This weekend was the annual Civil War Weekend at Governors Island, where the National Park Service and "living historians" gave visitors a taste of what garrison life on the island was like in 1861.
From 1783 through 1966, the island was used as an army post, and during the Civil War it held Confederate prisoners. Castle Williams contained rebel regulars, while Fort Jay (aka Fort Columbus) contained higher-ups and commissioned officers. Governors Island also held a military court and a School of Practice for Union Field Musicians. We're pretty sure that getting stuck in the rain is equally as rough as it was in 1861.
