Jan.-March 2010
Vol. 4, No. 1
Richmond, Ky.
Vol. 4, No. 1
Richmond, Ky.
| News in Brief Docudrama, horsemanship set at Camp Nelson Performance of a new docudrama, "Blow Ye the Trumpets, Blow,” and a world class exhibition of military horsemanship and Civil War history are among the event highlights scheduled at Camp Nelson. The play, subtitled, “The African American Refugees Struggle for freedom at Camp Nelson During the Civil War," is scheduled June 5-6 and the horsemanship program is on tap Sept. 30-Oct. 3. The four-day horsemanship exhibition will see military and civilian historians competing in a variety of competitions including cavalry tactics, individual and unit; artillery drill and marksmanship; and infantry drill, both individual and unit. Horsfall state’s youngest medal of honor winner
William Horsfall of Newport was honored in 1895 for his act of bravery on May 21, 1862. Seeking adventure, Horsfall stowed away on a steamer and became a drummer and later a private in Union Company G, First Kentucky Infantry Regiment. The Campbell County native later was commander of Newport’s William Nelson Post GAR. He died Oct. 22, 1922 at age 75 in Newport and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Southgate. Mill Springs adds 11 acres of battlefield The Mills Springs Battlefield Association has obtained 11 key acres of battlefield ground that surrounds Zollicoffer Park. Elements of the 10th Indiana, 9th Ohio, 4th Kentucky and the 2nd Minnesota clashed with the 15th Mississippi, 20th Tennessee, and 28th Tennessee on the land at what is known as the Fight at the Fence. Hand-to-hand combat occurred on the site and a number of letters from soldiers spoke of beards being singed from the muzzle blast of their enemies’ guns. Union Gen. Zollicoffer also was killed near the site. Civil War did have some important 'firsts' Although the “advantages” of war are few, rapid advances in technology, activities and logistics rank at the head of the list. Here are some of the firsts that resulted during the Civil War: • 1st canned pork & beans (by Van Camp, introduced as a means to provide Union troops with food that would not spoil). • 1st income tax • 1st national Banking System • 1st U.S. issued paper money ("Greenbacks") • 1st military draft (March 1863) • 1st use of trains to transport troops • 1st use of railway mounted artillery • 1st military telegraph • 1st use of mines • 1st use of submarine warfare • 1st ship to have flush toilets (the ironclad USS Monitor) • 1st telescopic rifle sights • 1st “machine gun” type of rapid fireweapon (Gatling gun) • 1st Thanksgiving (in 1864) Wildcat re-enactment attracts 2,500
Events included a living history day for school children, ladies tea and social, memorial service, Confederate artillery fire and a Saturday night barn dance. Juanita Westerfield, a licensed clinical social worker, is president of the Laurel Home Guard, which coordinates the Camp Wildcat Re-enactment. She has served as the home guard president for 15 years. Octagon Hall observes 150th anniversary Octagon Hall celebrated its 150th anniversary with a Sept. 18-20 event featuring Civil War re-enactors and historians in addition to paranormal investigators and ghost hunters. The eight-sided brick antebellum home near Franklin has become well known for its paranormal experiences and unexplained occurrences. After more than a decade of slave labor construction, Octagon Hall was occupied by the Caldwell family in 1859. Both Union and Confederate troops camped at the site, which was a lookout point for the movement of war material. Grand Rivers conducts its first Civil War event Grand Rivers, a small resort village in Livingston County, is continuing its mission to become a major western Kentucky tourist attraction by conducting its first Civil War Encampment Nov. 7-8. Although no Civil War battles were fought there, many residents had ties to both sides involved in the war. The encampment focused on life outside the major battles, including campfire cooking demonstrations, military drills, lectures on weaponry, instruction in Civil War-era dancing, a ladies tea and a period wedding. Grant Rivers, population 350, is located on both Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley and at the north entrance to the Land Between the Lakes. Re-enactment weekend set May 21-23 at Sacramento The weekend of May 21-23 has been scheduled as re-enactment weekend for the Battle of Sacramento. School Days Living History is set from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday (May 21) with “Forrest’s First” battle re-enactment scheduled at 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1:45 on Sunday. For additional information, go to www.battleofsac.com. |
Articles and photos appearing on www.thekentuckycivilwarbugle.com may be used with permission. For permission, contact Bugle editor Ed Ford at fordpr@mis.net.
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