June 1, 2009 05:06 PM

Original post found – Here

RALEIGH — The N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh is home to one of the nation’s largest collections of Confederate flags. However, conservation of these banners requires expensive, specialized textile treatment. To help fund this need, the museum has formed a thriving partnership with the 26th Regiment N.C. Troops, Reactivated, the state’s largest Civil War re-enactment group.

The 26th Regiment recently unveiled the second flag it has helped conserve: the battle flag of the 52nd Regiment N.C. Troops. Carried into the Battle of Gettysburg, the banner was captured during the Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble charge on July 3, 1863, by a soldier from the 14th Conn. Volunteers. The regiment’s colors were sent to the U.S. War Department in Washington, D.C., and returned to North Carolina in 1905. It is currently on exhibit in A Call to Arms: North Carolina Military History Gallery.

“Our goal is to be able to raise enough money each year to restore at least one battle flag from the museum’s collection,” says Skip Smith, colonel of the 26th Regiment. “Simply put, we feel it is our duty to preserve for future generations these battle flags that guided many a Tar Heel boy.”

The organization’s first flag project resulted in conservation of 26th Regiment N.C. Troops’ colors that were captured at the Battle of Burgess’ Mill near Petersburg, Va., on Oct. 27, 1864. A third banner is undergoing conservation, and funds for a fourth flag are being raised by the group through a statewide grassroots effort.

“We are most grateful for the conservation funding provided by the 26th,” says Tom Belton, curator of military history. “Their help is more essential than ever.” Each flag costs approximately $7,500 to conserve, and the 26th Regiment is covering the entire cost. Now other Civil War remembrance organizations are joining the 26th Regiment by adopting additional museum flags for conservation projects.

The 52nd Regiment, part of Brig. Gen. James Johnston Pettigrew’s Brigade, suffered most of its losses on July 3, the final and bloodiest day at Gettysburg. The regiment had 46 men killed in action and 64 wounded. Another 140 were wounded and captured, and 91 nonwounded soldiers were captured.

“There are many members in our unit who had ancestors in the 52nd Regiment who fought under this flag during the Battle of Gettysburg,” adds Smith, whose organization believes conserving battle flags is the best way to leave something behind for generations to follow.

“Although we could raise money to restore a uniform coat, it would only honor one person,” he states. “A battle flag, on the other hand, represents the whole regiment and the sacrifices of all the men who marched under the folds of that flag. We are proud to partner with the North Carolina Museum of History to preserve these important artifacts.”

The colors of the 52nd and other regiments are being conserved in preparation for the N.C. Civil War Sesquicentennial. From 2011 to 2015, the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources will be presenting programs in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War in North Carolina.

For more information about the museum, call 919-807-7900 or access ncmuseumofhistory.org. To learn more about the 26th Regiment N.C. Troops, Reactivated, go to www.26nc.org.

The Museum of History is located at 5 E. Edenton St., across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street. The museum is part of the Division of State History Museums, Office of Archives and History, an agency of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, www.ncculture.com.

Prepare for smoke and thunder! The 32nd annual re-enactment of the Battle of Natural Bridge is staged Sunday at the state park south of Woodville.

The Battle of Natural Bridge took place March 6, 1865, just a month before the end of the Civil War. Confederate forces defeated the Union Army to ensure the popular trivia question: What is the only Southern capital east of the Mississippi River that was not captured by the Union during the Civil War? (Answer: Tallahassee.)

Re-enactors camp out at the park all weekend. They lead tours for schoolchildren on Friday, do military and historic demonstrations on Saturday, and then re-enact the battle at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Attendance has been growing, with an estimated 4,500 spectators last year. There is no admission charge, although $3 donations are encouraged to defray costs.

"My experience is people are interested in history and culture," said Barry Burch, manager of the seven state parks in the Tallahassee area. "It’s fun watching the cannons go off and the re-enactors doing their thing."

On Feb. 26, the state completed purchase of 55 acres adjoining the current seven-acre park. That property, owned for decades by the Rakestraw family, contains most of the actual 1865 battlefield. It also was the site of prehistoric Indian settlements and includes a variety of important hydrological features.

Plans call for converting the Rakestraw home into a visitors center. The annual re-enactment will be expanded, allowing more groups and educational tours. Displays will be erected around the park explaining its archaeological significance and environmental importance.

"I’ve managed parks for 30 years and I think this one is going to be a gem," Burch said. "This park is going to bring good economic benefits to Woodville and Tallahassee."

