Battlefield brought to life again

Thousands attend what has become a popular ritual, the Brooksville Raid re-enactment.

By LOGAN NEILL, Times Staff Writer
Published January 21, 2008

Union re-enactors parade during the "grand review" before the battle Sunday at the Sand Hill Boy Scout Reservation.
	[Stephen J. Coddington | Times]

ADVERTISEMENT [Stephen J. Coddington | Times] From left, Brandon Franklin, 16, brother Cory Franklin, 14, and father Sam Franklin perform for a crowd of spectators in the camp area of the 28th annual Brooksville Raid Festival on Sunday. [Stephen J. Coddington | Times] Confederate officers confer Sunday. Many Southern officers served in the U.S. Army before the war, so wearing a U.S. belt buckle would not have been unusual.

SPRING HILL

An hour before they were to square off against their Union adversaries, Capt. Matt Helms and the rest of Milton Light Artillery Company A did a last-minute equipment check. Despite a generally relaxed atmosphere, the soldiers couldn't help but notice the steady cadence of American Spirit Fife and Drum Corps coming from the enemy camp 200 yards away.

"It gets us fired up to hear them," Helms said. "It makes you wish the battle would hurry up get here."

After a cold night sleeping on the ground, the gray-coated Confederates were more than ready to stretch their legs. After a breakfast of leftover fry bread and boiled coffee they packed up their ammunition and 12-pound howitzers and moved out for the final battle of this year's Brooksville Raid re-enactment at the Sand Hill Boy Scout Reservation.

Though smaller than last year's record crowd, the event nonetheless drew thousands of spectators, who lined the horseshoe-shaped battlefield.

"I'm not a big fan of war, but whenever I hear those cannons start going off I get a little excited," said Paul Dreeser, who has attended the mock battle several years. Nearby, 9-year-old Taylor Barnes, a newcomer to the re-enactment, sat down and dutifully placed plastic plugs into her ears as the opposing armies drew closer.

The 28th annual event drew about 3,000 Civil War re-enactors from all over Florida. Although some "soldiers" chose to spend their off-hours in the comfort of a motel, others, including Milton Light Artillery officer Tim Becker, chose to spend the weekend braving nature.

When a strong thunderstorm swept through Saturday night, Becker said, his unit simply rode it out inside their cotton canvas tents.

"As long as you can stay dry you're all right," Becker said. "These tents are stronger than just about anything they make out of nylon."

Although the raid saw a predominance of Confederates in attendance, Union forces were well represented.

"We're always outnumbered," said Capt. Bill Pangrass of the infantry brigade known as 14th Brooklyn Company. "It doesn't matter. We still have a good time whether we win or lose."

According to Pangrass, the company takes its name from a unit that was part of the New York Militia before the Civil War. Although part of the Union Army, the regiment had its own distinctive red-trousered uniform taken from French chasseur tradition.

"Part of the fun of all of this is that you're representing history," said Will Palenik, a 20-year veteran of Civil War re-enacting who founded the 14th Brooklyn in 1993.

"We've had people stopping by our camp all weekend asking about our uniforms. We never get tired of talking about it."

Another popular attraction was the 4th Infantry Field Hospital, where "Union" surgeon John Higgins displayed his collection of 19th century equipment.

Alongside crude-looking implements designed to extract tonsils and teeth, Higgins also showed off his impeccably kept collection of amputation tools. When a passer-by commented on how frightening they looked, Higgins was ready with an answer:

"Fortunately, the patient was never awake to see them."

Logan Neill can be reached at lneill@sptimes.com or 848-1435.

[Last modified January 20, 2008, 21:53:29]