1863- part 4

 

Our rocking movement slowed, the sound of the wheels was Quiter and quieter. Coming to a rest

the train stopped, the sound of screams rent the air.

Rebels and Yankees slowly paced towards the rear door; American soldiers carried Confederate Soldiers  

As the train left the battlefield, I had changed my seat to the other side of the train, which meant I had a view of the ramp and the field hospital.

Leaving the train down the same ramp the soldiers had used, staying back out of the way, 

 I watched in horror, hearing the screams of the man on the bed under the tent

 as they began to saw off his leg.

The man in the chair was crying out for help.

As I watched the air was filled with crys, and sobs. The man under the tent suddenly screamed and passed out, the pain to much to bear.

A woman in a plaid skirt stood looking down at her two sons, one would live, the other one was gone, to feel pain no more.

This is the end of my saga of one battle of the deadliest conflict our nation has ever seen.

This is the story of a re-enactment and not the real thing, but to all appearances it was real.

The war raged for another 2 years, ending on May 9th, 1865. 

Brothers fighting brothers, families torn apart, a country divided, almost exactly as our country is divided now. 

Red is for the blood that was shed. 620,000 dead.

1863- part 3

Our train rolled to a stop, I turned  from the window, to see the volunteers walking to the door that led to the off ramp, and watched as they fled down the ramp and into the battle

The Fighting was fierce, each side firing and firing, bodies falling on both sides and the roar of the guns slowly died down to a POP! Pop! here and there,

Suddenly silence filled the air.

Both sides began to carry their wounded toward those of us waiting on the train.

A young nurse raced for the door, carrying bandages.

 

Both sides, began to carry the wounded toward our train

I heard moaning, and crying and a few screams

The young soldier that told me to SHHH and not let them know they were hiding bent to say thank you to me for not calling attention to them.

I heard "All Aboard" and the train began the rocking, Clackety, Clack! Clackety Clack!

Someone shouted, 30 minutes to the Field hospital as we rolled through the fields of Florida. We were told it did not matter which side you were fighting on, all would have their wounds attended.

We saw the sign out the window and the train slowed.

To be continued.......

1863, The Confederate Army in Florida is under attack part 2

 continued from prior post 1863

I hung out the window, trying to get a better view through my long lens, forgetting I could be in danger.

The Confederate Soldiers were under a steady barrage from the rifles of the US Army

bodies were everywhere, smoke was filling the air.

We need to get our Infantry off the train in time to help.

In despair of getting unloaded in time, I saw the Rebel soldiers 

hiding in the grass, they were holding them off until our train could bring relief

They were watching us roll into postion to offload the volunteer Soldiers. Suddenly one of them saw me with my camera and did the SHH sound, telling me to be careful and not warn the Yankees they were there.

to be continued

1863, The Confederate Army in Florida is under attack

 These photos are the property of MadSnapper and were taken by me in 2012 in Parrish Florida

It was a hot day in April 1883.  The train rocked and the sound of clack clack clack, clack clack clact filled my ears as the Johnny Rebel soldiers walked from car to car.  The car I was in rocked side to side, I could feel danger in the air.  The puffing steam and cinders mixed with the smell of Gunsmoke puffed in the open windows.  

The distant sound of gunfire was a steady background of noise.  

The soldiers of the 2nd Florida Volunteer Infantry were ready for battle, even the very young that were still in their teens were ready. 

The Confederate Army was under attack from the US Army and needed assistance quickly.

Both sides were falling to the ground by the dozens.

I had watched the Volunteers board the train and ducked into a seat behind two ladies hoping heir wide skirts would hide the fact I did not blend my clothing of capri pants and t-shirt with DSLR Camera and its long lens. I hoped they would not notice I was from another time, April 2012.

 I huddled by the window, they both stood, the woman in the white shawl poined out the window . 

Look, there they are, Look can you see the battle?

The other lady started for the back of the rocking car.

I turned to the window, the smoke was thick, the sound was fierce

Snap! I caught the smoke

Snap! I caught the Yankees sneaking up on the Rebel in the water tower.

Snap! just as he fired

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As I fired my camera madly, I screamed NOOOOO! He's Hit.

To be continued...

1863- Civil War Re-enactment

 

The year is 1863, The battle is about to begin, The Yankees and the Rebels are fighting, We can hear the gunfire. I was there, it was 2012, I rode the train, I went into the battle.

For the next four days, I will tell you the story as I saw it that day.

Due to a computer crash in 2012, I lost all the colored photos I took with my DSLR. The only photos I had were on the blog post in 2012 and were very small size. I downloaded those photos to place in my Google photos, for just in case something happens to my blog, and it disappears.

These are photos I took while waiting for the train to pick us up.

What's Wrong in These Photos?