Around 620,000 lives were lost in the Civil War; American lives lost by the hands of their countrymen. The Civil War took the lives of more Americans than any other war fought by the United States.
The 150th anniversary of the Civil War will be brought to life at Kearney Park, Oct. 22-23 with the Civil War Revisited. The American Civil War Society puts on ten events annually and the Fresno County one is the largest.
History teacher Jordana Siebert, waits in anticipation for this year’s reenactment. Instead of just reading a chapter about the Civil War, Siebert says students have an opportunity to experience history come alive.
“Students should go to the Civil War Revisited event,” Siebert said. “It really brings history to life and what was going on at the Civil War. All the people there are playing the roles of characters from the time period.”
Siebert decided to encourage her students to see the reenactment firsthand for an extra credit assignment.
“Students will be expected to go walk around and interview at least one of the Civil War characters,” Siebert said. “They will need to write a one page report to get extra credit on it and it needs to be typed. It will actually be a real assignment. I think they will like it a lot because it is real life history right here in Fresno.”
This reenactment has weapons from cannons to bayonets. Students can also visit a field hospital and watch mock amputations and surgeries. This year, for the first time, a time period stage coach will be incorporated into the reenactment.
The reenactment will for the first time ever have a night battle. The revisitation will also have a stage coach which is bringing students which is traveling from Madera, which visited Madera elementary schools.
According to a Fresno Bee news article, “The vintage stage being used is No. 5 of the old Yosemite Stage & Turnpike Co. Historians believe it is the same coach that carried former president and Civil War commander Gen. Ulysses S. Grant from Madera to Yosemite in 1879.”
The event is sponsored by the Fresno Historical Society, For more information, view a schedule and and historical perspective by visiting the ValleyHistory.org web site.
The Fresno Historical Society also has a Civil War Reenactment website which provides additional information concerning the Fresno event.
The prices for adults (13 and above) are $10, children 6-12 are $5. Anyone younger that the age of 5 is free.
For more information on the 2010 Civil War Revisited, read Austin Ward’s article, “Civil War reenactment revisits 1860s” and watch the slideshow.
