Our Company had the privilege of working with the National Park Service to provide a Living History Program at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Kennesaw, Georgia the weekend of September 21st - 22nd, 2024.
After months of preparation, the weekend finally arrived for members of my company to attend our first living history program hosted in conjunction with the wonderful staff at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Kennesaw, Georgia.
Our program there was a sentimental affair and of great and personal importance to me as it was representative of a lifetime’s worth of trips to this particular site. Kennesaw Mountain lives fondly in my childhood memories, having gone on elementary school field trips to the battlefield many, many years ago. My love of this particular period of American History is very much cradled on the fields and trails of this battlefield. This opportunity was viewed by myself and others within the company with great reverence and appreciation as it was deemed a signature possibility, for which we could truly shine as an organization and express our knowledge and hard work through a small comprehensive program for visitors at the park. Though nervous with anticipation of what our program could be, or what could go possibly wrong, a confidence and steadfast determination were very present among our planning and preparations prior to arrival at the battlefield.
Taking to Shelter:
Myself and our Second Sergeant, Levi Jennings, were the first to arrive at the park on Friday Afternoon. We were directed to a location adjacent to the Georgia Monument and to the rear of the Visitor’s Center. We had not been on the site long before being joined by our First Corporal, John Heintzelman.
His arrival was the momentum we needed to begin laying out the camp for the weekend’s program. The idea behind the design of the camp for the program was to establish several examples of shelter which would be representative of the different shelters found among both the Army of Tennessee (CSA) and the Army of the Cumberlands (USA) throughout the Atlanta Campaign and to give examples different shelters that were representative of those used while in the field on campaign and when the army was in winter quarters.
The solution in which we arrived expressed a combination of different shelters, inclusive of one Wall or Hospital Tent (Winter Quarters) with a Fly,
an Officer’s Fly (Campaign),
an A-frame (Winter Quarters),
two Shebangs of different construction techniques (Confederate - Campaign),
and a Dog Tent (Union - Campaign).
A Well Fed Orchestration:
Our camp would also feature a very lively cooking demonstration (yes, the fire’s real) and gratuitous amounts of coffee to be had at all times of the day, darkened to the likening of our quartermaster, whom desired not to see the bottom of his cup, thus producing a stout and strong elixir, to awaken even the most ardent sleepers among our group.
Saturday's Dinner: Roasted Beef with Carrots & Potatoes, Bubble & Squeak, Cornbread & Butter
I would note that there were several opportunities for playful exchange with visitors to our camp in which they were offered a tasting of our quartermaster brand coffee and politely declined for fear that they should actually be made to partake in the spoils of our camp, thus contributing to the notion that yes indeed, we actually prepare coffee and food among the flames of the carefully constructed fire to the center of our encampment.
This particular station was operated by our 2nd Sergeant, Levi Jennings and our 3rd Corporal / Pioneer (79th PA) Kyle Paul. Each of which took careful care to keep us very well fed and hydrated throughout the course of the weekend. This task in addition to that of preparing items for a crowd of onlookers was quite an undertaking and requires that we must express our utmost gratitude for the work they do at each of the events we undertake as a company. It is a labor of love in the most sincere and real sense and I cannot attest more to how very grateful I am for all that each of them do for our organization and members.
The Weapons Display:
Our camp would additionally boast a fine weapons display, in which we featured numerous original firearms from the period, swords, and other implements to share with the public as they visited our encampment.
Period Long Arms:
Of the period long arms that we featured within our display, we presented:
1853p Enfield Musket Rifles (Both Originals and Reproductions)
1861 Springfield Musket Rifles (Both Originals and Reproductions)
1864 Bridesburg Contract Musket Rifle (Original GAR Gun - 117th PA)
A 1824 Pomeroy Conversion Musket Rifle
1842 Springfield Musket Rifle
Swords:
Of the period swords we displayed to the public, the display was inclusive of:
Model 1840 Non-Commissioned Officer’s Sword made by the Emerson Company of Newark, New Jersey.
Model 1860 Light Cavalry Saber
A foot officer’s regulation sword - Maker’s name unknown.
Artillery Officer’s Sword
French Heavy Cavalry Sword
British 1796 Heavy Cavalry Sword
Additionally, two Colt Walker Pistols were also displayed and shown to those visiting the weapons display. For this station and the presentation of the items here, our first corporal was tasked to the job. John did an excellent job and the station was among the more popular if not the most popular of those featured within our encampment for the program.
Uniforms of the Period:
Displayed shortly down the hill from the weapons were a large uniform and period clothing display which was put together by our youngest member within the company, Taylor Brown. His knowledge of uniforms and equipment is rather excellent, especially given his age. He and another of our company members, Matthew McGrady, both hosted droves of visitors to the station where they spoke at length about the uniform variations between both armies, and how uniforms evolved throughout the course of the war from materials used to construction techniques. Their presentation also spoke on the Southern Depot Systems utilized to supply soldiers, as well as the Commutation System employed by the Confederacy. A highlight of their station was the physical examples provided unto visiting eyes, which clearly expressed the differences and similarities of uniforms of each army and theater of the war.
