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One month after the 125th anniversary event of First Manassas in Virginia, the Missouri Civil War Reenactors were asked to come to Osawatomie, Kansas to recreate an entirely different episode of history. This would be the first time that we'd be doing a reenactment without military uniforms, either blue or gray, but rather in civilian attire appropriate for 1856. Most of us had never done a civilian event before nor even owned period civilian clothes. Many of the Confederates, especially the men of Shelby's cavalry, had some semblance of civilian attire mostly in the form of "guerilla shirts" and the like, but as a Federal, I never saw the need to acquire anything beyond Union blue. That would all change with this event. After Osawatomie, we would begin doing a civilian type event at least once a year. Brigade members began buying civilian trousers, frock coats and top hats. Weaponry in the form of shotguns and Kentucky long rifles also made its presence known. Many of us would later go to Missouri Town, near Lee's Summit, MO, to take part in outdoor dramas hosted by Gregg Higginbotham. There would be a chance to appear in another movie, even more involvement at historical sites either as citizens, home guard militiamen, Missouri State guards men, or in recreating an 1884 GAR reunion at Mine Creek, Kansas. These events came about because we set aside our narrow mindedness and our Federal uniform, and tried a civilian impression for a change.
In the late 1850's, proslavery advocates and abolitionists hotly debated the issue of whether slavery should exist in the new territory of Kansas. As a slave holding state, Missouri felt threatened by her neighbor and during the territorial election of March 1855, hundreds of these "concerned citizens" crossed the state line to cast illegal votes in Kansas to make sure it stayed loyal to slavery. This act incensed many abolitionists who'd come from the east with the sole purpose to keep Kansas free. Many of these abolitionists had homes near the border and soon found their lives in danger. Proslavery Missourians crossed over the state line to carry out acts of arson and murder on anyone they suspected of having anti-slavery sentiments. The Free-State abolitionists replied in kind with atrocities of their own against the citizens of western Missouri. The state line between Missouri and Kansas would be the scene of countless atrocities for nearly 3 years, as a bloody crusade was carried out all in the name of whether Kansas should be free or slave. This era of American History was named "Bleeding Kansas" and it was the prelude to the much bloodier conflict known as the Civil War.
During the time of "Bleeding Kansas", the poster boy for abolitionism was John Brown. With a loyal following of men that included his own sons, John Brown carried out a campaign of terror beginning in Kansas and western Missouri until his falling at Harper's Ferry, VA in 1859. When he wasn't dispatching Missourians with a gun or blade, Brown could be equally as fiery with bible scripture. During the time of these events, John Brown made his home around the town of Osawatomie. Hoping to surprise the radical chieftain, or at least destroy his lair, a force of well over 150 Missourians led by ex-Indian agent George Washington Clarke crossed into western Kansas. Nine miles from his goal, on August 25, 1856, Clarke's men were ambushed by anti-slavery forces and were forced to flee leaving behind baggage which included horses, boots, vests, hats, two wounded men, a cooked dinner, and a flag inscribed Victory or Death.
On August 30-31, 1986 approximately 80 reenactors came to Osawatomie to participate in this first recreation of "Bleeding Kansas" days with pro-slavery and anti-slavery camps located on opposite ends of 20-acre John Brown Park (appropriately named). Within the park itself is the John Brown Museum which houses, among other relics from 1856, the old Adair log cabin that Brown, his sons, and other family members shared and sometimes ferried runaway slaves through. Yes, the log cabin sits right inside the museum. A stone building was built around the cabin sometime in the early 1900's.
As mentioned, our costume for the weekend was of a civilian. Some boys dressed like they'd just come from the farm or the shop, simple work shirts without coats, homespun trousers, and battered caps or straw hats. Others came looking like they'd just left the law office or the political lectern. Top hats, frock coats, watch fobs dangling from gaudy vest pockets, tailored trousers stuffed in polished boots. Weaponry was as dissimilar as the costume: shotguns, carbines, pitchforks, axe handles, flintlock rifles and pistols. My costume consisted of my Mexican War hat, sky blue trousers (I had no civilian pants at this time), civilian shirt and vest, a white canvas duster, tall boots and my .69 caliber Charleville. (The boots I bought early that year were part of a clearance sale from River Junction Trade Company. John Maki had bought the last three pairs of these boots, sold one to me, one to Hig, and kept the last pair for himself. I think I was out maybe $30).
