Everson Farm in Yelm transformed into a battlefield this past weekend for a Civil War reenactment hosted by the Washington Civil War Association (WCWA).
Over 100 reenactors dressed in their best 1860s clothing in front of dozens of spectators looking to experience a live-action battle between the Union and the Confederacy, with a twist.
The battles portrayed in the event were not specifically from any particular Civil War battle, as the scale of such battles could not be accurately replicated with the amount of participants. Instead, reenactors replicate displays of tactics from the war while improvising how each battle is won as each is unscripted.
In the opening battle on Saturday, the Confederates emerged victorious over the Union by pushing them off the field.
“ We make decisions on the battlefield to take advantage of things we see as far as tactics, but we also keep in mind wanting to educate the public,” Tony Lee, a reenactor portraying the Confederate battalion commander, said. “We might drag it on a little longer, so, for instance, if everybody got shot in the first five minutes, then the public really wouldn’t see much. This was close to 40 minutes.”
Lee said the unscripted approach makes the reenactment more fun for the soldiers because they aren’t required to memorize every move, and they can use their knowledge of the war and time period to make educated decisions.
“If there’s not a predetermined idea of what’s going to happen, and if they feel like they can control their own destiny, then it’s a lot more fun for them,” he said.
Adam Lee, portraying a Union rifleman, bugler and drummer, added that there is generally a scripted winner and loser for most battles, but that there are no further details provided.
“I like that because you’re not just limited to doing one thing over and over again at different events. You get to have a lot more flexibility and can do a lot of creative stuff,” he said.
Everson Farm in Yelm hosted the reenactment for the second straight year, with this year’s edition bringing a larger crowd than the first. Tony Lee thanked the landowners for providing the space to the WCWA for the event.
“We found a wonderful field here in Yelm. We had a larger crowd here than we had last year, so some of the word must be getting out,” he said. “This is a beautiful location and a wonderful battlefield to engage upon.”
Recruiting future reenactors is a significant piece of each event as the participants take time in between battles to answer attendee questions.
Adam Lee enjoyed a full-circle moment when he saw young children in the crowd watching the action, just as he did as a 7-year-old witnessing a Civil War reenactment in Tennessee.
“If people are interested in joining, we pounce on them and induct them in. We are actively recruiting, and we want and need more people,” he said.
The WCWA’s next reenactment is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 3, and Sunday, Aug. 4 at Klickitat Prairie Park in Mossyrock.
To learn more about the WCWA, visit https://www.wcwa.net/.
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