Members of the 8th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Company E staged a live event at Camp Nelson Heritage Park Saturday morning. The event also allowed the group to training with Camp Nelson¿s 12th United States Colored Heavy Artillery regiment on the heavy artillery cannons. (Photo by Mike Moore / March 29, 2011) |
The battlefields of Camp Nelson Heritage Park were bustling last Saturday as members of the 8th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Company E staged a living history event. Bad weather canceled Sunday’s scheduled activities.
Jessamine County Magistrate George Dean, who serves as chairman of the Camp Nelson Foundation, said the Tennessee group contacted Camp Nelson several months back.
“They decided that they wanted to put together something this spring,” Dean said. “They must certify themselves on the artillery pieces, and they’re doing some routine camp life event.”
Fred London, with the 8th Tennessee said the volunteer infantry group originally organized at Camp Nelson in 1863.
“So we’re doing a reenactment of what it would have been like here in 1863, training, recruiting and that sort of thing,” London said. “We’re not going to have a skirmish here today; it’s purely living history.”
In all, London said about 20 members of his reenactment group made the trip and received training from members of Camp Nelson’s 12th United States Colored Heavy Artillery regiment.
Saturday’s schedule included infantry, artillery, cavalry, and medical and signal corp demonstrations.