Jim Beckner took on the role of John Brown. By this time he had a wild mane of hair and a salt and pepper beard. During the afternoon Jim answered questions from the general public while in his role as John Brown. Questions about Brown's early life, his family, his beliefs, etc. Jim had done a tremendous amount of research on John Brown so he had ready and enthusiastic responses for the crowd. Jim remained in character throughout the weekend (pausing only in the evening to drink a few beers) and on Sunday he delivered a fiery, bible-thumping sermon. Five of us assumed supporting roles as his sons. I was Owen Brown, I think. Frank Kirtley was John Brown, Jr. Other members of John Brown's gang of anti-slavery cutthroats included John Maki, the Bagladies, Randy Rogers, Don Strother, Robbie Piatt, Will Winfrey, Dave Bennett, Bill Fannin, Scott White, Pat McCarthy, and a new fellow named Glen Glasgow. The local newspaper claimed there were 50 of us free soilers, but I can't swear to that. Hig was not present at Osawatomie. He may have been at Missouri Town as a full time employee. There were at least two battles, which consisted of Brown's boys and the pro-slavery crowd shooting at each other for well over thirty minutes. Afterwards, there was an unscripted skirmish in which the abolitionist camp was attacked, but the Missourians were vanquished.
At Osawatomie there were a number of comic episodes that begs mention. Chad Dial was drinking heavily on DICKEL, some type of alcoholic swill. Chad had a pistol that someone had unloaded all the black powder, then reloaded with wadding only. During the battle when Chad went to fire the thing, it was only the pistol caps that popped. All six cylinders were unloaded. Chad was very embarrassed at the joke played on him. John Condra also became inebriated on a sauce of some kind. He would toss cartridges in the fire to watch them pop. Once he ignited a ten-foot trail of black powder he'd sprinkled on the ground just to watch it sizzle. Saturday night, several of us got into Will Winfrey's van for a drive around the park. Will had an old Volkswagen van which looked like something he'd driven to Woodstock back in '69. When the van pulled up along side the pro-slavery camp, someone from within shouted, "Pizza delivery!", the side door rolled back and we let loose with fiery blasts from musket and pistol. Will quickly gunned the van and we peeled away from the scene of this nineteenth-century drive-by shooting. Not much else on the Osawatomie adventure. In fact, we have never been invited back. In the year's that followed we began attending the event at Lecompton, Kansas in what was billed as Territorial Days.
During the summer of 1855 pro-slavery forces in this region, following the illegal votes cast in the territorial elections that previous March, established Lecompton as the seat of their government. Although they were residents of the same county, separated by about ten miles, the citizens of Lawrence did not share the same ideals as her neighbors to the north. The people of Lawrence were strongly abolitionist's and aligned themselves more with the "legal" government in Topeka. They strongly objected to their county tax dollars being used, in one instance, in building a courthouse in Lecompton. Pro-slavery elected officials thought these comments were treasonous, arrests were sought, but strong words soon led to violence just as it had along the Missouri border. When County Sheriff Samuel Jones, supported by a detail of United States Dragoons, came to Lawrence to arrest some of these "treasonous" characters; Jones was pelted with eggs and then wounded by an assassin's bullet. Back in Lecompton, voices were raised screaming for vengeance against this outrage. Most were in favor of "leveling Lawrence." Armed citizens, supported by a battery of smoothbore cannon, entered Lawrence on May 21, 1856 to enforce a number of arrests. During the stay in town, the pro-slavery forces destroyed two abolitionist newspaper offices and severely damaged the Free State Hotel with cannon fire. General looting and vandalism of the town soon followed. For the next several months a campaign of terror, arson, and murder would consume these two county neighbors leading to a clash at Lecompton on August 16th.
