Long before they went into action against Johnny Reb, the Billy Yanks of Dutchess County who served with distinction in crucial battles and campaigns of the Civil War were given a foretaste of what combat was like through simulations in which some of their comrades posed as the enemy. Patriotic speeches articulated the cause for which they fought, and gracious but indomitable ladies were on hand to lend refreshments and other support to the citizen soldiers of democracy.
These scenes from almost a century-and-a-half ago were re-enacted last weekend, Aug. 25-26, as Locust Grove, the Samuel Morse Historic Site located on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie, was transformed into “Camp Dutchess” for a “Civil War Living History Weekend.” Re-enactors in period uniforms and costumes representing the 150th New York State Volunteer Infantry Regiment and the Hudson Valley Ladies Aide Society went through a battery of activities that ranged from drills and skirmishes to quilting and croquet to show what life in the 1860s was like.
“This is our history,” says Peter Bedrossian, a historian who is the commander of the 150th NY. “Whether your ancestors came here in the 17th century or you yourself arrived as an immigrant in 2005, this is your heritage as an American. The Civil War was the event that made many disparate states the United States that we are today, and our mission is to demonstrate that dynamic.”
The specific heritage that the 150th NY re-enacts is a formidable one. Raised as an all-volunteer force in response to President Abraham Lincoln’s call for troops to suppress the secession of the Southern states, the all-Dutchess County regiment fought at Gettysburg and participated in Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman’s epic “March to the Sea.”
In one 13-month period from 1863 to 1864, the regiment covered 1,400 miles of hard marching and fighting. But before any of that could take place, they had to be trained at Camp Dutchess.
It is not known where exactly the original camp was located, but it was probably pitched in a park or field in Poughkeepsie. Volunteers trained there for two months, being introduced to the realities of army life from sleeping in tents and drilling to marching and skirmishing. And, since an army marches on its stomach, there was of course the matter of getting used to the grub.
“Life for soldiers during the Civil War was characterized by long periods of extreme boredom followed by short bursts of extreme terror,” says Jim Kravchuk, a re-enactor who is the “mess cook” of the 150th NY. “In all this food was a constant element, but it could be a variable one, depending on the quality of supplies available.”
Drinking, eating and more
The mess tent over which Kravchuk presided over the weekend displayed a variety of hardy, basic foods and condiments from potato stews and beans to crushed salt and dried apples. A savory smell wafted up from the pots that were perched over a pit fire. Yet the canned goods also on display would not have been available to the common soldier – they were only available from a private comissary that followed the troops, and were too expensive for anyone but officers to be able to afford.
“Drinking was a problem,” Kravchuk explains. “It was a necessary solace, but of course it could get out of hand. Soldiers called it ‘O’ Be Joyful,’ and believe me, these guys needed a bit of joy in their lives.”
While still training at Camp Dutchess, this might come in the form of visits from their womenfolk. Members of the Hudson Valley Ladies Aide Society, which educates the public about the role of civilians during the 1860s, were on hand over the weekend to portray that dimension of the great national struggle of the time.
“Women were an important part of the day-to-day life of the era,” said Gwen Harding-Peets, who was wearing one of the striking hoop skirts of the time. “They would have visited Camp Dutchess to bring supplies, and corresponded with their men after they headed south. And of course there was the daunting task of keeping home life going amidst absence and hardship. This went beyond doing chores and economizing to include the leisure activities that kept people’s spirits up – making quilts, knitting socks, chatting with neighbors. We also have a number of children on hand playing period games like croquet to show the full home life of the period.”
And of course, the skirmishes
As fascinating as the physical artifacts of camp life like tents and flags were to those who came to the re-enactment, and as engrossing as were the drills, marching and speeches, it was obvious that the most anticipated event of the weekend was the skirmish that was held in the afternoon of both days. And the onlookers were not disappointed.
After a mustering on the back lawn of Locust Grove, Bedrossian explained the technical features of the firearms of the period, particularly the Lee Enfield rifle. He then demonstrated how a certain number of recruits would act as designated “Rebs” so that the rest could have an “enemy” to train against, complete with pieces of cloth hanging on their backs that bore the names of such famed Confederate generals as Jubal Early, “Jeb” Stuart and Stonewall Jackson.
The 150th NY then marched out of sight, into the woods and down a side road that leads from the Morse mansion along the steep slope towards the Hudson.
Before long, the “Rebs,” sheltered by thick trees, bushes, and shrubs, were seen taking up positions on another road that runs perpendicular to the first midway down the slope. All eyes were on the field that stretches toward the river at the bottom of the slope. Soon the other members of the 150th NY were seen emerging from some trees at the far end, advancing slowly, steadily and with determination.
Gunfire began. For more than half an hour, the sharp report of rifles firing blanks filled the air, as did a considerable amount of blackpowder gunsmoke. Some of the men advancing across the field pretended to fall wounded or dead. “Had enough yet, Billy Yank?” the “Rebs” shouted. There were several pauses in the action, as the advancing force withdrew, reformed and answered the taunts in the negative with renewed rifle volleys. Finally, all reformed as one unit, the Union reunited, and marched back to their tents.
“War is not glamorous,” says Peter Bedrossian. “Many soldiers would have been happy to be assigned to tedious guard duty and not be shot at, as the 150th NY was for months on end in Baltimore at the beginning of their career. But when Gen. Robert E. Lee invaded the north in the early summer of 1863 and they were called to confront him at Gettysburg, they answered the challenge with fortitude.”