Sturgis Historical Society documentary: 'Journey of the 11th'
STURGIS — “Windows to Our Past,” a film series by Mike Mort, documents special Sturgis history. Film No. 6 of the series is ready to roll.
“Journey of the 11th” tells the story of some Sturgis residents who fought in the Civil War. It premieres at 7 p.m. Nov. 11 at Sturges-Young Center for the Arts. That also happens to be Veterans Day. Ticket cost is $10.
Plans for the evening go beyond simply showing Mort’s documentary. Organizers are creating a dramatic event from beginning to end with the video peeking into the lives of local soldiers and what they endured. Both those who came home and those who did not.
Opening with a Union Army reenactment color guard, under the direction of Bruce Gosling, the evening will honor also veterans.
Mort always works with a research crew, but for this documentary, his wife Bonnie was his team mate.
From a stack of Sturgis Journals dating 1861-1865, Bonnie poured over the news of the day, gleaning information at many levels.
Among her favorites were letters sent home from soldiers as they were printed in the Journal.
The Morts also took a road trip, following "Journey of the 11th" and watching reenactments at key battlefields.
When it was time to pull it all together Mort involved drama students from Western Michigan University to provide voices of the soldiers.
“They were the right age,” Mort said. “They did a fantastic job.”
Bonnie said, “I’ve watched it a million times and cry every time.”
She’s had the opportunity to watch it so often because the film was ready for the original premier date of June 2020. The pandemic delay only made the evening celebration better, Mort said.
“The 11th Michigan Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War” authored by Eric Faust, Civil War historian, was a major source for Mort’s film. Faust will be attending the premiere traveling from California for the event.
Bradley Egen, the actor who played local the part of Civil War General William L. Stoughton for the Sturgis Historical Museum film will also be in the audience, but not in costume, Mort said.
Sturgis Wind Symphony, under the direction of R. Scott Davidson, will intersperse period music throughout the program.
Lynn Brand, formerly a drama instructor at Sturgis High School, will direct the moving parts of the production.
“Thank God for Lynn Brand,” Mort said. “She knows what she’s doing.
Although Sturgis Wind Symphony members have been working on a half-dozen numbers for Friday’s event, the group will offer the holiday show in December as usual, Davidson said.
This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Civil War soldiers in the 11th Michigan Infantry remembered Nov. 11
