The highlight of the festival is the two reinactment battles that are staged for the public, one on Saturday afternoon and then one on Sunday. The fighting is fierce, the black powder rifles and cannons are loud and smokey. Thankfully there was a stiff breeze that quickly cleared the field after every volley.
Not all of the dead, actually stayed down. Figeting was common, except for this guy. He died and stayed dead for the rest of the battle. Props, to him.
I was very confused and concerned when after 20 minutes of fierce explosions, advances and retreats the North was routed and several divisions surrended to the South. Last time I checked, Indiana was a Northern state. And while I was concerned about the historical accuracy of the mock battle, I hated to think that they missed the vital fact about the outcome of the war... the North won. Then the announcer invited the crowd to come back the next day. Sunday was scheduled to be the day of deliverance for the North.The battle was great fun! I highly recommend that you attend a mock battle if there are any in your area. It takes a special kind of crazy to want to wear a wool uniform during the summer.