In a nutshell, the story is that several free state men were captured and brought to Lecompton to be hanged. A plan was hatched to rescue the men, but the fear was that Federal troops would be called into the pro-slavery capitol to interfere. Perhaps fed up with the activities in the area as perpetuated by pro-slavery guerrillas under Harry Titus, the Federal commander promised not to intervene unless called upon by the governor. This gave time for the Lawrence men to act. At 5:30 a.m., over fifty men under "Captain" Samuel Walker attacked the town of Lecompton, focusing primarily on the cabin known as "Fort Titus." Old John Brown and his boys were among the Lawrence men. A volume of musketry soon shattered the morning stillness. Cannonballs made from melted newspaper type from one of the destroyed Lawrence presses were fired at the fort. "Here's a second edition of the Herald of Freedom!" one man shouted as the cannon, Old Sacramento, hurled chunks of lead at the log cabin. The fight lasted for several hours. One pro-slavery fighter suggested suicide rather than surrender and was prepared to ignite a keg of powder to take them all. Fortunately, this suggestion was overruled. The Fort Titus garrison did surrender with minor casualties on both sides, the cabin was burned, and within a few days pro-slavery Governor Shannon resigned from office.
This has been an abbreviated history lesson of events in Eastern Kansas in 1856 and I apologize if I've bored the reader but I felt it essential in my explanation to why we reenact this time period. The reenactors who came to Lecompton, on June 27-28, 1987, camped on the same ground and within sight of the rebuilt Fort Titus. Nearby is the same territorial courthouse that was built in 1856. It houses some relics and artifacts from the period. The whole area is enclosed in a park, much like the one in Osawatomie. On the opposite side from Fort Titus, the courthouse, and the area where the reenactors camped is a softball field in which coed teams played while we were there. Other than the scripted battle, there wasn't much for the reenactors to do. We had cooked chow over a fire, we may have been in a parade, but for the most part we lolly-gagged around, napped, or looked at the bulky she-males playing ball. I could only stay till Saturday afternoon as I was scheduled to attend a Kansas City Royals baseball game with the church group that evening.
John Maki called me Sunday evening with horrifying news. The Lecompton event coordinator was a fellow named Larry Williams. He'd been a member of Holmes Brigade about two years. Larry complained of an inner ear problem Saturday evening that warranted his return to home, only a few minutes away in Valley Falls, Kansas. After taking a prescription, Larry had gone to bed when he was surprised by a prowler who broke in and murdered him in his bed. He was found hours later by his wife. Days later, the murderer was found, tried, and sent to prison for life. It was truly the most horrifying and sobering episode I'd ever been a witness to. Larry had become close to several of the Holmes Brigade boys, including John Maki. He'd been elected corporal in the last Holmes Brigade election and was well thought of by all of us. At the next event, we took time to dedicate some words on his behalf, plus we fired a musket volley in his honor using the last cartridges he ever rolled.
In an attempt to turn the topic back to a more cheerful subject, I'd like to discuss the events Gregg Higginbotham hosted at Missouri Town. In an earlier chapter I briefly discussed what Missouri Town was and where it was located. During his tenure as site administrator, Hig planned workshops where volunteers could learn more about the time period 1855. Handling tools, working with oxen and other livestock, cooking over hearth, and learning how to talk with the public in first person. Each year the town hosted several festivals, including an October Craft Days, and a Fourth of July Celebration. Hig wished to include other scenarios within the town setting such as an 1855 wedding, a funeral and a political rally. In these and other diversions at Missouri Town he asked all his pards from the Civil War hobby to participate.
Entering Missouri Town, one would walk past wood rail fences lining both sides of a narrow dirt road, with massive shade trees arching overhead to cool the way. Once in the center of "town" the traveler makes his way to the tavern where a meal can be had at the huge dining table followed possibly by lodging in the upstairs loft. If services require it, a blacksmith shop and a law office are just across the street. There is also a small church on the same intersection, but private residences populate most of the "town."
