Planning for Civil War Living History Weekend underway

0

SIDNEY — Sidney, Ohio’s Civil War Living History Weekend is once again scheduled to take place in Sidney’s 230 acre Tawawa Park Sept. 17-18.

The biennial event debuted in 2016, was successfully held in 2018, but had to be cancelled in 2020, a causality of the pandemic.

“Because the 2020 event coincided with Sidney’s Bicentennial,” Council member Mike Barhorst, said in a city of Sidney press release, “we had planned that every speaker would be a published author and following their presentation, would have books available for purchase. In addition, the author would be able to sign and even inscribe the book if the purchaser desired.”

Barhorst is the chair of the event’s steering committee.

“Because so many of our 2020 presenters had already purchased airline tickets and made hotel reservations,” Barhorst explained, “most of them were able to keep their tickets and apply them to this year’s event. I’m still in the process of contacting the list of speakers, but expect most of them to return.”

Long-time ree-nactor and former Sidney resident Doug Slagel has recruited the Army of the Ohio for the event. “Sidney will be one of their ‘maximum effort’ events this year,” Slagel said in the release. “Even so, it is difficult to know how many troops will actually report because there has been so little reenactment activity for the past couple of years.”

Slagel has also spoken with the leaders of the Army of the Wabash and the Army of the Cumberland about the Sidney event. Neither group has made a commitment of troops as of yet.

J.R. Sharp is again recruiting troops for the Confederate side. Although no Confederate troops have yet registered, he is working on units from Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. He has also secured one piece of artillery.

Just as during the Civil War, the committee will be offering bounties for troops that “enlist.” Each unit of ten soldiers will be paid a bounty of $100. In addition, each soldier will be given a half-pound of powder. The powder would replace that used during the event.

They will also be offering a bounty of $150 for each cannon. They will also receive 25 pounds of powder.

The event is funded through private donations and through a major grant from the Sidney Lodging Tax Committee.

The Steering Committee for Sidney, Ohio’s Civil War Living History Weekend includes Shelby County Historical Society Executive Director Tilda Phlipot, Sidney Parks and Recreation Director Duane Gaier, Confederate Commander JR Sharp, Union Commander Scott Sharp, Union Troop Recruiter Doug Slagel, Confederate Aide d Camp Chad Cochran, and Mike Barhorst.

Information concerning the event can be found online at www.sidneycivilwar.org. Interested individuals can also contact the Shelby County Historical Society or any member of the committee.

Union Civil War re-enactor Doug Slagel shakes hands with Confederate re-enactor J.R. Sharp in the Confederate encampment at a previous event held in Sidney. Both will take the field to do battle again this Sept. 17-18 at this year’s Civil War Living History Weekend. The event, open to the public, is held in Tawawa Park.
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2022/03/web1_CivilWar.jpgUnion Civil War re-enactor Doug Slagel shakes hands with Confederate re-enactor J.R. Sharp in the Confederate encampment at a previous event held in Sidney. Both will take the field to do battle again this Sept. 17-18 at this year’s Civil War Living History Weekend. The event, open to the public, is held in Tawawa Park. Courtesy photo

No posts to display