SHILOH, Tenn. -- Cannons exploded in sequence and layers of smoke lowered onto the grass. Soldiers dressed in blue and grey uniforms marched across the battlefield in box formations.
On Mar. 31, 2012, re-enactors from all over the United States gathered in southwest Tennessee to turn back time for the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh.
Retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Roby F. Evans, personnel security specialist, 412th Theater Engineer Command in Vicksburg, Miss., transformed into Pvt. Evans of the 46th Mississippi Infantry of the Confederate Army.
"Participating is a heritage thing," said Evans. "I had kin folk that fought on both sides of the battle. It's important to pay homage to those who fought and died for us."
Evans has a deeper understanding of what Civil War Soldiers endured because of his military service. He pointed to the fact that Soldiers back then wore dense clothing and usually traveled long distances by foot.
"I have a greater appreciation for what the soldiers had to go through," he said. "For instance, this uniform is 100 percent solid wool. The soldiers marched 26 miles before the battle from Corinth, Mississippi, to the Shiloh area to fight against General Grant's army."
Evan's wife Trisha also joined in on the action and donned a traditional, hand sewn hoop skirt.
The couple arrived to the camp Tuesday before the big Saturday battle and endured the Tennessee humidity throughout the week.
"My wife and I are both history lovers," said Evans. "We like to give back to the art of history and living history. I don't know if I would want to do (re-enacting) without my wife. We are looking forward to bringing our grandchildren out here in the future."
The camps strive to be as traditional as possible, with rope beds and cast iron pots for cooking over a fire.
"Giving history back to the kids is important," said Evans. "We show the kids how to melt down lead into bullets. We like to portray the whole scenario at the camp."
Evans knew that on the other side of the battlefield, his fellow co-worker, Col. Kent Goff of the 412th TEC, was portraying Pvt. Goff of the Union Army.
"I hope I have him (Goff) in my sites and place a round strategically within his body," he said jokingly.
Goff is a historian and has participated in re-enactments since he was 14 years old. "I get a chance to go beyond the books and participate," he said.
Goff also compared modern drill and ceremony to tactical maneuvers used during the Civil War.
"It's very difficult to maneuver troops on the field," he said. "When you think of modern formations and how many times we practice and people still screw it up, and these guys were doing it under fire."
He also pointed to the level of military experience and Soldier participation at the events.
"I did a quick survey in one of my units and about a third of the people out here have served in the military and the rest were military buffs," he said, noting his co-worker Evans somewhere on the battlefield.
"When I see Evans across my sites I will shoot him down, knowing that it's a blank round," laughs Goff.
As the battle continued, cavalrymen rode across the field to deliver messages to their officers. The infantrymen fired volleys to their opposition. Commanders yelled orders across the field.
And after each individual battle, spectators applauded as infantrymen make their way back to the lines.
Social Sharing