150th Commemoration - Home Sweet Home at Fort Snelling

We, as a human race, would like to think ourselves and our actions significant. We ascribe meaning and value to our actions and efforts. When one of us does something powerfully extraordinary, we note it, save it, clip out the newspaper headline, or give trophies and honor. We remember and honor our losses as well. Birthdays are a great example of this. We mark the date on our calendars to commemorate the delivery of a baby and to celebrate how that person has grown and what they have accomplished on that date. We gather and celebrate them. Even after their death, we celebrate their life even in our grief and memory. Commemoration, the celebration of beginnings, endings, life, struggle, death, or loss, is a powerful force in our social lives.

I bring up commemoration because I recently commemorated the end of the Civil War in a very unique way. This post is about the mustering out of the 2nd Minnesota reenacted and commemorated at Fort Snelling. The 2nd Minnesota had an impressive record, not as famous as the 1st Minnesota of Gettysburg, but perhaps more so. They defended Snodgrass Hill with Gen. George Thomas "The Rock of Chickamauga", stormed up and overran Missionary Ridge, fought through Atlanta and to the sea, up through the Carolinas, took the surrender of Johnston's army, and marched through the streets of Washington City in the Grand Review. Now they were coming home to where most of the veterans had mustered in and our job was to portray them. 

Unintentional posing by the sign

Shared from Friends of Fort Snelling

What drew me to this event was how unique it was. The event included arrival by paddle-wheel boat, marching to the fort, barrack life and displays, welcome home celebration meals, pay and final discharge from the army, and it was not a far drive for a 150th commemorative event. I registered early and through a fortuitous acquaintance I managed to secure a spot with Co. K, the unit designation for the campaigner group "the Hairy Nation Boys". The Hairy Nation typically does a first-person interpretation, so I had to create a backstory for myself for this event. It was my first time doing a solid first person impression for a weekend and I think I did well. I had an opportunity to meet some of the members of the Hairy Nation before we went to this event at a training march in April and that helped smooth the transition coming into a company without knowing anyone.

The weekend of the event, we carpooled to the event site. There we finished our
paperwork, were given our corps badges, and were given the location of which barracks rooms we were to occupy for the weekend. We made bedsacks (mattresses bags) beforehand that we stuffed with hay, rather than sleep on the hard and uneven floor. That was another thing that does not happen at every event: sleeping in buildings and mattresses. At the evening formation we practiced the parade-ground maneuver that we were to perform for the crowds tomorrow. Soon the mosquitoes and the sunlight were out and I went to bed, because the next morning was going to be an early start so we could get breakfast and our gear prepared for the boat trip and our grand entrance.

Boat ride! Preparing to disembark

Shared from Here

Here we see the recreated 2nd Minnesota Infantry marching to Fort Snelling. What a grand sight.
Posted by Historic Fort Snelling on Saturday, August 15, 2015

Our arrival at the dockside Saturday morning was exciting to ourselves and curious onlookers. Once aboard, we made our way down river enjoying the breeze, a cookie or two, and the pleasant conversation about what we will do once we are discharged. We arrived at the shoreline after some skillful maneuvering by the ship's pilot, the gangplank was lowered, and we carefully made our way into the interior shaded area. There we assembled, reformed, called roll, inspected arms, and got our one blank round for a firing demonstration. We marched up the steep incline with our martial music, took a break to collect our stragglers, and marched toward the gates of the fort and the cheering crowds. It was a emotional and moving sight to behold.

There we were 'speechified' and dismissed to the barracks and soon to the chow line. From there our act was boredom, anxiously waiting for pay and to go home. The next day was more formations for the crowd. We lined up for pay call and filled out paperwork regarding our final discharge. It was a surreal moment signing my name to sheet. We had to leave early so I was not part of the formal dismissal, which disappointed me, but the cool parts were already behind us.

While there are a number of ways to mark the end of the Civil War and the close of the 150th anniversary series, I felt this was a fitting end. When I held my salute at Appomattox Court House back in April, it was the end of a chapter in American history as another chapter quickly took its place. Too often we see the troops and the battles and the gore and we lose sight of what matters most of all to us. I think that is the personal stories of people living in their historical context. I think in seeing the war and large movements, we lose the individual soldier and their story.

Boat ride! Preparing to disembark

Shared from Here

It is because of these things that we commemorate. Real live breathing, dreaming, flawed people wanted to make their lives meaningful and so they commemorated their lives in to a shared understanding of their experience; in this case, we commemorated the individual soldiers coming home after long years of hardship, trial, and danger and their lives mattered to them, each other, and their families. We remember their lives in history as a whole, in things like regimental histories or in large battle, but the families keep the memories of their individual soldiers. Because if you examine, memory is a root word for commemorate; memory is essential to commemorations. We mark the years that have passed since then; the old veterans met and recollected, their families

Glad that the war is over, but seeing papa alive and well

means more to individuals

Shared with Historic Fort Snelling

heard their stories, and they carried on those traditions and stories in their own ways and passed them to their children, and so on. So when the Civil War Centennial anniversaries started back in the 60s, the stories of family members long gone and the impact of the Civil War, both good and bad, struck a chord in our collective understanding to commemorate the 100 years that had passed since then. That chord strike reverberates to today 150 years later and in all sorts of ways.

I loved this event because it was about regaining the story of the individual soldier; about people moving on in their lives. It was about people who had done some extraordinary things becoming citizens that created the rich fabric of our reintegrated nation. As the 150th anniversaries close, we choose to remember and commemorate the efforts, sacrifices, and lives of the soldiers who fought this war and to do them justice in our portrayal of them so that others can learn from them.

Parade - rest

Shared from Friends of Fort Snelling