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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 2015)
20 Wednesday, May 20, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon CIVIL WAR: Two-day event was held in Camp Sherman Continued from page 1 on my side, but I must have Kentucky.” He offered a selection of press attacks that make contemporary partisan - ship pale in comparison. He quoted a newspaper edi- torial (a Northern one at that) that described him as “the cowardly tyrant who now disgraces the chair of Washington and Jefferson.” After his remarks, Mr. Lincoln took questions from the audience, all couched in the issues and concerns of the 1860s. He noted that, because of the war, “this country is something new; something it could not have been before.” As the music of fife and drum echoed across the meadow, spectators dis- persed through the Union and Confederate encampment, where reenactors eagerly explained their clothing and equipment and described what life was like for soldiers and civilians during the great conflict. “I talked to a Confederate officer who was a wealth of information about the Irish involvement,” said spectator John Souter. “These guys are amazing. They really know a lot.” photo by Ceili Cornelius photo by Ceili Cornelius Corporal Silas Willington of the 1st louisiana Special Battalion. abraham lincoln speaks. The classic impression of the opposing armies evokes images of the Blue and the Gray, but 19th-century uni- forms could be eccentric and colorful — as evidenced by the Zouave who stood sentry at the entrance to Confederate headquarters. He wore a braided blue (yes, blue) short jacket, a red fez cap and baggy striped pantaloons. This was Corporal Silas Willington (an actual his- torical personage) a mem- ber of the elite 1st Louisiana Special Battalion, known as Tiger Zouaves. They were largely Irish and recruited from the New Orleans docks. They were ferocious fighters, known for relish- ing hand-to-hand combat maneuvered in the tight linear style of the mid-19th century. Artillery fire boomed and echoed across the Metolius Basin and musket fire popped and crackled in mock battle. A reenactor had thoroughly explained the nature of 19th- century tactics to the watch- ing crowd, noting that many Civil War battles — includ- ing the massive and decisive Battle of Gettysburg — were the result of forces running into each other and becoming entangled regardless of plans with their massive D-guard Bowie Knives. Silas was actually from South Carolina and joined the regiment at the behest of his sweetheart as it moved through South Carolina to join General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. C o r p o r a l Wi l l i n g t o n explained that the Zouave uniform was popular among volunteer regiments on both sides of the conflict. It was a French style adopted from North African tribesmen the French encountered in their mid-19th-century colonial expansion in the region. In the afternoon, time shifted to the summer of 1863. Forces from both sides mustered on the meadow and and orders of army officers. After Saturday after- noon’s battle, each unit was introduced to cheers, and the crowd of spectators dis- persed. But the reenactment was far from over for the par- ticipants. They literally eat and sleep 19th century, and as 21st-century spectators drove away and dusk fell on the battlefield and encampment, they slipped closer than ever to the spirit of a bygone age — a four-year struggle that made modern America. Quality Electrical Wiring • New Construction • Remodels • Service Calls David Marshall 541-549-3233 CB#181111 / CCB#152389 541-419-WIRE (9473) 5 SERVING CENTRAL OREGON FOR OVER 10 YEARS www.marshallelectricoregon.com Transforming IDEAS into INSPIRING Living Spaces Creating custom designs that will be a source of joy and pride in your home. CCB#199828 photo by Ceili Cornelius Union troops muster in preparation for battle. NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET HEARING 541-815-3212 • www.3crwoodworking.com One Day Only ~ Don’t Miss It! Antiques & “Bling” Sale Antiques & Collectibles Sale Saturday, May 23 from 8 to 3 Sisters Fire Hall at Elm & Washington Proceeds from this Sisters Kiwanis sale go to local scholarships, the Sisters Food Bank, medical/dental assistance programs and more! Ad sponsored by The Nugget Newspaper