Quarters fit for an Officer and Gentleman:
Further, the company boasted a rather fine officer’s fly if I say so myself. Of course, I don’t have reason to believe that my bias is misguided, as the set-up expressed the conditions of an officer in the field on campaign, as it was inclusive of a field desk and bedroll, both of which, being common placements found within the shade underneath the canvas. Additionally, the fly featured a display of officer’s uniforms, from both armies. Here, visitors were introduced to variations of the uniforms worn by officers, including examples of the evolution of these uniforms throughout the war. Further, the display was also inclusive of the equipment utilized by officers in the field as well as implements carried. Also, it was here that we displayed the company colors for both of our impression designations (Federal and Confederate). These colors were also accompanied by two additional banners brought to express some differences in the colors utilized in the period.
Infantry Drill & Firing Demonstrations:
In addition to the camp that we established, our company performed eight infantry drill and firing demonstrations in the front of the park’s visitor’s center throughout the weekend, four being held each of the two days. These demonstrations were between fifteen and twenty minutes in duration and were inclusive of school of the soldier, a uniform/gear/equipment explanation featuring Taylor Brown, and two firings.
School of the soldier included basic commands exercised for the general public. These commands began with Attention Company, followed by the order to “Shoulder” Arms, which is the principal operable position of the rifle in formation. This command was followed by “Right Shoulder Shift” Arms in which each man brought to bear the butt of the musket in their palms, while aligning the lock plate adjacent to their face over their right face. It was then explained the purpose for this carriage and in what situations it would be utilized. This command was followed by an order to return to “Shoulder” Arms and then to “Support” Arms, in which each man brought the rifle across their front as to place the hammer of the rifle in the crook of the elbow of the left arm which would rest across the lower chest. This position received explanation, before a command to “Shoulder” Arms was given and then followed by the command to “Secure” Arms. For this command, each man took into hand the length of the rifle, grasped between the first and second bands, and turned upside down, with the hammer facing the ground and the rifle inverted as to having the muzzle in the direction of the ground. It was explained that this particular carriage was intended to ensure that water was kept from the barrel and nipple cone as to keep such dry and in operable condition whether on the march or on post. The men where then ordered to “Shoulder” Arms, followed by the command to “Trail” Arms, which required the men to take the rifle between the first and second bands, and bring down and into a inverted carry as to where the butt of the rifle was off the ground and the muzzle was inverted away from themselves. It was explained that this carriage was utilized when moving the line through brush and other obstacles in which men may be impeded by the surrounding environment.
This drill was followed with the bringing to the front of the formation, our youngest member, Taylor, aforementioned from earlier in this write up. Taylor’s impression is quite excellent if not the best in the company, given age, physical stature, and the superior attention to detail he has employed in his care and dedication to our undertakings. Once to the front the poor lad was “used” to show off his uniform, his equipment, and to discuss why he wore each item and its general purpose. He was a great sport for his willingness to be modeled off to the public and I am quite appreciative as the public seemed to enjoy greatly the presentation of him and his impression. I should like to note that the jacket he wore on Sunday of the weekend was a reproduction of the one his ancestor wore at Antietam as a part of the 14th Alabama. It was an Alabama State Jacket, gray jean wool with black dyed trim as was common among state militia of the period across the northern and southern states.
School of the Soldier Drill - Infantry Presentation - Thank you to Chris Evans for these clips:
Following this portion of the presentation, and the high points in which I very much spoke on the importance of the canteen and why it was perhaps the most important item a soldier carried, we proceeded to the firing demonstrations. The firings were inclusive of two commands as well as an explanation of “load in nine times,” in which I explained the steps to load and charge the rifle for use. The first order given following the command to load was “Detail, Fire by Files,” in which each man fired separately from the right of the line unto the left. This typically was used when in a skirmish formation and when the enemy was at a distance from the main line. When ordered, after the last man has fired in the line whether, by rank in file partners, the company immediately commences independent fire without further instruction unless commanded otherwise. The second firing command given for the demonstration was that of “Fire by Detail,” in which the men fired as a whole squad or in volley. This command was particularly devastating, especially early in the war where the technology of the newly rifled muskets had very much outpaced that of the Napoleonic tactics being practiced upon the field.
Firing Demonstration:
The program at Kennesaw Mountain was a wonderful experience for our company and we couldn’t be more proud and honored to have been able to work with the National Park Service to provide this living history and infantry program. The staff at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park were absolutely wonderful to work with, especially our two interpretive rangers who took excellent care of us, Amanda Corman & Jake Boling.
If you are following along, thank you for your support! Maybe we'll run into you in the field! Don't forget to check out the company's schedule on the home page and if you are interested in joining us, or learning more about our company and organization, or even this period in our history, please don't hesitate to reach out!
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