Boys, Muskets, Cannons, and Swords

It was one of the best games of pretend I have witnessed. Hundreds of reenactors pretended to be Union or Confederate infantry and cavalrymen.  There were people in 1860's civilian clothing.  There were doctors, shopkeepers selling food of the time, Civil War memorabilia, and women in period clothing sitting outside their canvas tents cooking over an open fire.  We even met General Robert E. Lee.

Denver was in Heaven.

For over eight and a half years, Denver has been taken on field trips and adventures of many kinds: museums, aquariums, state parks, caves, beaches, forest hikes. Although he normally has a good time wherever he goes and whatever he does, I have noticed (and Denver has pointed out!) that the trips are usually not his idea. This trip was for him.  And he loved it.

Denver is currently interested in the Civil War, and this trip was for him (but we all enjoyed it-- except John Robert.  He stayed home with Mimi and Paw Paw to attend both swim practice and a friend's birthday party.  He's growing up, and we missed him!).  

Spencer wearing the Captain's hat
and holding his pistol after the
artillary demonstration.

On Friday morning, we drove to Resaca to attend the Student Day program prior to Saturday's Civil War reenactment.  It was fabulous.  We were able to get up close and personal.  We asked as many questions as we wanted, and the knowledgeable reenactors loved telling us what they knew.  I loved that we were with the homeschool group, which only had about 12 people.  It was a much better experience than the large school groups with 50 or more people at each station.

Denver standing proudly beside
the cavalry leader.

We met women of the day who followed their men and cooked for them.  We met cavalrymen and learned about their weapons and horses.  We talked to a doctor about his gruesome work.  We met the infantry and learned about their hard lives and need for shoes, food, and weapons. 

Denver got to meet each person individually and hold their pistols and muskets.  We looked in their tiny tents that sometimes slept up to four men, but only had space for one.  We attended an artillary demonstration and heard the BOOM!

We all loved it.  John was in his element, explaining the mechanics of the different weapons.  Spencer was taking it all in and learning new things.  Denver was loving the whole thing-- especially that he was the only one of 500 students carrying a musket that his daddy had specially modified for him to make it more realistic.  Many other boys were admiring his musket, and Denver was more than happy to show them how it worked!

Lookout Mountain:
Look out, it's about to rain!

After a morning of being outside with the reenactors, we drove to Lookout Mountain, hiked around, and enjoyed the view.  We walked through the memorial park and the boys played with the cannons.  The air was cool and we could see for many miles.  It was beautiful.

Silly boys at Red Lobster.

We followed with a wonderful meal at Spencer's favorite restaurant and then we were off to the hotel to swim in the pool and relax.  The boys found four other boys to play with.  It was a great day of fun, and there was more.

On Saturday, we drove to the Southern Museum in Kennessaw. Although we had been there years before, the boys didn't remember much, and they loved learning again about the Great Locomotive Chase.  They practiced sending telegraphs to one another, and Denver and Spencer both wanted their pictures taken with the statue of General Lee.  From there, it was on to the reenactment.

 Over the course of the afternoon, we watched the cavalry attack, lines of infantry fighting from their trenches, and cannons booming thunder.  Denver and Spencer moved through the crowd to see from every angle.  The weather was perfect, and John and I were happy to see the boys learning and having fun.

The trip was a marvelous success.  Boys, muskets, cannons, and swords.  How could it fail?

Playing taps at the end of the battle.