Touching the Sacred Grounds

Perryville, KY

October 3-4, 2015

The muck and mire from a week of rain threatened to swallow our vehicles whole as we arrived in Perryville for the weekend.  The air provided a spitting mist that slowly soaked our very being.  Golf carts were deployed to haul our gear from the parking lot to our camp.

The night was cold but having learned from the previous events of the year, I was prepared and comfortable, though I never did fully dry in my A.

Morning came and I realized I had forgotten my plate as I prepared my breakfast of bacon and eggs.  Battalion drill was originally scheduled for nine, but the rain forced cancellation.

Capt Sharp held a staff meeting where we took the time to discuss how we could work further to improve the unit.

Rations were issued and cooked, which included bacon, ham, and beans, providing a fulfilling meal.

Although the threat of rain haunted us the entire day, the sky only stayed darkly overcast, with a few seconds of occasional spitting.

We formed for battle, with various maneuvering drills performed on the way to the battlefield.  Once at the battlefield, we entered battle marching through the artillery and pushed against the Yankees.

Afterward Capt Sharp took us to the goat barn, an area of the battlefield that the park had recently acquired.  The area was where the original 1st Tennessee had fought and were stopped, many of whom buried on those grounds where they fell.  We were the first reenactors in 150 years to have ever set foot on those sacred grounds.  Capt Sharp took us through the hills and gullies where the  soldiers fought.

That night I gathered myself into my sleeping bag and tried to light my candle.  It would fizzle for awhile and go out, wet from the heavy, saturated air.  It took several tries before I was finally able to get light.

Sunday opened to sun and warmth.  After breakfast, we formed up and read letters giving biographies on each of the original soldiers from Company D of the 1st Tennessee.

For the afternoon battle, we again formed up and drilled on the way to the battlefield. The 1st pushed toward the guns, and we eventually overwhelmed the Yankees.