National Event: Raymond MS October 18-21, 2012
This is on the GVB website www.gavolbn.org/sesquicentennial
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2010
CONTACT: Roger Hansen - rhrb@bellsouth.net
PRESERVATION GROUP TO SPONSOR
NATIONAL 150TH ANNIVERSARY VICKSBURG CAMPAIGN REENACTMENT IN OCTOBER 2012
Raymond, MS
- The Friends of Raymond, Inc., a group organized to preserve, interpret, manage, and promote significant historic sites in Raymond, Mississippi, will sponsor a national level re-enactment of the 1863 Vicksburg Campaign as part of the commemoration of the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War.
The reenactment of several military actions of the Vicksburg Campaign is planned for October 18-21, 2012, with up to 5,000 participants. Friends of Raymond, since sponsoring an initial 1998 national reenactment, has preserved 136 acres of the battlefield, has added interpretative trails, and has placed reproduction artillery pieces of the correct type on the artillery positions of the Battle of Raymond, fought two miles southwest of that central Mississippi town on May 12, 1863 In 1998 a national level reenactment spurred the formation of the Friends of Raymond, which worked with Friends of the Vicksburg Campaign & Historic Trail, Inc., in the planning, protection, and interpretation of campaign sites.
Plans are to commemorate portions of General Ulysses S. Grant’s 1863 Vicksburg Campaign, today recognized by the US Army as "the most brilliant campaign ever fought on American soil." From May 1-17, Grant’s army flawlessly maneuvered, caused the Confederate forces to disperse, and successfully fought five battles against an outnumbered opponent. Grant then marched on May 18 to Vicksburg's back door, and unsuccessfully attacked the Southern citadel on May 19 and again on May 22 before settling into a successful 47-day siege. Three of the campaign's engagements, the Battles of Raymond and Champion Hill, and the May 22 assault at Vicksburg, will be re-enacted on portions of, or adjacent to, the actual Raymond Battlefield. The event is being staged in October, rather than May, to avoid conflict with other scheduled sesquicentennial events and to take advantage of the favorable fall weather in Mississippi.
The event will begin on Friday, October 19, 2012, with educational field programs for schools. On Saturday, October 20, the re-enacted battles for the general public will begin with the Battle of Raymond at 10 a.m. on the actual battlefield. At 3 p.m. on Saturday the program will continue with the Battle of Champion Hill, which was the largest Civil War battle in Mississippi and was one of the most decisive of the Civil War. The final re-enactment will commemorate a portion of the ill-fated assault by Union forces on the works of Vicksburg on May 22, 1863. This event will depict the attack on the Second Texas Lunette, a crescent-shaped fortification that was located near the modern Visitors Center in the Vicksburg National Military Park. This fortification will actually be reconstructed on property near the Raymond battlefield. After his unsuccessful assault of May 22, Grant decided to take the city by siege.
Special programs will also be held in the City of Raymond on Saturday. A Civil War band will play at the recently-restored 1857 Raymond Courthouse at noon on Saturday. In addition, significant Civil War medical and other specialty displays will be on the courthouse lawn for the weekend, in commemoration of the fact that the courthouse was used as a hospital after the Raymond battle. All of these events will complement the Friends of Raymond's Annual October Pilgrimage.
Civilian reenactors, garrison troops, and period merchants, or sutlers, will encamp on a newly-acquired 67 acre parcel of the battlefield. On this field, demonstrations and lectures will be conducted for the public between the battles on Saturday, to include cooking, sewing, and refugee impressions.
This program is being planned with the cooperation of state, county, and local officials; property owners, community leaders, battlefield preservationists, historians, and reenactors. The Blue-Gray Alliance (BGA), a national organization of re-enactors consisting of the 1st Federal Division and Cleburne's Division, has designated this event as its fall 2012 national event. The BGA will host the weekend by providing troop organization and re-enactor leadership. The troop commanders will be Terry Crowder of the First Federal Division and Joe Way of Cleburne's Division. Friends of Raymond will provide logistics and community coordination.
Troops will bivouac at several different places "campaign style" during the course of the weekend as well as a "garrison camp" on the newly acquired battlefield property. As a condition for reimbursement, artillery is being requested to organize into batteries prior to the event and register a minimum of seven crew members for each cannon. Because the re-enactment is planned using historic sites, the need for adequate hard-surfaced parking has been considered and it will be limited to 5000 participants. Spectator and participant parking is abundant, and buses will be utilized for continual transportation to all the event sites including downtown Raymond. No outdoor activity is weatherproof. Emergency plans are also being developed.
Participant registration is $20 online using PayPal. Up to 5000 spectators are also expected to view the battles. Public admission for each battle will be $7 each, with free admission for children under 10. Advance ticket sales are available with major credit cards accepted. Public parking will be provided at the rate of $2 per vehicle. Proceeds will go to battlefield interpretation and acquisition. A master plan for the development of the Raymond Battlefield is being completed to include trails and interpretive sites. Much of the pre-event site preparation work directly relates to permanent improvement of the site as a battlefield park.
Spectator Event Schedule
Friday 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Special demonstrations for participating local schools
Saturday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Courthouse: Medical & Specialty displays: Band at NOON
Saturday 10:00 – 11:00 AM Battle of Raymond on the original site on Hwy 18 south of Raymond
Saturday 11:00 - 3 PM The Vicksburg Campaign - lecture on campaign by well known tour guide and preservationist Brigadier General Parker Hills (Ret). Civilian and refugee demonstrations, and sutlers open to the public.
Saturday 3:00 – 4:00 PM Battle of Champion Hill on Hwy 18 south of Raymond
Saturday 4:00 – 7:00 PM Soldier Camps & Sutlers Open to Public after Battle
Saturday 7:00 – 8:30 PM Camp Dance near Sutlers for participants
Sunday 9:00 AM – NOON Soldier Camps / Sutlers / Church Service Open to Public
Sunday NOON Memorial Service at Raymond Confederate Cemetery
Sunday 2:00 – 3:00 PM Assault on Vicksburg on Hwy 18 south of Raymond
For tourist info or tickets contact:
Friends of Raymond, Inc.
Vicksburg Campaign
P. O. Box 1000
Raymond, MS 39154
e-mail: info@friendsofraymond.org
Web page: www.friendsofraymond.org
Sounds like fun to me!
RJ Samp
Horniste! Blas das Signal zum Angriffe!
"But in the end, it's the history, stupid. If you can't document it, forget about it. And no amount of 'tomfoolery' can explain away conduct that in the end makes history (and living historians) look stupid and wrong. "
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