The Truth Marches On

BROOKSVILLE - Saturday's Civil War reenactment came complete with costumes, blazing guns, booming canons - and a baseball game.

The two-day event attracts flocks of Civil War buffs to the Sand Hill Scout Reservation from across the Southeast year after year. There were vendors in tents selling swords, women wearing wide gowns and men carrying black powder rifles.

No one was deterred by the cloudy skies, cooler temperatures or tornado threat, which went into effect at 3 p.m. while hundreds were still at the reserve.

The "Field of Dreams"-like spectacle was played on a flat, open field prior to the 2:30 p.m. raid.

Among the spectators was Mike Flynn, an assistant athletic director at Tampa Prep, who was chaperoning a large group of middle school students during a field trip.

"They are at the Civil War segment of their history class, so the timing was perfect," he said.

The serious baseball fan kept his eyes mostly transfixed on the players. The Largo Crackers were pitching against the Dunedin Whalers.

Everything about the game was a throwback - from the leather ball to the thick piece of lumber the players used during their at-bats. The umpires wore top hats, bowties and black vests while the players wore old wool uniforms with flat-top caps.

The announcer would describe the subtle differences between the game that was played 150 years ago and the modern version.

"There was no infield fly rule in 1860," he said through a large, black megaphone after one of the Whalers hit a pop fly to the third baseman.

Throughout the morning and afternoon, the war reenactors were rehearsing in preparation for the raid. The faux battle included a cavalry unit on horseback, artillery canons and two army battalions marching toward each other in the middle of the battlefield.

"We're doing our drills to make sure everyone is safe," said Mark Gaul, who fought on the Confederate side Saturday. "We make a lot of boom."

The men used blank rounds that included a "specific amount" of black powder. The ammunition is pricked, primed and fired like any other live round. There is also the recoil factor to consider.

Several thousand yards away at the surgeon's tent was a different kind of reenactment, one that was more official than the rest.

A couple were married before a crowd of more than 40 onlookers. Shawn and Denise Butler locked lips after Will Palenik, a notary public, made it official.

The groom was wearing a wool, navy blue uniform while the bride was wearing a Victorian-era gown.

"It's kind of a frequent occurrence," Palenik said of weddings held during a Civil War reenactment. "People like the romance ... When we do reenactments, we are normally here with friends and family. And people can save on tuxedos."

Saturday's weather was cool and cloudy, but no significant rain had fallen during the morning and early afternoon. There were no showers during the raid and the cloud cover kept the air at a pleasant temperature for the reenactors.

Vendor Bill Fox, of Palm Harbor, travels to various states to set up his tent at other Civil War events. He sells holsters, uniforms, knives, swords and leather. He considers the Brooksville Raid one of the best of the year.

"It's just laid out nice," he said. "It's easy to get to. It's on flat ground and it draws a lot of spectators."

The event will continue today at 9 a.m.