Re-enactors bring Civil War to life

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• Gallery: Guyandotte Civil War Days, Saturday

GUYANDOTTE -- The smell of gunsmoke and wood smoke mixed in the air and cannons boomed Saturday in Guyandotte, where Civil War re-enactors replayed a 148-year-old battle on Main Street.

Steven Fields, a retired teacher from Las Vegas, Nev., was among those wearing woolen, Civil War uniforms on a sunny November day in downtown Guyandotte.

"I was here two years ago, and I'm planning to come back in two years for the 150th anniversary," Fields said, referring to the battle which saw Confederate soldiers raid the town and capture Union soldiers before being run out of town the next day by troops from the Ceredo area.

"This is the 13th (re-enactment) I've been to this year," Fields said. "I just really enjoy doing it. The kids love it. I love the fact that you get to fight in town. It's outstanding to be in a place where they had an actual battle. These soldiers deserve to be remembered."

Fields has been involved in Civil War re-enactment for six years now. "It's an expensive hobby at first, but not so bad once you get all the gear," he said. "I've always loved the Civil War."

He's among a group of re-enactors from Las Vegas to have 50 uniforms they take to schools to teach students about the Civil War. Dressed in a gray, woolen uniform, Fields wasn't nearly as warm Saturday as he was the week before in California when the temperature reached 93.

Hundreds of people lined Main Street to watch a re-enactment of the battle. There were re-enactors from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Virginia and Nevada, among others participating in the event.

Easter Miller of Barboursville was among the women dressed in Civil War era clothing for the event.

"We're reliving history," she said. "It's fun. My whole family is involved in re-enacting. My three-year-old great-granddaughter, Ashton Beckett, is dressed up, too."

"Today we won," said Miller who is a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. "Tomorrow, we don't," she said.

Chad Ratcliff of Proctorville, a U.S. Army veteran, was among those participating in his first re-enactment Saturday afternoon. He was dressed in Union blue.

"I think it's interesting, learning their battle tactics," he said. "It takes time to reload and all the time you're getting fired at. And there's no cover. This was a lot of fun. I'll do it again."

One of the younger re-enactors, Thomas Newman, 13, of Barboursville, was dressed in Confederate gray. "It was really fun," he said. "We won today. I want to do this again next year."

Donna McDaniel of Proctorville, brought her four grandsons to the Civil War re-enactment Saturday. "Their parents took them when they were younger, but they're older now and I think they'll enjoy it more," she said. "They're studying history. They love it. This will help them get a feel for history."

She was attending her first re-enactment and really enjoyed it. "I think this is fantastic," she said. Her youngest grandson, seven-month-old Braxton Elliott, was less so. As cannons boomed and pistol and rifle shots went off around him, he slept through it all.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Hundreds of re-enactors participate in the Guyandotte Civil War Days "Thunder in The Village" street battle on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, in Guyandotte.