Civil War Encampment this weekend

Visitors to the Fort Scott National Historic Site this weekend will get a chance to see a different side of soldiers in Fort Scott during the Civil War.

The 27th Annual Civil War Encampment, scheduled to take place Saturday and Sunday at the site, will give visitors an opportunity to meet and talk with several park volunteers and re-enactors portraying army personnel and civilians in Fort Scott during the mid-1800s, when Fort Scott served as a major supply base and training ground for Union troops.

The event also features educational programs, living history demonstrations, dramatic portrayals of the Civil War, re-enactments of military training exercises used during the time period to prepare soldiers for battle, and traditional music of the period. "Military Justice" is the featured theme of this year's event, which is slated to begin at 9 a.m. Saturday and conclude at 3 p.m. Sunday. The event is open to the public.

National Park Service Ranger Robert Thomas said he has a personal interest and background in the topic of military justice, which is one reason why he chose the subject as the theme for this year's event.

"We try to do something different every year so it doesn't become a stale program," Thomas said. "I'm a retired probation officer so I had an interest in courtroom procedures. I did some reading on how to do court martials and how they were performed."

According to a FSNHS statement, visitors will "thrill to the rattle of bayonets and marvel at the grace of the dashing mounted soldiers." Visitors will also be able to "see the other side of the otherwise gallant men who were caught up in the horrors of war," and "hear of the strict military discipline that was all too often imposed upon our men in blue."

Volunteers will re-enact the court martial of one young soldier, Pvt. John Summers, who was charged with desertion. Visitors will learn about the young man's defense, whether he was guilty or innocent, and his fate after the trial. The mock trial is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Saturday.

"It is all too easy to think of the Civil War-era soldiers as being courageous, honest and dedicated to their duty," the fort statement said. "Alas, such was not always the case. Many minor offenses and some major ones were all too often committed by soldiers on both sides. Drunkenness, fighting, dereliction of duty, theft, desertion and cowardice were the most common incidents for which a man could be court-martialed."

Other Saturday activities include the posting of colors at 9 a.m., cavalry and infantry drills at 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m., a presentation from renowned author and speaker Diane Eickhoff titled "Strong-minded Women, Lincoln, and the Civil War" at 11 a.m., a presentation on military justice by local historian and Mine Creek Battlefield State Historic Site Administrator Arnold Schofield at noon, demonstrations of Civil War-era weapons at 3 p.m., a flag retreat at 4 p.m., and a special evening program at 6:30 p.m.

Sunday activities begin with the posting of colors at 9 a.m., followed by a period church service at 11 a.m. At noon, volunteer and re-enactor Harold Sites will present a program on Civil War medicine. Volunteers portraying infantry and cavalry troops will give demonstrations of their respective Army branches at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. The day's activities will conclude at 3 p.m. with a presentation by Schofield on the topic of military justice.

Thomas said about 50 volunteers and re-enactors will participate in the weekend event, which he called "part of the history of Fort Scott." The event is also imporant in teaching the public about an important time in Fort Scott's history, Thomas said.

"Fort Scott was a very important part of the war in Kansas," he said.

FSNHS, a unit of the NPS, is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. There is an admission charge of $3 for adults 16 years of age and older. Children are admitted free of charge. For more information, call the site at (620) 223-0310, or visit www.nps.gov/fosc.