I remember once Hig asked us to come to Missouri Town to recreate the Kansas Territorial Election of March 1855. A large group of men was planning on arriving "from Missouri" to cast as many votes as they could for their pro-slavery candidate. In the field outside of town, a voting place was set up complete with several tables under a tent fly. Joe Anderson, myself and one or two others were the designated officials who had the job of validating each person who came to vote.
At the appointed hour a caravan of rough looking customers came up the lane. Most had traveled on foot dirty from the long journey across the state line, clutching rifles and shotguns or with pistols in the waistband of their trousers. A few others had ridden in the back of a wagon with jugs of whiskey for company. The first of them barged up to the ballot box and demanded to cast their vote. A question was asked where they lived. It seems a person had to be a resident of the area for at least six months before able to vote. These men all claimed to have property staked out in such and such area, though it was all a sham.
As official vote takers, Joe and I first asked them to leave their alcohol outside, as well as their firearms. At one point they prevented a legal resident from entering or threatened him on which way he should vote. As time progressed, they attempted to vote again by using different names or swapping hats with someone to make him look different. When I tried to record their names in the record book, they tried to steal it from me and I made as if to run off with it. I was caught, beat up, and the record book was taken from me.
As in other events we had, the general public was invited to witness. Afterwards, they had many questions about the proceedings. The guys all had great fun in doing it even Joe and I, although we were outnumbered by about 25 to 2. Joe was going to college at this time aspiring for a degree in History, so he had a better background into the subject matter and could carry a first person dialog. I was not able to participate in the wedding program at Missouri Town, but I understand it was quite a grand show. First, the entire town was festooned with gay colors, flowers and ribbons. The ceremony was held outdoors and luckily it was a pleasant early summer day. Visitors from all around the county, as well as "the residents of the town" came to share in the happy occasion. Strange as it may seem, Hig assumed the role of the parson who united the couple in matrimony. A great feasting followed the ceremony, and then the newlyweds were whisked off in a handsomely decorated horse buggy to their love shack. Though this event only occupied one afternoon of one day, I believe the final day of the weekend was filled with continued merriment, games, songs, and of course eats.
From a time of great celebration to one of mourning, Gregg Higginbotham had a desire to show the dark or unpleasant side of nineteenth century life with a funeral. During this time period, there was a high mortality rate among little children for illnesses that we take for granted today, such as measles and fever. Hig proposed having a funeral for a child, a little girl named Frances Calley Worth. I don't know if he fabricated this child, but I'm inclined to believe she existed. I'm sure he'd done some research into the funeral ritual as it was practiced back in the 1850's.
During the Victorian era death was embraced rather than denied because it was part of life. During the mid-1800's death in the community was a very personal thing, as life on the Missouri frontier was very hard and unforgiving. Many superstitions developed in dealing with death including the notion to face all the mirrors to the wall so as not to impede the departure of the spirit. The idea of burying someone alive was a very real fear, so after the body was washed and dressed, and until the casket was lowered in the ground, a hand mirror was left under the victim's nose to detect breath. Burial usually took place within 24 hours, as embalming was not practiced in this rural area. The inclusion of hair lockets, trinkets, toys, and other personal momentos inside the coffin was thought to comfort the body as it lay in rest. One popular fad was to photograph the dead child as it lay in state, the image later occupying a place on the mantel or picture album.
About 50 men, women, and children participated in the funeral at Missouri Town one crisp fall afternoon. All the men wore black. Only the mother of the deceased child wore black with a veil. The other ladies and children wore their Sunday church gathering clothes. All wore a black silk armband. Some of the children gave the impression that they were either schoolmates of Frances Calley Worth or went to the same Sunday school class as she. We ran through the entire scenario at least 3 different times for 3 different groups that day. We began at the home where the casket sat, as I mentioned. Then four of us men loaded the casket, measuring only about 2x2x4 onto the back of buggy for the slow walk to the cemetery, with the immediate family following right behind. The rest of the mourners took up station behind and followed the procession as it wound its way down the country lane, across the creek bridge and to the simple plot of land the gravedigger had opened.
