Thousands of weekend warriors will descend on Hernando County to commemorate the events of July 1864.
By LOGAN NEILL, Times Correspondent
Published January 13, 2005
[Times photo: Daniel Wallace 2002]
The Brooksville Raid Festival has become the mother of all Florida Civil War re-enactments.
SPRING HILL - To most historians, the Civil War skirmish in Hernando County was nothing more than a minor footnote, a brief battle between a few dozen Union troops and a handful of Confederates.
But over its 25-year history, the annual Brooksville Raid Festival - which commemorates the events of July 1864 - has become the mother of all Florida Civil War re-enactments.
Each January, more than 4,000 weekend warriors descend on the Sand Hill Scout Reservation for the largest battlefield re-enactment in the state. Though the roar of cannon fire and the crackle of muzzle-loaded rifles may be make-believe, the desire for accuracy among participants is real, says Brooksville re-enactor Larry Dodson.
"People involved in it are very attentive to detail," said Dodson, who acts as provost marshal for a Confederate brigade. "The general thinking is that if it didn't exist back then, we don't use it."
For the typical re-enactor, that means procuring not just a wool uniform and black powder rifle, but accessories such as a cartridge belt, a powder carrier and camp equipment - the cost of which can exceed more than $1,400. A number of stalwarts make their uniforms.
Over the years, the Brooksville Raid Festival has grown to include an 1860s-era baseball game, a ladies tea and a Saturday evening formal ball. Spectators may tour the Confederate and Union camps throughout the day and visit the suttlers (vendors) row for souvenir items.
"It's a fun thing to be involved with," Dodson said. "Re-enactors know that when they're out on the battlefield they're making history come alive and helping to keep it alive for future generations."
PREVIEW
The 25th annual Brooksville Raid Festival, gates open at 9 a.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday. Battle re-enactments, 2:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Sand Hill Scout Reservation, State Road 50, about 11/2 miles east of U.S. 19, Spring Hill. $5 for adults, $2 for children ages 6 to 17; free for children 5 and younger and for Scouts in uniform. Chairs and coolers permitted; no alcohol. Food and beverages will be sold. Call 352 799-0129 or visit www.brooksvilleraid.com
