With mom in town, we decided to see Florida's largest civil war enactment this sunday, a recreation of the Battle of Olustee.
Held at the battlefield, about 35 miles west of jacksonville, we got a good sense we were in the rural south when we pulled up in the middle of the pine woods to the parking area, which was overflow parking for the Baker Correctional Institute. The prison guard who helped us park sounded and looked exactly as you'd imagine. We took a dilapidated old school bus to the battle site, and after watching the confederate soldiers march to battle and looking around the army's camp, we set off for the bleachers where we would watch 1500 people recreate the battle.
There were cavalry charges, cannon, infantry movements....the whole thing was pretty elaborate.
The Battle of Olustee was a battle between 5,000 soldiers on each side, and ended with the Union troops retreating back to Jacksonville. Both sides took heavy losses. We noticed it was not lost on the crowd who won the battle, and remarked that it felt a bit like being fans for the visiting team in the home team bleachers. After hearing reference to the War of Northern Aggression, I couldn't help but remark to mom that it could be called the War of Southern Miscalculation. I probably shouldn't have said that so loud.
For a description of the battle:
Incidentally, I wouldn't have even known to look for this battle if I hadn't seen it on the battle map in the interior of Grant's Tomb in New York when I went to visit in December. The whole thing was a great experience, and if you haven't been to one, GO!
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