NC Civil War Events for Spring/Summer 2010

April 10-11, 2010: “Civil War Living History”, Fort Macon State Park, Atlantic Beach, NC. The event will feature living history, infantry and artillery demonstrations and talks, 1861 taking of the fort by N.C. troops, and a small skirmish showing battle tactics. 10 am—4 pm Saturday and Sunday.

April 17-18, 2010: “145th Anniversary of the Bennett Place Surrender”, Bennett Place State Historic Site, Durham, NC. A re-enactment of one of the war’s last surrenders will be held at on Saturday and Sunday, April 17-18, highlighting a week of free commemorative events for the end of America’s deadliest war, which claimed more than 625,000 lives. Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston and Union Major General William T. Sherman negotiate a peace involving a military surrender of nearly 90,000 soldiers. Crowds of thousands are expected. Re-enactors portraying Gen. Johnston and Maj. Gen. Sherman will arrive on horseback at 10 a.m. at Bennett Place on April 17 and 18. Visitors will meet Bennett family re-enactors and be allowed into the parlor to witness the negotiations at various times. Other activities will include book talks, performances by the Huckleberry Brothers Civil War band, and demonstrations of blacksmithing and other Civil War-era activities. For information call (919) 807-7389 or visit http://www.nchistoricsites.org/bennett/bennett.htm.

April 17-18, 2010: “Odyssey of an Ironclad”, Washington Co. Historical Society, Plymouth NC. along with the Port o’ Plymouth Museum is pleased to announce “Odyssey of an Ironclad: The Incredible Journey of the CSS Albemarle”, a working replica of the ironclad crewed by a local group of Confederate Naval Re-enactors, will retrace the ironclad’s perilous April 1864 race down the treacherous Roanoke River to Plymouth and a place in the annals of Naval History. The two-day journey will begin on the morning of Saturday, April 17th. The CSS Albemarle will depart at 10:00 am from Edwards Ferry, (the boat ramp at the foot of Hwy 258 bridge at Scotland Neck), and begin the journey down the Roanoke River to her home port in Plymouth, arriving late on Sunday afternoon.

April 24-25, 2010: “Battle of Plymouth”, Port O’ Plymouth Museum, Plymouth, NC. The Roanoke River will once again reverberate with the rumbling of cannon, mortar and rocket fire, throughout the picturesque town of Plymouth. Confederate and Union firepower will once again explode to life as period reenactors from across the country portraying soldiers and sailors of 142 years ago recreate the Battle of Plymouth. http://www.livinghistoryweekend.com/intro.htm

May 7-8, 2010: “Civil War Returns to New Bern”, New Bern Historical Society, New Bern, NC. Visitors and New Bern residents will experience a full weekend of activities during the New Bern 300th anniversary event, Remembering the War, May 6-9, 2010. Battle re-enactments complete with naval bombardments, infantry invasions and artillery fire will fill the air on May 8. The US Colored Troops National Symposium will be May 6-8. Living History encampments in four locations will give spectators a view of what military life was like in 1862. Tours of historic sites, and medical and torpedo demonstrations will also be available. All activities are free and open to the public. For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.newbern300.com.

June 5, 2010: “Day in the Life of a Civil War Soldier”, Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site, Four Oaks, NC. This military living history program will feature costumed interpreters conducting drill and weapons demonstrations and discussing the life of a Civil War soldier. Highly trained volunteers will also demonstrate the loading and firing of a 3” Ordnance Rifle, a popular Civil War cannon. http://www.nchistoricsites.org/Bentonvi/Bentonvi.HTM

June 19, 2010: “Support Our Troops: Making Connections 1865 to 2010”, Fort Fisher State Historic Site, Kure Beach, NC. This large scale program will demonstrate how civilians supported Fort Fisher’s garrison during the CivilWar and give visitors an opportunity to support our troops overseas. Donations will be accepted for care packages and visitors of all ages are invited to write letters to our men and women fighting so far from home. http://www.nchistoricsites.org/fisher/fisher.htm

Please note that dates, events, or times may be subject the change.