Civil War Battles
DavidTO already beat me to this, but I'm still gonna post :-)
This weekend (Nov 5-6 2006) Moorpark Rotary Club held a Civil War Battle Reenactment event on the grounds of Tierra Rejada Ranch.
I was able to witness and take a few (hundred:-) pictures of two battle events on Saturday.
I was also able to do a basic post processing on the same night, after which I left my Star*Explorer uploading some 300+ (1Gb+) hires pictures (man, do I like the fact that smugmug account comes with an unlimited storage:-) for the night, which task it successfully accomplished automatically in less than 3h 15 min (I was long asleep).
This morning I prepared some narrow selection from this photo plunder of mine.
To avoid overloading weak connections, I split my "war report" into several posts, all submitted as reply to this one.
Even so, please be warned that each of them contains more than one 600x800 image:-)
All images taken with Canon 20D.
Camp shots: EF 28-135 IS USM
Battle shots: EF 100-400L IS USM
Link to event page: http://nik.smugmug.com/Events/128343
Enjoy back in time shooting!
This weekend (Nov 5-6 2006) Moorpark Rotary Club held a Civil War Battle Reenactment event on the grounds of Tierra Rejada Ranch.
I was able to witness and take a few (hundred:-) pictures of two battle events on Saturday.
I was also able to do a basic post processing on the same night, after which I left my Star*Explorer uploading some 300+ (1Gb+) hires pictures (man, do I like the fact that smugmug account comes with an unlimited storage:-) for the night, which task it successfully accomplished automatically in less than 3h 15 min (I was long asleep).
This morning I prepared some narrow selection from this photo plunder of mine.
To avoid overloading weak connections, I split my "war report" into several posts, all submitted as reply to this one.
Even so, please be warned that each of them contains more than one 600x800 image:-)
All images taken with Canon 20D.
Camp shots: EF 28-135 IS USM
Battle shots: EF 100-400L IS USM
Link to event page: http://nik.smugmug.com/Events/128343
Enjoy back in time shooting!
"May the f/stop be with you!"
0
Comments
Camp and Crowd
The encampment consisted of roughly four areas: confederate camp, food and services area, "mercantile" area and union camp. By the time I arrived (soon after 10 am) and throughout the day all four areas (maybe a little less on a food and service, which was kinda typical for every fair event I attended for the last eight years) provided a nice historical feeling. That feeling was supported by "civil" reenactors, dressed in XIX century clothes, and some even speaking with the relevant accents:-).
Camp view (confederate):
XIX century couple (hiding the cell phone and subcompact digicam):
Isn't that Scarlett O'Hara?:
And her sisters:
Meeting DavidTO and his kids was a nice bonus:
The gallery:
http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/943217
Going through camps allowed a visitor to take a close look at all sorts of XIX century American war-related things. Tents and camping gear, uniform and weaponry details.. It was also interesting to hear what seemed to be "old style" military lingo.
Confederate cavalryman is fixing his sidearm:
Morning review (confederates):
Same at the union camp:
Union officers:
Rifles:
COnfederate cannons are ready:
"For the Dear Old Flag I Die"
Real soldier will always find time to lie down and puff his pipe:
The gallery: http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/943218
Before each "battle" all the troops marched in front of the cheering crowd. Their historical unit names, as well as the names of commanding officers were announced over the PA. This gave everybody a chance to take a close look at the gear, uniforms and actually primed the crowd for the following battle scene.
Union platoon:
Confederate rider:
The battlefield:
Confederate artillery is ready:
Going into battle:
Cavalry:
Going to give thier lives for what they believed in:
According to historical records, citizens of the Centerville actually went to the Manassas battlefiled with their picnic baskets, expecting to "enjoy a colorful show". Nobody expected it to be a first major battle of what turned out to be a "lond and costly affair":
Looking at the troops marching through the dusty fields under the hot sun really gives you a spine-chilling feeling you're magically moved back in time to July 16, 1861, straight from Southern California to Virginia plains:
More riders:
Being in infantry is definitely not for infants:
Even while resting, soldiers could not get thier minds off the forthcoming battle:
The gallery: http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/943219
A quote from National Park Service Heritage Preservation Site (http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/va005.htm):
Manassas, First
Other Names: First Bull Run
Location: Fairfax County and Prince William County
Campaign: Manassas Campaign (July 1861)
Date(s): July 21, 1861
Principal Commanders: Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell [US]; Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard [CS]
Forces Engaged: 60,680 total (US 28,450; CS 32,230)
Estimated Casualties: 4,700 total (US 2,950; CS 1,750)
Description: This was the first major land battle of the armies in Virginia. On July 16, 1861, the untried Union army under Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell marched from Washington against the Confederate army, which was drawn up behind Bull Run beyond Centreville. On the 21st, McDowell crossed at Sudley Ford and attacked the Confederate left flank on Matthews Hill. Fighting raged throughout the day as Confederate forces were driven back to Henry Hill. Late in the afternoon, Confederate reinforcements (one brigade arriving by rail from the Shenandoah Valley) extended and broke the Union right flank. The Federal retreat rapidly deteriorated into a rout. Although victorious, Confederate forces were too disorganized to pursue. Confederate Gen. Bee and Col. Bartow were killed. Thomas J. Jackson earned the nom de guerre "Stonewall". By July 22, the shattered Union army reached the safety of Washington. This battle convinced the Lincoln administration that the war would be a long and costly affair. McDowell was relieved of command of the Union army and replaced by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, who set about reorganizing and training the troops.
