Turn on the Camcorders: We Surrender
Created | Updated Apr 25, 2010
"And can this cockpit hold the vasty fields of France?"
– Henry V
"Quick!" exclaimed Elektra. "I think I saw Sherman go around that corner."
It is spring – and a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of...
...re-enactment. (Wash your mind out.) In the US of A ("one nation, indivisible", they put that in back in 1930 just to spite us Southerners) re-enactment means one thing: Do you prefer blue or grey?
We could tell who had the upper hand this weekend over at the Bennett Place. The Yankees had snagged all the shade, leaving the Rebs to drill in the hot sun.
Surprisingly many of the fellows in grey this weekend had trekked down from the North. The Liberty Rifles had sent two from Pennsylvania, and one from New Hampshire. On the other hand, one of the Yankees "guarding" (not very closely) this miserable rag-tag-and-bobtail of an army was from South Carolina. He had his story all ready, though:
"You see, I joined the US Army in 1859, because we were poor dirt farmers and I wanted to get ahead. Now, when the war came, officers like Lee and Jackson could resign, but privates couldn't – they'd shoot you for desertion. So I decided to stay." Most history tourists were understanding at this point. Then he added, "Besides, the Yanks have better uniforms." This cannot be denied – one authentic Reb even had a bright red patch on his trousers, which made me glad there was no shooting today. He'd have been a target.
No shooting? At a re-enactment? Nope. What in tarnation were y'all re-enacting, then?
Surrender, son.
A little-known fact about the Civil War – while the surrender at Appomattox was a Very Big Deal, it involved only Lee's army. We all know that story, how noble Grant was, letting Lee keep his sword, etc. What people don't know is that 89,000 soldiers were surrendered in Orange County, North Carolina, by General Johnston. Since Johnston was travelling east on the Hillsborough Road (past the miracle mile, no doubt), and Sherman was over in Raleigh, they met at the Bennett Place, a tiny farmstead, and negotiated surrender terms.
As one of the tourists explained to the kids, we lost.
Representing 89,000 men with about three dozen ain't easy, but the bulk of the re-enactment force was at high-profile Appomattox this weekend, and these guys did a terrific job. They kept the tourists and the horses apart – always a good idea – and were generally in good spirits, even the losers.
A Concerned Citizen and his wife had come out to see the surrender, he in tall hat, she in a fetching crinoline (while privately admitting that yes, it was a bit warm, and no, she wasn't wearing the requisite Seven Layers underneath). The CC said that these Yankees were awful, and everything they said about Sherman was true. They'd been re-enacting all weekend, you see, and yesterday one of them tried to steal his pocket watch. The CC had said, "Over my dead body."
To which the Yank had replied, "That could be arranged." CC confided in me that he was a banker and didn't like anyone to know his real business, which might – or might not – involve rum-running.
Not only did the Yanks have better uniforms – and two lovely camp followers in costume who refused to role-play ("We're here to see they go to bed at night") – but they also had smarter drill. Now, that comes of being a bossy army. The Confederates, who elect their officers, were not as smart (they lost, after all), but their officer was much politer.
"Left wheel," he suggested. "No, remember? Left wheel." They did us proud.
They also surrendered very well. It took awhile, but they all signed the parole papers. Not before the two commanders Had Words, however, as to exactly who was giving the marching orders around here...very authentic, gave us a thrill. Not to be outdone, the small band played "The Bonnie Blue Flag" and "Dixie" rather dolefully, as suited the solemn occasion.
We never tracked down General Sherman – as the site manager, he was a busy fellow – but we stopped to chat with a fellow journalist, a sketch artist from Harper's Weekly. I suggested he should be sure to capture Sherman's best side. He said he would if he could find it. He sketched away, oblivious to the videographers around him. I admire this level of play.
After the Confederate Army had been paroled, we toured the restored Bennett house, admired the monument, took some more pictures, and made sure to buy some souvenirs before we left. We shall celebrate with cornpone, and toast the Lost Cause with iced tea.
After all, they won't surrender again until next year.
Fact and Fiction by Dmitri Gheorgheni Archive
