some scenes I tried to recreate in miniature from the 125th Gettysburg reenactment in June 1988. 2nd day, The lines pushed back, hard pressed, fell apart, fell back reformed , again and again and again.My unit was decimated, taken prisoner or scattered.I made it into a wooded area and got behind a thick oak to reload.I had just sprinted uphill through the woods and thought I had at least a few seconds to catch a breath or two and relaod.. Wrong.I heard " GET THAT SOB" and saw rebs20 feet away sprinting towards me arms outstretched.Bolted through the woods{ used to that being from the NW, I grew up in the woods!} And made it to a ploughed field where I saw an Officer trying to rally anyone he could.None stopped, kept going to the ridge where a new line was being formed. I had no blanks left, no water left, heat and humidity got the best of me.Heat exhaustion had gripped me.Sick to my stomach, head exploding, had a cannonball sized lump in my throat. Was between the lines and heard a mighty volley behind me. Down I went. Layed on my side trying to recuperate and watched the Rebals assaults break again and again trying to push the rallied Union off the ridge.Line after line surged forward over their fallen comrades, each push exceeding the last by mere yards.Dark grey and black storm clouds rolled over the green and rocky hills in the distance as new assault columns of Rebals deployed into line, advanced yet again and were mowed down at the base of the hill.
Finally the Rebals slowly fell back, the firing died down , the Union line Cheered under the Colors, and a Bugler sounded recall.The mock Battle was over. I Sat up , put my head in my hands and cried like a baby.
Of all the Hundreds of Mock Battles and Skrimishs I particapated in, I never saw anything so REAL as those that hours .
For a moment,Just a brief flash it was as if I was there.And I am very grateful, I wasn't in 1863.
Fubar
