| Natrual Bridge 2008 | | [03-Mar-2008]
They paved the road over the last year and that made it interesting. The crowd stayed on the road rather than moving up to the rope, on the other side of the gully. That let me crouch down in the gully and move a bit. I also had the new camera with the 15x zoom so a lot of shots are closeups of faces or guys across the field. Only problem was being down in the gully all the shot are through the two bars of the fence.
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| Natrual Bridge 2007 | | | [04-Mar-2007]
Like an idiot I deleted all the photos from my camera before going out the next weekend. I blame a lack of sleep from Daylight Savings time work. Found the Natural Bridge cache (GC10FN6) on the way in. The Rangers were a bit stupid this year. Telling everyone not to stand at the rope, but halfway back across the road. Everyone moved back then back to the rope. Silly Ranger. There was a small turnout for the battle this year, and all the deaths were on the far side of the field. They did a better job with containing the reporters rather than having them in front of everyone. They also added some onsite parking. Not nearly enough but at least they are making an attempt. |
| Horse Landing | | | [18-Nov-2006]
Went home a week early for Thanksgiving so I could go the Horse Landing again. It was interesting. They had a small town built (Baldwin) and started with a raid on the town then moved to the fort assault which was driven off by the Confederate defenders. Adding the town made it difficult to watch, you really had to move from down there back to the earthworks later. Took a lot of pictures |
| Natrual Bridge 2006 | | | [05-Mar-2006]
Im really disapointed with the reenactment this year. Not because of the reenactors but becasue of the park service. The had a ditch dug about 5ft on the spectator side of the wooden fence, right where we normally stand. They put the rope inside the ditch so we had to stand behind it. Making eye level just at the foot of the wooden fence. Then they let the press wander around between the rope and fence, in everyones way. So the photos are all taken with the camera above my head, and around the press, lots of action is missing. |
| Olustee 2006 | | [21-Feb-2006]
It was unusually cold and overcast this year so no sunburn. It didnt rain but looked like it might for all but a brief period during the battle when the sun came out. The battle was pretty good this year, they moved the initial skirmish back to the field rather than out in the woods so the public could see what was going on better. The unit portraying the 54th MA wasnt there this year, and I missed them, the organizers kept the Union forces at a distance like they expected them too. It seemed like the South came out into a full line of battle across the field rather early and the actual line to line fire fight lasted longer than usual.
There are photos. 
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| Olustee 2005 | | | [26-Feb-2005]
I got there kind of late this year. Early enough to park but most the good seat along the fence were filled. Gota spot behind some boy scouts who had spread a whole blanket out for 1 guy. They were waiting on others who never showed. Once the battle started I asked the boys if I and a couple of little kids could squeeze in, there was plenty of room. They let us but the scoutmaster was a jerk and said something about getting there early and not taking his kids seats. They could see fine 6ft is more than enough for 2 kids.
The skirmishers thankfully wern't out in the woods this year. However the artillery dual seemd intolerably long, and with little firing. The south seemed to bring out to many troops too early and out numbered the north severly through the whole battle.
It was a nice sunny day so the photos are good but not as interesting as the year it rained.
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| A busy day | | | [16-Jan-2005]
Failing to remember exaclty how long a drive it was last year I went to the Brooksville Raid again this year, getting there only about a half hour before the battle started.
It had the same problem as last year, there is no good place to watch. The action takes place in the woods alot and swings around several times so its not clear what is going on. I was on the right flank of the Union this time, and they didn't have ropes up so we had to move several times as the action came too close.
There were also a lot of guys on the field with cameras, big ones on tripods ruining alot of photos. The may have been hidden from the VIP section but they were clear to all of us, and made no attempt to hide, be in period costume (not that that would have mattered with the large cameras), or even stay still. Photos of the raid.
On the way to the raid I stopped to do the cache 7 to 7 at a rest area near Perry. Maybe that is what caused the drive to take so much time?
Having more time on the may back I stopped at Homosassa Springs. I expected only Manatees and was suprised to a small zoo. Including a hippo. Which I just screwed up and deleted the picture of.
Near Cheifland I pulled over to see if Comet Macholtz was visible since it was finally clear, and I was somewhere dark. It is baerly naked eye. I took a bunch of photos with the digital camera. The will be posted later after I get a chance to process them.
Got home about 9:30 12 hours after I left, all for a 1 hour reenactment.
