Peaceful, Easy Feeling Out at Hainesville This Past Saturday

Well, peaceful and easy until the Prelude to the Battle of Atlanta started.  Then it got rather noisy when all the cannons opened up, followed by musketry.

This past Saturday and Sunday, Hainesville, Illinois, had its annual Civil War Encampment and Battle.  I was there on Saturday.  Even though I know a lot about the Civil War, I learned a lot more like "Battle Logs," "Goober Peas" and aerial wounds.   I'll be writing about some of these in my Saw the Elephant blog.

But, the biggest plus was that no ultra thugs showed up to mar the proceedings.  There was no Charlottesville.  And, I am talking about both sides of the Confederate issue.  And, the Lake County Forest Preserve District president evidently was not there either.  It was through his efforts that one of the premier Civil War events in the whole state and that was Civil war days at Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda.  Guess he was afraid to see one of those Confederate flags, you know.  Must not offend the president, you know.

There were even a few black people learning about history out there.  And, quite a few children ranging from ages three to teens.  And I never did see one of them staring at their cell phones.  However, I did see some of the re-enactors on phones which didn't seem to look right.

One of the strangest things I ever saw was Robert E. Lee on a cell phone out at Wauconda one year.

A Trip Back Into History.  --Old Secesh

Maybe We'll Get This One In: Hainesville's (Illinois) Civil War Encampment and Battle

Well, our Civil War re-enactments in the Chicagoland area were dealt a double shot by powers that be this summer.  First the annual Civil War Days event in Wauconda, Illinois, was cancelled, then reinstated, then cancelled again.  Then, the annual Civil War event in Naperville was cancelled.

The first one was cancelled because of racism on the part of the Lake County Forest Preserve's president, a black man who had problems seeing the Confederate re-enactors with their flags.  You know, the Confederate flag.

The second one was cancelled because of lack of attendance according to officials there.  But, I would like to see who brought the idea up and who voted to cancel it.

Both were long-running events and well attended (at least the one in Wauconda which I attended on several occasions).

Now, this weekend, there is going to be another re-enactment at Hainesville, Illinois.  Hopefully we will be able to get this in (and hopefully the weather will be good).

It's All Part of History, You Know.  --Old Secesh