Went to a Civil War event yesterday. The best part of these events is the living history encampment, and the battle. The public loves to watch, though the mock battles seem kind of ridiculous. First of all, no battles were fought in Massachusetts. And as this is Yankee territory, the rebels are always outnumbered. Worse, the battles are always in a contained area, so the troops are only 200 yards away from each other. Yet no one's dying. We even had the rebel calvary surrounding us, whooping it up.
Finally, some of us were ordered to 'take a hit.' I pretended to be wounded because I couldn't fire my weapon anyway. (missing nipple, don't ask) As I lay dying a hospital aide from my unit came along and offered water. Suddenly I was heaved onto a gurney and rushed off the field. I'm sure the public enjoyed this scene. The gurney was much too short for me, so it was an awkward and bumpy ride. If I really was wounded the ride likely would have killed me.
Back at the hospital tent the 'doctor' grimly took my name and wrapped a bloody bandage around my knee. Lucky for me, it was determined that no limbs had to be removed this day.In fact, I was ordered back into battle!
The Encampment
The Famous 54th Mass, featured in "Glory."
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