Waller County News Citizen - News
Bringing the Civil War to life
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| Union soldiers Rob Garner, Mike Bringhurst, and Chris Wise illustrate how to fire weapons at the Liendo Plantation Civil War Weekend. The men are with the 1st Texas, part of General John Bell Hood’s Texas Brigade, but were reenacting as the 13th Main. Photos by Robin McDonald and Ted Fuller |
ROBIN MCDONALD, Special to News Citizen
Sounds of cannons thundered through the air during Liendo Plantation’s Civil War Weekend, starting on Friday, November 21. Booms from the large cannons could be heard miles away in towns surrounding the plantation, as far away as Hockley, and possibly farther.
Several reenactment groups from around the state and country participated in the living history weekend, including local groups such as Waul’s Texas Legion - Sons of Confederate Veterans from Katy, open to descendants of Confederate soldiers, and the 11th Texas Cavalry from Waller. Also on hand were the Sons of Union Veterans, open to descendants of Union soldiers.
The reenactors fought and died bravely in a heated skirmish on Friday for the school crowds, as smoke filled the air during the cannon fire. Before the skirmish, one reenactor, resembling Abraham Lincoln but professing to be his Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, walked down the long crowd reciting the Gettysburg Address for students, teachers, and parents.
The battles took place in a large field alongside the plantation, next to US 290. Several vehicles stopped on the feeder road shoulder to watch the activities on Friday. During a particularly windy moment, one cannon created a large smoke ring, to the amazement of the onlooking crowd, who aaahhed as the smoke ring drifted off and disappeared with the wind. During the weekend, the reenactors fought in battles on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Historical reenactors create what they call “impressions” to give viewers a first-hand look at what life might look like in the era they represent.
Creating an impression also gives reenactors a chance to live out history as a persona of someone else, in this case a Union or Confederate soldier.
Reenactors use historically accurate, usually reproduced, muskets, with caps, black powder, and cream of wheat to make the guns smoke.
Liendo Plantation is an old plantation that has been renovated, located between Houston and Austin. Many families enjoy the fun of dressing up and reenacting events from history. The activity is wonderful for hands-on learning.
Liendo Plantation hosts a Civil War reenactment one weekend each November.
The plantation allows Texas Cavalry, Infantry, and Artillery troops to reenact a fictional scenario of the Civil War on its grounds at the end of each year.
The troops gather in encampments, dividing into north and south factions. In the Sutler’s Village, vendors peddle their wares, much of it period clothing and goods from the civil war era or earlier. On school days, merchants make sure to make wooden weapons such as pop guns and sheathed wooden swords handy for parents to buy for children. Sutlers were actually merchants who followed army camps to peddle their wares to the soldiers.
On the grounds of the plantation, others demonstrate weaving, blacksmithing, candle and soapmaking, and other hobbies or crafts from America’s pioneer days.
Reenacting history is a fast growing hobby. Most reenactment groups have a place for everyone to join in.
Women, young and old, have several impressions they do from a working in a commissary, acting as laundresses, creating a Ladies Aide Society, or working as seamstresses and weavers.
Folklife demonstrations such as spinning, weaving, quilting, blacksmithing, soap, broom and furniture making were also on hand, and visitors were able to hear popular music from the mid 1800’s.
For more information, check out www.liendo.org, www.11texascav.org, www.wauls-texas-legion.com, or www.txsuv.org.
Sounds of cannons thundered through the air during Liendo Plantation’s Civil War Weekend, starting on Friday, November 21. Booms from the large cannons could be heard miles away in towns surrounding the plantation, as far away as Hockley, and possibly farther.
Several reenactment groups from around the state and country participated in the living history weekend, including local groups such as Waul’s Texas Legion - Sons of Confederate Veterans from Katy, open to descendants of Confederate soldiers, and the 11th Texas Cavalry from Waller. Also on hand were the Sons of Union Veterans, open to descendants of Union soldiers.
The reenactors fought and died bravely in a heated skirmish on Friday for the school crowds, as smoke filled the air during the cannon fire. Before the skirmish, one reenactor, resembling Abraham Lincoln but professing to be his Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, walked down the long crowd reciting the Gettysburg Address for students, teachers, and parents.
The battles took place in a large field alongside the plantation, next to US 290. Several vehicles stopped on the feeder road shoulder to watch the activities on Friday. During a particularly windy moment, one cannon created a large smoke ring, to the amazement of the onlooking crowd, who aaahhed as the smoke ring drifted off and disappeared with the wind. During the weekend, the reenactors fought in battles on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Historical reenactors create what they call “impressions” to give viewers a first-hand look at what life might look like in the era they represent.
Creating an impression also gives reenactors a chance to live out history as a persona of someone else, in this case a Union or Confederate soldier.
Reenactors use historically accurate, usually reproduced, muskets, with caps, black powder, and cream of wheat to make the guns smoke.
Liendo Plantation is an old plantation that has been renovated, located between Houston and Austin. Many families enjoy the fun of dressing up and reenacting events from history. The activity is wonderful for hands-on learning.
Liendo Plantation hosts a Civil War reenactment one weekend each November.
The plantation allows Texas Cavalry, Infantry, and Artillery troops to reenact a fictional scenario of the Civil War on its grounds at the end of each year.
The troops gather in encampments, dividing into north and south factions. In the Sutler’s Village, vendors peddle their wares, much of it period clothing and goods from the civil war era or earlier. On school days, merchants make sure to make wooden weapons such as pop guns and sheathed wooden swords handy for parents to buy for children. Sutlers were actually merchants who followed army camps to peddle their wares to the soldiers.
On the grounds of the plantation, others demonstrate weaving, blacksmithing, candle and soapmaking, and other hobbies or crafts from America’s pioneer days.
Reenacting history is a fast growing hobby. Most reenactment groups have a place for everyone to join in.
Women, young and old, have several impressions they do from a working in a commissary, acting as laundresses, creating a Ladies Aide Society, or working as seamstresses and weavers.
Folklife demonstrations such as spinning, weaving, quilting, blacksmithing, soap, broom and furniture making were also on hand, and visitors were able to hear popular music from the mid 1800’s.
For more information, check out www.liendo.org, www.11texascav.org, www.wauls-texas-legion.com, or www.txsuv.org.
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