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NEWMARKET, VA By: Pvt. Keith Watts Ord Md. Inf. Vols., On the weekend of May 1517, North and South met on the grounds of New Market, VA. Members of the 3rd MD attended and fell in with Vincent's Brigade. Battles occurred both Satu y and Sunday and we definitely received the bulk of the action. Saturday's battle took place on the field across 141 from our campsite. We approached the field through a dramn tunnel that went underneath the interstate. As we marched through the tunnel the am began to sing and hear their voices echo. The people on the other side must have known we were on the way. After we wet out of the tunnel, we marched across the field to the monument of the 54th Pennsylvania where a memorial service was held in honor of the 45% casualties the suffered. it was very moving it included a memorial shot from the 54th Pennsylvania reenactors. After the service, our units moved off to our position to start the battle. As you know, this was the first hot weekend for reenacting. Being that we had already marched for a while, we were already hot and fired. Little did we know that the battle was to last for an hour. The battle began with lines of skirmishers from both sides. After our skirmishers were pushed back, we moved in against their skirmishers and infantry support. Then our sckrmishers moved back against theirs and we fought their infantry. The battle raged back and forth across the field several times before we wer finally pushed back for the last time. We were supposed to win that bottle, but, being that we were outnumbered, we lost. Then we returned to camp. Needless to say, we weren't singing much through the tunnel on the way back. After a little bit of rest, we wer up and moving again. This time, marching through town in a parade. After the parade, the good people of New Market showed their hospitality by providing us with a most excellent meal of barbecue chicken and baked beans. The next morning, we awoke and formed up for a dress parade. There we received the wonderful new. that we would not be drilling before the baffle. We relaxed and ate breakfast. I took this time to explore the VMI Hall of Valor museum. It was very interesting and contained many things having to do with the entire war. After I finished here, I returned to camp and prepared for the day's battle. This battle took place on the actual field that the men from North and South fought 134 years ago. We were positioned on a hill by the artillery, waiting in reserve. Once again, the battle began with a fight between skirmishers. The Confederate infantry pushed our men back. We then charged them and pushed them back. We went back and forth several times. During one of their volleys, I went down, shot by a VMI cadet. I could tell because I saw their white flag. Once again, we were completely pushed back and lost the battle. Ibis was a great event and I look forward to attending again next year. I think I enjoyed it mostly because it was held on the actual fiel in winch the battle took place and a was easier to see and understand exactly what happened. 135TH GETTYSBURG BY: Cpl. Keith Watts 3rd Md. Inf. On the weekend of July 35, the M.A.R.A. attended its first battalion event of the year; the 135th Anniversary Reenactment of the Battle of Gettysburg. We were represented by members of the 3rd Md. Inf., the 4th Ohio Inf., the 27th Ind. Inf., the Ist WV Cav., the 16th Penn. Cav., the Signal Corp., and out Confederate counterparts. The first battle of the weekend occurred on Friday evening. This battle simulated the action of the first day. My unit, the 3rd Md. inf. , under Don Heitman's Battalion of the Western Brigade, was put into thick fighting. After firing from within a ditch in the field for a few minutes, we were placed under guard of some Confederate prisoners. This took us out of the rest of the action, but we welcomed the chance to get ice and cool down. The next day, we were gone in the field the entire day. We departed camp in the morning to go fight in the Wheatfield. We wen held in reserve at first, but we finally were placed into action. After plugging a whole in the Union Iines, we received the order to charge the rebels. We made a gallant charge and many of my comrades in arms were mowed down by the enemy's volley. The rest of its were taken prisoner. After the battle, we moved to the wood's in which we were to fight the scenario of Culp's Hill later on. There the men relaxed, had a bite to eat, and some men even napped. A couple hours later, we fell in again. We then moved into breastworks where received word that we were to go out as skirmishers. We moved out to meet the enemy. After |
