Two Smiths Go to War!

This post was written by guest blogger, Historian Smith.

Last weekend, my dad and I traveled to Pamplin Historical Park in Petersburg, Virginia to attend the Civil War Adventure Camp. We were issued uniforms and equipment, including cartridge cases and canteens, which we filled from water barrels at the campsite.

My dad was  made a corporal and I was a private. We both joined the Union Army.


Our first task was to learn military commands and practice loading rifles. After marching around a field all day, we were gratified to hear that a hearty dinner had been prepared for us, consisting of hardtack, apples, cornbread, donuts, and beef stew. Dad said it was the best beef stew he ever ate, although he couldn't be sure it wasn't Dinty Moore. It just goes to show you how good food tastes to hungry men. Unfortunately, when we went up for seconds, there was nothing left. They told us we were lucky to get beef stew at all since soldiers of that era usually ate salt pork and hard tack for most meals. I had a loose tooth, and it came out when I bit into the hardtack! After dinner, we walked to the Hart Farm barn and received a lesson on civil war medicine.

Then we went to our assigned sleeping quarters, a bunkhouse, and started a fire in the wood stove. Wearily, we got into our bunks and fell asleep.

We were awakened early in the morning by a bugle and hurried to don our uniforms. Then we were given our breakfast rations. We didn't have much time to eat our jerky, hardtack, prunes, cornbread and cookies, so we had to finsh eating while we were marching.

Back at the Hart Barn, we learned how the military used flags to communicate. The next thing we did was to march to the earthworks, where we fired rifles and cannons. Afterwards, we split into two groups and participated in two mock skirmishes. At about ten o'clock we marched down to the edge of the woods and shot a mortar.

Finally, we were given honorable discharge papers and drove back to Richmond. It was awesome!