The event draws 200 to 250 re-enactors from all over the nation. Organizers have tried for years to attract black re-enactors — the 600 to 700 Union troops at Natural Bridge were almost entirely black soldiers from the 2nd and 99th U.S. Colored Infantry. Several of the black soldiers in the battle were awarded the Medal of Honor.

"(Black re-enactors) are mostly in the northern states; Florida has had trouble getting a group going," said Chris Ellrich, commander of the Leon Rifles re-enactors. "Maybe it’s the economy, but we’d love to have them."

Part of the battle’s lore is that the Confederates won thanks to reinforcements of old men from Tallahassee and teen-aged cadets from West Florida Seminary, the forerunner of the today’s Florida State University.

In actuality, the battle featured more than 500 members of the regular Confederate Army, numerous reserve and militia units from around the Big Bend as well as Tallahassee, and 20 to 25 cadets from the West Florida Seminary. The Confederate forces may have swelled to as many as 1,000 troops thanks to the addition of militia and reserve units.

The Confederates won the battle with superior numbers, twice as many cannons as the Union forces (six to three) and the advantage of an entrenched defensive position.

The cadets likely stayed behind the lines as reserves, said Bruce Graetz, a senior curator at the Museum of Florida History. They suffered no injuries, though one cadet was killed when he fell off the moving train that carried the cadets from Tallahassee to Woodville.

"The legend that the battle was fought just by old men and young boys is a little overblown," Graetz said. "But I don’t want to dismiss the role of the reserves, militia and cadets. The fact that so many turned out for a battle that late in the war is notable."

Article published in the Tallahassee Democrat on March 5, 2009

     Perhaps the best possible way to learn about Confederate history is to live and breathe it for a bit. The only way to do that, short of the invention of a time machine, is to get involved with the reenacting community. There are groups all over the country that reenact the Civil War era as a hobby. They do this to help educate the public as to what life was like during the early 1860s and because it is absolutely a blast to do. Until you have actually marched a mile in the same type of shoes a Confederate infantryman would have worn, you will never truly understand what that experience might have been like.

      Prospective reenactors should find a group that meets their individual needs. There are many types of units to get involved with, from the ultra-hardcore who insist on total authenticity and immersion in the experience to the casual groups who get together on weekends to help educate the public. The group that you will want to affiliate yourself with will depend on what you are looking to get out of the experience.

     The purchase of your first uniform and accouterments can be somewhat daunting but usually you will find members of your new unit more than willing to loan out equipment to someone that is new to the scene. This fact is especially true when debating the purchase of a rifle as these can cost in the $400 – $500 range. You might want to try out your first few events with a loaner weapon before you decide this hobby is for you.

To form a basic Confederate infantryman impression you will need the following items.

· Shirt – Latitude is allowed.  Cotton shirts sold by sutlers are your best bet.  Avoid plastic buttons and modern shirts.

· Hat – The normal eastern impression would use a forage cap, kepi or slouch hat.  It is best to keep them as plain as possible.  Confederates about 80% of the time used slouch hats.  Hats can come in any color; however, brown, blue, black or gray are preferred.

· Coats – This depends greatly on the theatre the unit you are involved with is attempting to portray. It’s always best to check with your unit before making a coat purchase.

· Trousers – You will most likely be asked to purchase jean wool trousers with a button fly, and held up by suspenders.  The color should be gray, brown, or some earthy color.  Jean wool is much cooler and was more common for the Confederate soldier during the war.  Sky-blue kersey wool pants can be purchased later if you want to expand your impression.

· Accouterments

o Cartridge Box (with tins)

o Cartridge Box Strap

o Waist Belt (keeper optional)

o Cap Box

o Belt Buckle

· Canteen - This is a must.  You should never take the field without a full canteen of water.  You can get an original tin type or a stainless steel.  The latter looks no different and will not rust.

· Haversack – Black tarred, canvas sack which is hung over the shoulder containing rations, housewife (sewing kit), tobacco, etc.  Not a necessity but generally part of the standard kit.

· Brogans (shoes) – These can be rather expensive.  Many different styles are sold by many different suppliers.  The quality varies.  The most important consideration is that they are comfortable.  You will be doing a lot of walking in these shoes as an infantryman and you should be sure that they fit well WITH a heavy pair of wool socks on.

     I cannot recommend highly enough the benefits you will get from participating in the reenacting experience. Not only will your own knowledge of Confederate history grow by leaps and bounds but you will be helping to teach the public what you know as well. The first time you find yourself marching onto a smoke shrouded battlefield amid the cacophony of cannons and din of musket fire, you will find yourself instantly teleported to the time of our ancestors. It is truly an experience that you never forget and the closest you will ever come to actually living Confederate history.