John Maki played the bereaved father of Frances Calley Worth, but not sure who the mother was. Might have been Gregg's sister, Sharel Parvin. Anyway, I was a pallbearer and I think Dave Bennett was the parson. Mona and Katie were there as "friends" of the family, with Katie and Gregg's daughter Hillari actually claiming to be classmates of Frances from Sunday school. The two girls, only about eight, had to maintain a sobering expression then lay flowers on the casket as it was lowered to the ground. They behaved like professional actors. Usually they cut up and horseplay all the time, but they understood the importance of this scenario and never complained once.
As Hig continued to arrange unique historical presentations such as the funeral, the 1855 election, and other productions, regional film studios began to notice that Missouri Town could be a place to produce small independent films. Several small studios propositioned the county for permission to film at the park, including the use of its buildings and its volunteers as background extras. In early spring of 1989, two small movies were filmed simultaneously at Missouri Town: ACROSS FIVE APRILS and THE HOUSE DIVIDED.
ACROSS FIVE APRILS was the story of the Civil War on the home front as seen through the eyes of a young Midwestern boy who finds himself the man of the house after his older brothers go off to war. I believe the father was already dead, so the boy had to learn to handle every day situations as he attempted to care for the rest of the household, including dealing with men of low character who try to swindle him. A few outdoor winter scenes were shot at the Prairie Grove State Battlefield Park in Arkansas the previous December. The bulk of the movie was shot over several days at Missouri Town including scenes in which the boy comes to "town" to trade chickens for dry goods. Dave Bennett had a major role in this little film playing one of the low characters, who with his cronies, plot black deeds against the fatherless boy and his widowed mother. When we first see Dave and his pals, they're playing cards on the front porch of the tavern, with a hard look on their faces and tobacco juice squirting through their teeth. The boy gets some help in dealing with the evil men from one of his neighbors, an equally dark and scruffy character he originally thought little of. The ruffians are taken care of including a hilarious scene in which Dave Bennett is rendered unconscious by a rock from a slingshot, but not before the family home is torched by the aforementioned low characters. Actually the studio had its props department create a cabin out a lightwood and Styrofoam and it was set ablaze with the local fire department standing just off camera.
THE HOUSE DIVIDED was a drama based on the famous Lincoln/Douglas debates of 1858. As you well know, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas were both running for the Illinois seat in the US Senate. During the campaign, a series of debates were held in various communities within the state in an attempt to sway the voter to one candidate or the other. At this important period of our nation's history, the most pressing question had to do with the institution of slavery. Both men had different opinions on this issue and it formed the basis of the debate.
As mentioned earlier, both movies were filmed at the same time. ACROSS FIVE APRILS was filmed at one end of town, THE HOUSE DIVIDED at the opposite end. The majority of the film, for THE HOUSE DIVIDED, took place outdoors on a stage, where the two speakers and an audience gathered. An earlier scene, in which gathered guests sat at a dinner table to discuss the upcoming debate, took place in the tavern. My wife Mona was part of this evening dinner scene. When politics was discussed, it was common for the women to sit apart from the men, so Mona and another lady were placed at a neighboring table while fully a dozen men worked their jaws on their own debate and beef stew.
The film began as a young newspaperman entered town. He'd been given the assignment of covering the debate and get the reaction from all the visitors and townspeople. During this early period of the film and while the reporter was talking with the townspeople, several reenactors were supposed to be seen moving around in the background hanging signs, patriotic bunting, and such. I made such a loud noise nailing a sign to the barn wall, that the director had to yell cut and the scene had to be reshot. Finally came the arrival of the two distinguished visitors. A beardless Abraham Lincoln arrived from one end of town in a buggy. Dozens of us lined the road and gave chase after it passed like we were going after the ice cream wagon. Stephen A. Douglas came in from the other end. His entrance was more parade like, with everyone in step and me carrying a flag. Everyone lining the barnyard fence and the road was encourage to chant, "Little Giant, Little Giant!" as Douglas and his entourage passed.
