Kids get sneak peek of Civil War Weekend in Madrid
Jul. 25—MADRID — Participants in the Police Activities League of Massena's summer program got a preview of Civil War Weekend when they visited Fort Tribute in Madrid on Thursday.
Civil War Weekend is set for Saturday and Sunday at Fort Tribute, which is located on the grounds of the St. Lawrence Power and Equipment Museum. This will be the fourth Civil War Weekend since Fort Tribute's opening in 2020, after staging the event for 20 years at Robert Moses State Park.
Thursday's visitors rotated to various stations, including what's in your haversack, infantry loading and fire of a musket, traveling forge demonstration, and visits to the log cabin, schoolhouse and carriage barn.
"They'll also get a tour around the fort and inside the new hospital," said Scott A. Wilson, Fort Tribute volunteer coordinator.
They also had a scavenger hunt of sorts, answering questions like, "What did soldiers on both sides eat that was made of flour, salt and water", "What is the bag the soldiers wore to carry personal belongings with them", What goes on the end of a musket that is shiny and sharp", What was the name of the battle that was fought in Pennsylvania in July 1863", and Who was the president of the Confederacy during the Civil War". All of the questions were answered during their journey around the stations.
Visitors to the weekend events will be able to enjoy some new additions, including a newly built reproduction Rucker Ambulance, which sits outside the fort's new hospital. It was constructed by Hansen Wheel and Wagon, Letcher in South Dakota, which restores and builds wagons and stagecoaches for museums, film and TV productions, and collectors.
Inside the hospital, along with two Federal and two Confederate uniforms and several exhibits, were reenactors Wayne Waite from Oneida, Bob Tillson from Vermont, and Charles Irace from Pennsylvania. They were standing by to show the PAL visitors what would happen to the injured who were brought to the hospital.
"Bob and Wayne really spearheaded getting this. We had the hospital built, we talked to these guys, and they were willing to take it over," Wilson said.
New this year is a period play called "Grant on the Eve of Victory," which was written and directed by Derek Maxfield. The 35-minute, one act play, will feature Derek Maxfield as General Ulysses S. Grant and Jess Maxfield as New York World reporter George Alfred Townsend,.
"That's a precursor for next year, which will be a three-act play," Wilson said.
Derek Maxfield will also be lecturing on his book, "Hellmira: The Union's Most Infamous Civil War Prison Camp — Elmira, NY."
Dave Henderson from Gloversville and Dave Evans from Vermont will be discussing what soldiers carried in their haversack and the food that they ate. A haversack would contain items like a toothbrush with bristles made from horse hair, playing cards, a writing utensil and notepad, and food, including hardtack, a cracker-like item made from flour, water, and salt.
Liam Hubbard, a rising sophomore at Potsdam Central High School and a member of the Cadet Corps, will be among the younger participants. He is one of the four members of the Cadet Corps and said one of the other cadets enticed him into joining.
"I like history," he said, and studied even deeper to learn accurate historical facts surrounding the Civil War.
This will be Hubbard's second year of participating in Civil War Weekend.
"I didn't have anything at that point. So, Scott was really nice and let me use a bunch of his stuff and the fort stuff. I have most of my own kit, but I am still learning a little bit," he said.
Among other events taking place during the weekend include a look at women's fashion in the 1860s, period cooking demonstrations, artillery loading and fire demonstrations, a presentation by Linda Russell on Songs of the Civil War, the sounds of fife and drum of the 28th Massachusetts Co. K Field Music, and even a special period church service led by one of the reenactors who is also a deacon.
Camps open to the public at 9 a.m. Saturday with infantry and artillery drills. Those are followed by a 10 a.m. Civil War hospital demonstration at the fort hospital; 10:30 a.m. traveling forge demonstration near Fort Tribute; 11 a.m. period cooking demonstration inside Fort Tribute; and a 12 p.m. presentation of Songs of the Civil War by Linda Russell at the speaker's tent, near the sawmill.
Saturday afternoon includes a 1 p.m. period play of "Grant on the Eve of Victory" at the speaker's tent; a 2 p.m. presentation of Women's Fashion in the 1860s at the speaker's tent; 2:30 p.m. children's muster drill inside Fort Tribute; 3 p.m. lecture by Derek Maxfield on "Hellmira: The Union's Most Infamous Civil War Prison Camp, — Elmira, NY" at the speakers tent; a 4 p.m. battle reenactment; and the camps close at 5 p.m.
The camps reopen to the public with infantry and artillery drills at 9 a.m. Sunday. The schedule also includes a 9:30 a.m. artillery loading and firing demonstration near Fort Tribute; a 10 a.m. lecture by Ken Friedel on "Railroads and the Civil War" at the speaker's tent; a 10:30 a.m. Civil War hospital demonstration at the fort hospital; an 11:30 a.m. presentation by Linda Russell on Songs of the Civil War at the speakers tent; and a 1 p.m. battle reenactment and closing ceremonies.
Admission is $5 per person and children under 12 are free.
For more information about the fort, visit the forttribute Facebook page or its website at www.forttribute.org.