Sunday, August 31, 2025
It was a long war, so this post about today's Civil War Reenactment will be long as well.
Because of Jacob's football game yesterday afternoon, he and Michael were in reserve if needed for this great annual event.
The 32nd Annual Reenactment
I'm loving Honest Abe on his galloping horse with a surf board under his arm.
Huntington Beach is known as Surf City USA after all.
We got word via a telegraph message that things did not go well for the Union forces in Saturday's two battles, REINFORCEMENTS WERE ON THEIR WAY!
We left Camarillo at 6:00 a.m.
While Michael and Jacob would be battling with their Union brothers, I would take up my usual position as a time traveling War Photographer from the future.
Eat your heart out Matthew Brady!
When we arrived at about 8:00 a.m. after a brisk, trafficless drive and breakfast at a Huntington Beach McDonalds, we found the Union and Confederate camps both just starting to stir.
The tent areas were quiet as many
were foraging for food to eat
Some discussed yesterdays action
Others prepared for two more
battles today
The Cavalry would be adding their
saddles to these fine mounts soon enough
Breakfast was a MUST if an army
truly travels on its stomach
Michael and Jacob reporting in
to their Third U.S. Artillery unit
Cannon fire must have felled this
huge tree into this pond yesterday
Jacob and Michael pondering
yesterday's carnage
Ready for today's shelling
The camps continued gearing up
A cup of coffee in the morning
is always a good start for any day
Great Beard!
This is John, who is in the same Artillery unit as Michael and Jacob. Today he would serve as the unit's Acting Captain.
Even in wartime, one must honor
all possible civilities
Preparing for another
day on the front
The Sutlers are always happy to
provide the troops with much needed
supplies and refreshments
Confederate cannon at the ready
. . . and the caissons go rolling along!
Colored Troop of Engineers
Checking out some interesting
engineering models
Hard working, much needed
Colored Troops Corps of Engineers
A well fed artillery soldier
In the Civil War, artillery personnel wore these bright red shirts.
Time for the Morning Muster
Discussing how to beat back
the Johnnie Rebs today
The South was in need of every able
bodied and not so able bodied man
that they could find to fight today
These two Confederates are
definitely Able Bodied
That way to the Sunday Morning
Church Services
These two were ready
Hmm . . .
. . . just as I thought, Jacob
STAY WAY!
Our two soldiers entered looking
for some new additions to their
Civil War provisions
A Civil War Blue-Gray chess set
would be a luxury
Grant's HQ but, where is the Union's
finest Civil War General?
There is the General, planning
today's battle strategy
It's starting to get serious
A Cavalry saddle at the ready
This pretty much sums up the day
Getting supplies in a timely fashion . . .
. . . to the fighting troops is a
HUGE part of winning a war
More Rebs getting ready
Old and young alike . . .
. . . march to the battle field
General U.S. Grant still planning
while smoking one of has favorite cigars
A woman's work is never done,
even during the Civil War
One last meal before fighting
The planning never ends
I stumbled upon . . .
. . . yet another . . .
. . . intense Muster
A Civil War Drum
Jacob finally donned his
red artillery shirt
Testing out the telescope that he
purchased at one of the Sutlers today
Another Sutler's shop
James Jon Newberry
A Sutler from Lakewood, Colorado
Tailor of Historic Hats and Cloths
since 1975
Newberry's awesome 11th New York
Infantry uniform reproduction
These colorful outfits were worn by troops known more familiarly as the Zouaves.
Jacob preferred a new kepi cap in the style worn by the 69th New York Infantry, The Fighting 69th, that were basically an all Irish-American regiment.
The grizzled features of an
Artillery reenactor
The Fighting 69th's camp
Ready to man his cannon
Some of the more mundane
pre-battle work
Finally he spotted . . .
. . . no, not these two lovelies, but
the Confederates amassing for
an assault in the nearby ridge
A thriving business I'm sure
Sunday go to meeting finery
The morning prayer service
was in full swing
God in the morning,
carnage in the afternoon
Serious guarding General Grant
Lt. Colonel Ely Parker
He did a fine job informing us of the role of Native American soldiers like himself in the Civil War fighting with the Union.
This Union officer eating his
breakfast would soon . . .