Finally the two men met at the stage platform and began the serious task of the debate. Jim Beckner and myself were asked to join a group of a half dozen men seated on stage as local dignitaries. As the two actors took turns delivering their rehearsed speech for the camera, the director wanted reaction from the listening audience. At certain times, the director asked for loud laughter, applause, looks of confusion, and/or shouts of encouragement. Katie and Hillari were part of the audience. These audience reaction segments would be edited into the finished piece. I believe the entire film took only one day to film, not including the nighttime dinner scene and another indoor shot back at the newspaper office. The director did not pussy foot around. I believe he was German. All reenactors received a videotape copy of both ACROSS FIVE APRILS and THE HOUSE DIVIDED once it was completed and processed. The later film was edited down to about 30 minutes while the former was an hour long.
Within a few years and as doing a civilian impression became more and more popular, Dave Bennett propositioned many of us old hands into doing a Missouri State Guard unit. Even though many Missourians were loyal to the south they were unable to get their state to secede from the Union, therefore receiving limited assistance by the Confederate government in Richmond. Until the end of 1861, these loyal Missourians formed State Guard units, raided nearby armory's, or made due with weapons and clothing brought from home. The Macon County Silver Grays was one such group and one we emulated starting at the next Lexington event. Until the advent of State Guard units at events, most Confederate troops who participated in early war Missouri reenactments came attired in sky blue trousers and gray jackets. They just didn't know any better. Dave Bennett supervised the enrollment of each potential recruit into the Silver Grays, stressing proper attire and accoutrements. No gray blankets, rubberized ground cloths, military haversacks or cartridge boxes. We had to carry quilts, painted ground cloths, and carpetbags. Our cartridges could be carried in old militia pouches, in our vest pocket, or transported in powder horns. This was an extension of our first experience as a civilian back at Osawatomie and Lecompton. Flintlock rifles and shotguns were the norm. It was of paramount importance that we did not look military at all except in drill.
In the years that followed our debut at Lexington, the Macon County Silver Grays have been invited to both Pea Ridge and Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Parks to participate in living history encampments. We even returned to Athens a few years later with the Grays. By this time we were attracting individuals to our group or encouraging others to form their own State Guard units. At the time of this writing there are about four State Guard units in the Midwest region and at the last Lexington event, we fielded about one hundred men. Our dedication and authenticity as a State Guard unit has received critical acclaim from local, state, and national politicians including Ike Skelton from Missouri, as well as praise from National and State Parks Department heads.
As I write this (2003) there are still at least 3 living history events per year that involve dressing up in civilian attire. Most every hobbyist in the Missouri/Kansas region does it. People seem more relaxed when they do a civilian impression. As I get older, I tire of running around in a battle reenactment shooting blanks at people. If you were to take a poll of the guys who have been in the hobby the longest, most will say they prefer living history. Living history allows the public a chance to walk into camp, observe, ask questions, and it gives the hobbyist the challenge to hone his skill at first person dialog. There are many military weekends that feature living history as it's theme; such as the annual Fort Scott, Kansas Civil War Encampment, but it gets to be increasingly difficult to convince the public you're a Civil War soldier if your fifty years old and weigh over 200 pounds. It's easier to explain away the age and weight factor if you're a civilian fresh from the farm, workshop, or office come to take up arms against whatever injustice is happening to your state or territory.
Most of the guys I started with in the hobby are in their forties or fifties. As we get older, an attractive option would be to do a GAR event. One such event was held at the Mine Creek Battlefield Park located near Pleasanton, Kansas. We were portraying former soldiers, Blue and Gray, returning to the old bloody field twenty years later on October 1884. Several of us old veterans got up on a podium to tell war stories, a few politicians spoke, and a walking tour was held followed by a picnic lunch. Though the GAR event was held on Saturday only, it was a success. It is hoped there is enough interest to do another GAR event. Let's face it, none of us are getting any younger and it is a chance where we can act our age, for real. However, all this talk is for the future. It's time to jump into our time machine and go back to 1987 where I will discuss the 125th anniversary events of Pea Ridge and Shiloh.
Chapter 29: The Road to Shiloh