Civil War Redux on Governors Island

If you didn't grow up with extended family members partaking in Civil War reenactments, then you always have the annual Civil War Weekend on Governors Island to familiarize yourself. This year's event took place on Saturday, and istolethetv's flickr has full visual documentation, also noting that "the National Park Service, 119th New York Volunteers, The GawdAwful Mess and Battery G of the First Pennsylvania Light Artillery, and the Soldiers of the First Minnesota provided family friendly activities, living history demonstrations, music and other programs designed to introduce people to the men and women of the Governors Island Garrison and Confederates imprisoned on the Island." In the early 1800s Castle Williams and Fort Jay were constructed on the island, and used as defensive structures from the Revolution onward. Also, here is a Tropic Thunder/Guns n' Roses "Civil War" mash-up.

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By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment on August 10, 2009 2:44 PM

Comments [rss]

Mr Mel

The two guys in the picture belong on a chain gang.

NannyState

Why Governor's Island? The Battle Of Fresh Kills was one island over...

chuzzlewit

where i come from people go to reenactments and then stop by wal mart on the way home in order to send their money off to benton arkansas in exchange for big vats and sacks of starch and sugar that they stuff into their suv's and then later on, into their suv - sized bodies. and it's very hot there. something's afoot....

istolethetv

Actually, some of the soldiers spoke about the "recent" (to them, since they were in character) Draft Riots. All of the re-enactors I spoke to really tried to stay in character... to a certain extent. One fellow was showing me how he grinds his coffee in his tankard with the butt-end of his bayonet's blade (just like soldiers did during the Civil War) but then sheepishly admitted that his coffee beans were French Vanilla.

Matt Joyce

When do they reenact the draft riots? You know... when the federal (union) military shelled nyc and then proceeded to invade?

I mean hey, while we're discussing the civil war... let's not forget NYC lost either way that war went. Both sides hated us and tried to kill us.

yg

When did a Hollywood movie became a reliable source of historical information?

Matt Joyce

I don't know what you are referring to? Was there a movie about the draft riots?

JacqueMehoff

I can understand that and when did they start doing this in NYC?

defmob

My uncle hated these things. As a Vietnam Vet, he saw them as a glorification of war. Play dress up, shoot off toy guns - and everyone gets to go home to their families at the end of the day.