The Battle of Richmond reenactment returns for the first time in two years
Aug. 30—Thousands turned out last weekend to watch the annual reenactment of the 1862 Battle of Richmond — the first time the battle was held in two years.
Like the actual battle fought over the course of Aug. 29 through Aug. 30 in 1862, the Confederates prevailed in the reenactment.
Though history already ensured the outcome of the "battles" waged this weekend, organizers, reenactors, and spectators, embraced the return to the battleground.
"For the past two years we haven't been able to have the reenactment because of COVID. Some people got upset about it, but we have to think about our guests, our re-enactors, and our volunteers. That's really our main focus — you don't want anyone to get hurt or get sick," Battle of Richmond Visitors Center Curator Phillip Seyfrit said in a previous interview with the Register.
According to www.battlefields.org, the real battle saw roughly 13,000 soldiers clash, with 5,650 casualties —4,900 Union and 750 Confederate. It is considered by historians one of the most overwhelming Confederate victories of the Civil War.
The battle reenactment was not the only event held at the historic battlefield last weekend. A myriad of vendors were set up around Battlefield Park, and on Saturday, a special vintage baseball tournament was held between the Cincinnati Red Stockings and the Georgetown Gentlemen.
The Georgetown Gentlemen won the competition and took home the first-ever Battle of Richmond Patrick Cleburne Cup.
A sock drive was held over the course of the weekend as well. Socks were collected from reenactment spectators and the donations will be distributed to those recovering from historic flooding in eastern Kentucky last month.
It was a busy weekend for organizers, but Madison County Tourism Assistant Director and past President of the Battle of Richmond Association David Jones said the comeback was exciting.
"We've had a period baseball game that went well. It's our first year for that, so I'm hoping we can make it an annual event. Everybody seemed to like it," Jones said on Saturday. "We've got our settlers set up and vendors — they all seem happy. So far, we've got a wonderful crowd that showed up and a nice breeze."
Jones said after a two-year hiatus, it took organizers a minute to get adjusted back to hosting the large event.
"I think we are all a little bit rusty," Jones said. "But we're happy to be here. Everybody has been thrilled that this event has picked back up. Several other reenactments in the state were cancelled permanently and we're happy that we can provide the experience for everybody here."
Many reenactors travel long distances for their hobby, which according to organizers, means the battles they attend can be reunions for many.
Reenactor Kim Cooper came all the way from Indiana with her husband to take part in the battle. She said getting into re-enactments is like building a family.
"For my husband and I, it is like having a family that you want to be around. Our views are the same, mostly. We like each other. We like spending time together," she said.
Cooper said she has been taking part in Civil War reenactments for 23 years.
During the Battle of Richmond reenactment Cooper served the Union side as a "powder monkey" for the 14th Kentucky Light Artillery reenactment group.
It's a role she has been playing for around 10 years.
"The captain of the group let me pull one of the mountain howitzers at a reenactment and I thought 'this is so cool.' I still have my ladies' outfits, and I do play a lady once in awhile, but most of the time, it's powder monkey for the cannons," Cooper explained.
Also manning the cannons with the 14th Kentucky Light Artillery was Farristown Middle School teacher Chris Workman.
Workman oversees the Farristown Middle School Junior Historical Society, where he and his students take part in various history-themed ventures in the county.
Workman said he got into the hobby after he was invited to an event by a colleague in college.
"I have been reenacting for 11 years, and I've been at this event for just as long. I used to come to this event as a spectator, now I'm in it," Workman said.
As a teacher, Workman said the experience of reenacting a battle is valuable to understanding history.
"You get one thing from reading a book and you get something else from watching a movie. This brings a whole new understanding on what our ancestors actually went through," he said.
Around 50 of Workman's students were volunteering at the park for the day. He reflected on what the Civil War means to the reenactors and what it means in the grand scheme of American history.
"It puts us in touch with a sense of who we are. The Civil War itself defined us as a nation, you have other wars that did other things. In this one, we were taking a good hard look at ourselves and deciding who we wanted to be. For some of these guys on the field, it reconnects us with that. It reconnects us with being American," Workman said.
