch. And while this is only my speculation I noticed a large number of bikers among them I thought perhaps they were there to insure nothing got out of hand like can be seen a funerals being protested by groups like Westburo Baptist Church.

was a certain feeling “Fuck you!” on the breeze that morning. The Capitan from a Rhode Island Battery pointed me to a spot where I might get the best photos and I planned my own strategy.They placed the cannon in a valley with a small house to and a hill behind us and a steeper hill in front of us. The sky late morning sky was clear, the temperature was perfect and the moods of the reenactors around me were high. The atmosphere was filled with excitement, a certain sense of comradery that even infected me, the girl in the hoopskirt. It also needs to be mentioned that there

Everything felt so much more important that day. I’ve always been very interested in getting photos of the flags during battles. As they represent so much both historically and to the individual groups today. But today that seemed even more important. I think that I did get a number of really great shots of battle flags.

The battle went as they normally do although this one lasted longer than most. Finally we saw the confederates reach the crest of the hill in front of us. This is when something incredible happened. All gun shots ceased and the musicians began to play Dixie followed by the Star Spangled Banner. And then a rebel yelled echoed from the ridge filling morning air and

it soon grew louder as everyone on the ridge joined in. And slowly that rebel yell faded in to a chant of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” It was a profoundly moving and unifying moment. And though I was just a girl in a hoopskirt taking photos I was deeply honored that I got to be apart of such an event. When returning to camp those who had stopped to watch by the road thanks the reenactors for staying and going forward with the battle. And the spectators were thanked for supporting the reenactors. We returned to camp and tore down and we left with a sense of pride for standing our ground instead of tucking our tails and running. Before we said goodbye to Middletown Va. We stopped back in at the BBQ joint and had a tasty beef brisket lunch.

A week or so after it came to our attention that some of the rumors we heard around the campfire were true. It was a real bomb found in a sutlers tent and there was a mercury detonator. That means someone had the intent to kill. And saying that seems like an obvious statement until you think what that really means. Remember that little boy in the little union uniform that took a photo with Adam? The person who placed that bomb hated that little boy enough to end his life. I dislike children but the idea of wanting him dead does not compute.

The events at Cedar Creek has been described, “Saturday was our 9/11 and Sunday Was our Boston tea party.” Col. Rick Dennis, commander Artillery Reserve. I think that’s a pretty accurate description. An attempt to silence the stories that need to be told. Everyone Knows the Lees and the Grants and the Lincolns and the Davises, but those aren’t the stories being told here, it’s the stories of the common man and women and their experiences during the events that made the names we remember. The reasons people take part in this are as varied as the reenactors are themselves, some like history, some like antique weapons, but that list of reasons doesn’t include, racism or hate. A terrorist attack was made and those attacked stood strong. I think that all those who were there that Saturday and Sunday walked away with a greater sense of comradery with their fellow reenactors and a sense of pride that they were able to take part in the statement, ‘ We won’t be stopped because of your ignorance and hate.’