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| Natrual Bridge 2004 | | | [09-Mar-2004]
Went to the reenactment Sunday even though I was sick. I think it made me worse too. Got there way to early. Looks like most the Union left too, a lot fewer reenactors than last year. Took a short movie of part of the 2nd advance.
Natrual Bridge 2004 |
| Olustee but no pictures | | | [16-Feb-2004]
I went to Olustee Sunday but I don't have a single photo because my camrea battery was dead. They changed a number of things making in very odd this year. The skirmishers started out in the woods, completly unable to be seen until they started shooting at the calvary. We didnt even know they had started and wondered what was holding them up. The they retreated back towards us, to the east, before circling down the field. A union horse got spooked at one point and went charging across the field.
Later the 54th MA (or where they the 14th RI as it was stamped on their canteens) was way down the field, more than haflway. Most the battle occured at very close quarters, closer than usual. Great for the VIP seats but horrible for everyone else. |
| Brooksvile Raid and Yulee Sugar Mil | | | [18-Jan-2004]
Drove down to the Brooksville Raid. It was not impressive. To many people had left becasue of the predicted rain, which didn't occur. The field was layed out badly so the action didn't flow well. I think the Confederate cannons on the Union right were supposed to be in the distance behind the lines. The battle starts too far back and snakes around at odd angles at times making one wonder if the artillery has been taken out or if the infantry is just igoring it. Met the guys from Co. A. CS Marines but they were too far away to get any good photos of them during the battle.
Stopped at the Yulee Sugar Mill on the way back. I expected a park but instead its just ruins at the side of the road with a few plaques.
Photos
Brooksville
Yulee Sugar Mill |
| No Sneads | | | [04-Dec-2003]
The reenactment at Sneads has been cancled so I won't be going. I did find out that its really a reenactment for the Battle of Marianna. |
| Horse Landing | | | [23-Nov-2003]
Went to the Horse Landing reenactment. Its supposed to be the only battle where a U.S. Navy ship was sunk by calvary. Well recreating the battle is a bit difficult, not having rather large boat being the main one. Its also supposed to take place in May. Well anyway this year they did an assault on a fort. Pictures show only part of the battle because of the layout. The battle starts way off to the left, behind the crowd with a calvary skirmish and advancing infantry then curves around to the outer fences and earthworks. |
| Selma Reenactment | | | [27-Apr-2003]
Went to the reenactment of Selma Saturday. Its a five hour drive each way. Left at 8:00am and got back about 10:30. Battle is ok but I spent most of it in the wrong spot. Best spot to watch seems to be by the oak just below the house. The fortifications make it hard to see unless your up high, and hence far away. I did manage to relocate for the final assult. Saturdays battle is not the real battle but an assult by Forrest on U.S. fortifications in 1864. The real battle is an assult by the U.S. on Forrest's fortifications in 1865.
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| Natrual Bridge 2003 | | | [08-Mar-2003]
Add pictures from last weeks reenactment at Natrual Bridge |
| Battle in the Rain | | | [16-Feb-2003]
This year the battle was on a miserable day. I left Jax and drove past the site to the Olustee Depot to pick up some books there. While there it started to pour.
I was tempted to just go home at that point being sure the battle was canceled. Parking was good, so many people were leaving already. Still even parking rather close I was soaked by the time I got to the gate.
Many of the Sutlers were packing up and others had just closed up their tents. I was hoping to buy some geocaching fill and had some luck but not as much as I wanted. I had spent too much on books at the Depot too so my cash was low. I finally got tired of walking around in the rain and spent some time under the tent listening to the 11th NC Band.
It did slack up to a drizzle by 1:30 when the battle started but never stopped. Almost everyone left, including the reenactors. Instead of telling every one to sit in the front they announced you could do whatever you wanted. I don't think there were enough spectators to fill even 2 of bleachers.
The Union side had all of 2 regiments, of maybe 100 men each, the south a few more. No calvary, they went home. It looks really odd to have a square formation to defend against non-existent calvary. The battle was short, and they spent a lot of time in an artillery dual which they usually don't do. It was interesting to see the smoke hang on the field and completely hide the units on the far side. The Union also moved an artillery piece well forward on the far side of the field only to have it captured.
I added some text to the Battle Photos detailing the action and corrected by scripts so they display in the proper order.
There are also some shots of the Final Volley
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