Sacramento again explodes in size with 9,000 at re-enactment weekend

For those interested in how volunteerism works, they should start first at the tiny community of Sacramento.

The southern McLean County town has a population of slightly more than 500. But virtually every resident pitches in for its single most important event – a Civil War re-enactment weekend. And what those volunteers accomplish is mindboggling.

Here are some statistics for the 2010 re-enactment conducted May 21-23:

• Overall attendance was nearly 9,000, with 1,400 in attendance for an opening Living History Day;

•  The Living History event was attended by nearly 900 students, teachers and chaperones;

• Re-enactors totaled 868 and represented 16 states from 68 different units;

• More than 190 ladies attended the annual tea and 973 forks were provided at the community dinner Saturday evening.

Debby Spencer, a key coordinator for the annual event, pointed out there was plenty of food to go around, thanks to the community, churches and the committee that provided the Saturday evening meal to the re-enactors.

“I lost count of the number of Confederate and Union re-enactors we had, but we did have 868 signed up, including units from as far away as Texas, Florida and Michigan,” she noted. “This event is all put on by volunteers who do an amazing job each year. It takes everyone to make this happen.”

Plans already are underway for next year’s event May 20-22.

The theme of the weekend re-enactment – conducted Saturday and Sunday – is “Forrest’s First,” representing the fabled commander’s first battle. The largest cavalry conflict in the state took place Dec. 28, 1861 between the troops of Union Major Eli H. Murray and Confederate Col. Nathan Bedford Forrest. Mollie Morehead, a Confederate sympathizer, informed Forrest that a Union force was watering horses nearby. Forrest used the element of surprise to rout the Federals and win the day.