A Teachable Moment in Vicksburg (MS)
Reenactors recreate 1862 recruiting rally in Vicksburg
Civil War reenactors recreate 1862 recruiting rally in Vicksburg
(I especially like the authentic Missouri undyed-wool uniforms. - DD)
(Don Hill, The Vicksburg Post) - History came to life Saturday at the Old Court House Museum with Civil War reenactors portraying a Confederate recruitment rally based on an event that took place in Vicksburg during June 1862.
This year’s program depicted Gen. Martin L. Smith and Lt. Cmdr. Charles Read as they sought volunteers for Confederate service during the Civil War.
“What we’re doing here is an actual historical reenactment that happened in June of 1862,” event organizer Bryan Skipworth said. “Gen. Smith gave a rally speech here to enlist more men into the infantry.”
Skipworth said the program also portrayed Read’s arrival from Yazoo City to recruit volunteers for a special assignment.
“Lt. Cmdr. Read, with the (Confederate) Navy, came from Yazoo City to recruit troops to help bring a boat from Yazoo City to Vicksburg,” Skipworth said. “He didn’t tell them what boat it was. He just said, ‘We need help. We need volunteers to help bring the boat to Vicksburg.’”
Skipworth said the boat was the Confederate ironclad CSS Arkansas, one of the South’s most formidable warships on…