. . . explain to us the many nuances
of the Regular army troops as opposed
to the volunteers and conscripted troops
Fierce looking Regulars
With the first battle of the day looming at 11:00 a.m., I needed a good place to sit to watch the main battle.
Across from this HUGE tree
seemed like a great spot
Here comes . . .
. . . the U.S. Cavalry contingent
Leadership can be lonely . . .
. . . flag bearing too
A Harper's Weekly War Correspondent
was on hand to report on the battles
SHOTS FIRED!
Brave Union forces enter the field
Lots of shots, lots of misses
A forward Union Artillery
unit ready to . . .
. . . fire on the Confederates . . .
. . . LOUDLY AND OFTEN!
A Rear Union Artillery unit
Aim . . .
. . . FIRE!
Uh-oh . . .
The Rebs are advancing quickly
Heavy Rebel shooting was turning
the tide of the battle
They continued their relentless
attack on the Union positions
Ready, Aim . . .
. . . FIRE!
Reloading Rebs
Union soldiers trying to regroup
About to fire another volley
Jacob and Michael were manning
this small cannon from the Union's
Third U.S Artillery's rear position
Still fighting but . . .
. . . the casualties were mounting quickly
Wounded but still alive
The Confederates were winning
I loved this Rebs firing stance
amid the fallen Union troops
Standing making for an easier target
The same goes for the Rebs
TAPS
The morning battle had officially come to an end with the Confederates in firm control of the battlefield.
I had spent this first battle positioned purposely near the center of the battlefield to gather photos of the infantry at work.
After this battle, I walked up to the Union's rear artillery position to take a closer look at the cannon that Michael and Jacob were manning.
It was a smaller cannon to be sure
Jacob fires the cannon while
Michael is a loader using one of
those two ramrods crossed in the front
Quiet and peaceful now
They needed to get back to their outfit and I needed a different location for the afternoon battle, one with shade I prayed.
I found a perfect one near the rear positions of the Third U.S. Artillery to get better pictures of our two boys in action.
Eventually, the Confederates returned
to the battlefield for the 2:00 p.m. skirmish
A lost Union soldier trying to
reunite with his outfit
Michael and Jacob easily found
their compatriots
Again, SHOTS FIRED!
The afternoon's fight had started.
The Fighting 69th in their green
coats honoring their Irish roots
The Rebs had lots of great
beards in their ranks
A sharpshooter in a much safer
shooting position, in my opinion
Zouaves entering the fight
Here we go!
Cannon loaded, Jacob awaits the
command to pull the lanyard and
FIRE THE CANNON!
FIRE!
BOOM!
Reload
Ready to fire again
KABOOM!
One of the bigger cannons
at this rear position
Our boys were ready yet again
A well placed cannon shot, I'm sure
Over the course of today's two battles, Jacob fired off approximately 15 cannon shots.
Another big cannon
Ready, aim . . .
. . . and fire one of the big boys
TAPS again signal the end of what,
this time, was a Union success
Our four man cannon firing team
Jacob with John who was today's
acting captain of our artillery squad
While Michael and Jacob needed to tend to some final military odds and ends so I toured the camps one more time.
Old Glory
The blue field on this flag
was different . . .
. . . it belonged to this Pennsylvania
Volunteer Regiment
The Fighting 69th's flag
I believe that all in attendance enjoyed a spectacular day while watching an interesting and powerful reenactment of part of the United State bloodiest war.
We were finally ready to head home but were hungry.
We decided to drive about half way home before stopping to eat, but where?
The winner was to be found in Boyle Heights in the heart of East L.A., just down the street from my father's old medical offices.
Home of the best GIGANTIC
burrito in Los Angeles,
The Manuel Special Burrito
My aunt Katie introduced me to this
iconic spot in the 1960s
I introduced it to Michael in the 1980s and today, we both introduced Jacob to the El Tepeyac #1.
The Manuel Special Burrito is not cheap
until you consider that it can easily
feed four adult, hungry men
Michael and I instead opted for
El Tepeyac #1's dainty Hollenbeck Burrito
Buried under all of that cheese on the right are Jacob's two chicken tacos.
While Jacob devoured his two tacos with ease, Michael and I surrendered quickly and each took home at least two-thirds of our burritos. No problem, though as I'm sure that they will both serve as a good lunch tomorrow.
One of dozens of colorful murals
in the Boyle Heights community
What a wonderful Sunday in ever so many ways!
