One of the quirky little things the community of Coldwater has been doing for Memorial Weekend since I've lived here full time is celebrate this holiday with Civil War Days. They have visits and speeches from Abe Lincoln and his wife who ride in to town for the weekend on an authentic steam train. They also have Civil War who demonstrate marching and battle tactics plus other interesting stuff.
I'll admit when I first heard about it and attended a battle reenactment a few years ago, I was rather snobbish about it. They were reenacting the Battle of Shiloh. In the real battle there were over 80,000 troops involved between the Northern Army of Ulysses S Grant and Albert Sydney Johnson's Army of Southerners.
In the Coldwater Battle they had 50 Union (Northern) Soldiers against 7 Rebels (Southern)...yep, you read that correctly...7! Those Rebs were some fighters because they nearly whooped 'em on the first day of the fight! But the more I thought about it i realized it was pretty cool.
They had an Army Camp set up for the weekend, traders selling goods and people demonstrating various things like period medicine, shoeing the horses and there were woman dressed up in the clothes of that era as well.
I have been unable to get involved this year with stuff happening yesterday and other thing going on today. I have a busy day until about 3:30p tomorrow so i suppose I won't get over there this year which basically blows....I know, I know! I actually have a real life now with hobbies, activities, church, etc and I don't know how to handle it, haha!
But as I wrap up this quirky little Civil war days Post it is a good time for me to mention and reflect on what so many people who sacrificed their lives so that we could not only be free,but live in a country like the United States. Thank You All so very, very much. May we never forget what you courageous folks did for me and mine on so many battlefields all over the world and yes, here in our Country as well...
