This is the longest we’ve ever spent on an historical era, due to our move from Texas to Virginia.
Not knowing where we’d live, when we’d find a house, where I might sew, etc, I sewed our costumes in Texas the week before the packers came.
Although I made each of the kids’ costumes a bit larger in case they grew in the next few months, I underestimated their future measures.
My kids grew like weeds in the Virginia air!
While house hunting we read lots of books and walked through lots of Civil War battlefields in Virginia.
Finally we bought a house, that kept us busy with painting and unpacking.
While house hunting my son asked if we could detour to buy him some new shoes.
While he grinned he demonstrated how he could easily pull the sole of his shoe off, exposing his toes.
His shoes looked like those of the poorly outfitted soldiers of the American Revolution.
So I wasn’t surprised when he tried on his Civil War coat. Despite adding lengths to the sleeves when I sewed them in February, three months later they were too short.
Even my daughter gained weight.
I lost 20 pounds during the move, so my costume was easy to fit into!
Although I looked around the area for hoop skirts, none were to be found, so our skirts don’t look right.
How can I live in the depths of Northern Virginia, surrounded by Civil War battlefields, with no costume shops (or even bridal shops) with hoop skirts?
Well, I underestimated that.
After moving in, painting the house, unpacking, it was time to go on with the show.
Presenting Florence Nightengale, Union officer, and Clara Barton
Inspired by one of her books, my daughter portrayed Florence Nightengale.
My kids said, “Mom, you HAVE to be Clara Barton!”
Meanwhile my son created his own character, using his own name, portraying a Union colonel from the 9th New York Calvary Regiment.
Reveille
After opening with Reveille my son explained the tune’s history, which is the army bugle call to begin the day.
Then he previewed the Crimean War and the Civil War, the two key themes of our presentation.
Crimean War 1853-1856
My daughter recited The Charge of the Light Brigade, written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson about a heroic yet doomed battle in the Crimean War.
Next I read Santa Filomena by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
After he read about Florence Nightengale in the newspaper, he was inspired to write a poem about her, comparing her to the early Christian martyr, Saint Filomena.
Next my daughter moved into her interpretation as Florence Nightengale in anger.
Historically, Florence Nightengale did not like this poem or any other accolades given to her.
Wanting to improve and expand the nursing profession to help those in need, she preferred the patients get all the attention, not herself.
Civil War Tea Party
After researching Civil War cookbooks, we decided to serve blueberry tea, chicken salad, deviled ham salad, lobster salad, whipped cream cheese and chives, and kettle potato chips. For dessert we had gingerbread.
The tea party was inspired by an actual Civil War event.
A Confederate officer was home with his wife with their newborn baby.
The Union officers, who knew the Confederate officer from West Point days, called a truce.
Then they presented a silver tea set to the family in commemoration of the baby’s birth.
After sharing some tea, they returned to war.
Then we shared the story we learned at Colonial Williamsburg about General Custer of Little Big Horn, back in the days when he was a Union officer at the Battle of Williamsburg.
There are also stories of soldiers from the opposing sides of the war, sitting along opposing sides of the river, playing rival tunes back and forth, ultimately ending in joining together to play the heart tugging, Home Sweet Home.
Civil War 1861-1865
After tea, my daughter read her literary analysis paper on Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
Then my son read his super essay on Abraham Lincoln.
After my daughter explained the history of The Battle Hymn of the Republic, my son played the tune on his fife.
Clara Barton in Virginia
Now it was my turn! I stepped out from behind the camera to become Clara Barton.
Not feeling well rehearsed due to all the busy-ness of the move, I started talking and the words that came out were nothing that I had planned on.
Nevertheless, I had my audience in the palm of my hand! This was fun!
I was able to relate to her on many levels, like shyness.
(I’ll probably get up and do anything goofy for my students.)
We were both teachers.
Although we depart at the nursing experience, I always admired her work in the war.
What made her war story fascinating to me this time, is that she was everywhere we’ve been in the last couple of months: Washington DC, Fairfax, Manassas, Chantilly, Fredericksburg.
The entire family could relate!
I told the stories of the bullets ripping through her/my skirt and sleeve.
At the end my kids’ jaws were practically on the floor that I had done this without planning, rehearsal or notecards.
I told them it’s not real acting since I am no actress.
It’s probably just the experience of getting up every single day in front of students for six years when I taught public school.
I learned how to wing it.
Union Colonel of the 9th New York Calvary Regiment
Next it was my son’s turn to do his first-person interpretation of a Union colonel in the 9th New York Calvary Regiment.
Within his interpretation, he worked in the speeches his character heard while at Gettysburg and Lincoln’s second inauguration.
Then he quoted the end of Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Speech.
After this, he gave a demonstration of his toy rifle that he had converted to look like an authentic Civil War version.
He made all the accessories for this presentation.
Next I explained how I/Clara Barton, established the American Red Cross.
Musical Entertainments
Then the kids played the piano.
My daughter played “It is Well with my Soul” after my son read the history behind it.
Then my son played “Blessed Assurance” after my daughter read the history of it.
Finally, my son gave the history of Taps, which was written near Colonial Williamsburg.
Then as the lights dimmed, taps played while my son stood at attention with his rifle, as we recreated Memorial Day.
Memorial Day history
In the later days of the Civil War, soldiers’ graves were decorated with flowers in the spring time, an age-old tradition dating back to Ancient Rome.
In 1868, Decoration Day was unofficially set for remembrance of the dead on May 30 of each year.
Over time the tradition spread and the name officially became Memorial Day on the last Monday of the month of May.
On this day of May 30, 2009, we remembered the first unofficially declared Decoration Day May 30, 1868.
That Nation which respects and honors its dead, shall ever be respected and honored itself. – Brevet Lieutenant-Col. Edmund B. Whitman, 1868