Result(s): Confederate victory
CWSAC Reference #: VA005
Union avantguard:
Front lines of the South retreat to entrenched positions:
More yankees troops enter the battle field:
Primary South positions seem to be holding up well:
Cavalrymen:
Federate forces continue the aproach:
South recieves reinforcement:
Union troops experience a big loss but continuing fire:
But evenutally under the crossfire federates had to retreat:
Confederates "help" the enemy to retreat:
Even cannons can be wounded:
When the battle was over, almost five thousand lives were lost:
The moment of silence:
Luckily, it's just a game, and dead and wounded can happily return to their lives:
The gallery: http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/943220
A quote from National Park Service Heritage Preservation Services site (http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/va026.htm)
Manassas, Second
Other Names: Manassas, Second Bull Run, Manassas Plains, Groveton, Gainesville, Brawner's Farm
Location: Prince William County
Campaign: Northern Virginia Campaign (June-September 1862)
Date(s): August 28-30, 1862
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. John Pope [US]; Gen. Robert E. Lee and Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Jackson [CS]
Forces Engaged: Armies
Estimated Casualties: 22,180 total (US 13,830; CS 8,350)
Description: In order to draw Pope's army into battle, Jackson ordered an attack on a Federal column that was passing across his front on the Warrenton Turnpike on August 28. The fighting at Brawner Farm lasted several hours and resulted in a stalemate. Pope became convinced that he had trapped Jackson and concentrated the bulk of his army against him. On August 29, Pope launched a series of assaults against Jackson's position along an unfinished railroad grade. The attacks were repulsed with heavy casualties on both sides. At noon, Longstreet arrived on the field from Thoroughfare Gap and took position on Jackson's right flank. On August 30, Pope renewed his attacks, seemingly unaware that Longstreet was on the field. When massed Confederate artillery devastated a Union assault by Fitz John Porter's command, Longstreet's wing of 28,000 men counterattacked in the largest, simultaneous mass assault of the war. The Union left flank was crushed and the army driven back to Bull Run. Only an effective Union rearguard action prevented a replay of the First Manassas disaster. Pope's retreat to Centreville was precipitous, nonetheless. The next day, Lee ordered his army in pursuit. This was the decisive battle of the Northern Virginia Campaign.
Result(s): Confederate victory
CWSAC Reference #: VA026
For this battle (held at 3 pm) I have chosen the opposite shooting position, starting close to confederate main lines:
Also it was closer to artillery, of which I was hoping to get some "blast" shots:
Being a cannoneer is a hard work:
Union avantguard is about to enter the battlefield:
"Ready! Aim.."
"Fire!"
Despite taking heavy artillery fire, union forces kept approaching:
Southern cannons kept blasting:
But federate soldiers seemed to have the nerves of steel:
Finally, Jackson ordered counter attack:
Gen. Andrew Jackson hisself led the assault:
I can't imagine what the federate soldiers in a thin front line could think when they saw this massive attack:
Although there were supported by much more numerous main forces:
So they just kept fighting:
Massive Southern attack:
Those muskets sounded pretty menacing:
Confederates kept pushing:
Having the union avantguard to withdraw and retreat:
However, main forces of North hold fast:
Fierce firing continued:
Federates returned fire the best they could:
But Southern attack prevailed, and soon another line of union avantposts was smashed:
Confederate armies kept firing:
Union troops counterattacking despite of the heavy artillery barrage:
But they were plain outnumbered and outmaneuvered:
South received the massive reinforcement:
And pretty soon, despite of outstanding bravery:
The main positions of the Union were taken:
All in all, more than 22,000 lives were lost in this battle:
Moment of silence:
And the ultimate joy of having being able to "come back from the dead":
The gallery: http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/943221
You should also consider going BW or sepia on a few of them for that "authentic" old-timey look. You can become the modern era Mathew Brady of Civil War enactments photography. I'm really not pulling your leg too much. I would like to see some of the battle scenes rendered either in BW or sepia. I believe that it would add a sense of realism to them.
I'm always thinking about the market. You have a built in clientèle in the "civilians" in the photos as well as the reenactors. I think that you would be able to open up an even greater market with some BW and sepia prints.
Photographs by Dixie
| Canon 1Ds | Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 5D | Canon 50D | Canon 10D | Canon EOS Elan 7 | Mamiya Pro S RB67 |
...and bunches of Canon lenses - I'm equipment rich and dollar poor!
I will, hopefully. Yesterday it was just overwhelming. I am glad I was able to do basic stuff (filter through almost 500 pics and filter down to "only" 325 takes time:-).
I like the idea of working more on some winning shots (I have a dozen or so I really like) and I'm curios what can be done to them.
Just need to tacke care of some business needs first:-)
Thank you for stopping by and your kind words!
PS
Are you still going to post-shootout? If so - check the thread plz!
Why not geo-tag a photo or two, and use smugmaps as your mapping reference
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Thanks! Done:-)
http://maps.smugmug.com/?feedType=geoAlbum&Data=943221
Sorry I couldn't make it up to join you but hopefully there will be other opportunities.
Moderator of: Location, Location, Location , Mind Your Own Business & Other Cool Shots
Thanks for the photos, and the naritive.
Sam
Thanks!
And don't worry - there is always another time:-)
Cheers!
Thanks for looking, I'm glad you liked it!
Cheers!
Oh, the reinactments I have missed even in the last year. OK, you and David convinced me, I shall not miss another. I hope!
I especially loved some of the later shots heavy with the smoke from the "rifle fire". And they kept getting better!
Wonderful shots!
Boy, one sure gets his/her money's worth from dGrin! A show, education, etc.
loved it, you and David. You do have another post?? MOre?
ginger
Thanks for looking and for your kind assessment!
Did you see the galleries?:-)
http://nik.smugmug.com/Events/128343
Cheers!