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LIVING HISTORY: 

 Plymouth's Civil War Battle 



By Ann Green 



'ong the Roanoke River in historic Plymouth, the sound of gunfire eehoes across the waterfront. In the middle of the river, 

 a sleek replica of the ironclad ram CSS Albemarle, decorated with a Confederate flag, glides through the water. 

 Further up the river, a small while boat, decorated with a ipth-ccntury U.S. flag, heads toward the ironclad. 

 As the replica of the Yankee steam launch — packed with Yankee sailors in dark navy and white uniforms — 

 approaches the Confederate boat, a sailor fires another gunshot. 

 This naval demonstration is part of the annual Battle of Plymouth Living Histoiy Weekend. 



Each year, Civil War buffs replay 

 scenes that happened during the war in 

 Eastern North Carolina — including the 

 Battle of Plymouth, where the CSS Albemarle 

 rammed and sunk a Yankee gunboat. 



More than 200 re-enactors fill the 

 Washington County community during 

 the weekend. Some march with units on 

 downtown streets. Others perform essential 

 services like sewing, cooking and repairing 

 iron work in the period encampment along 

 the river. A large number of sailors battle it 

 out on replicas of the original vessels. 



"The living history weekend has come 

 into its own in the last few years," says 

 Plymouth businessman Tom Harrison, who 

 spearheaded the construction efforts for 

 the Albemarle replica "This year, we had 

 50 sailors to supplement the infantry and 

 artillery. The Navy aspect of the batde makes 

 this event unique and not just a land battle." 



More than 3,000 Union troops fought 

 in the original Batde of Plymouth, including 

 208 white and 300 black soldiers from Bertie 

 County along with 300 black troops from 

 Washington County, according to Harry 

 Thompson, director of the Port O'Plymouth 

 Museum. 



"Plymouth was the leading area for 

 recruitment of black troops," he says. 



During the re-enactment, two brothers, 

 James and Joseph White, were dressed as 

 Union soldiers. 



"This is our third year to participate 



in the weekend," says Joseph White of Leland 

 in Brunswick County. "I enjoy history and 

 learning about the war." 



CIVIL WAR CAMPSITES 



To relive the second largest Civil War 

 battle in North Carolina, many re-enactors set 

 up A-frame tents across from the riverfront 

 business district. The encampment is organized 

 by military units, with Union and Confederate 

 soldiers separated by streets. 



Members of the 12th Confederate Infantry 

 Troop from Virginia are housed in one area. 

 Just back from a street skirmish, Russ Riter 

 of Richmond, Va., stands guard with an 1 853 

 Enfield rifle in front of a tent. 



"I do it for fun," says Riter. "I also do it 

 to honor my heritage. I had a great-grandfather 

 who was in the Army in Northern Virginia." 



To recreate the period, the 1 2th Virginian 

 members cook and eat meals together. The 

 menu may be Brunswick stew and ham 

 biscuits cooked in a brick oven. "We try to be 

 authentic," adds Riter. 



The wives and children of the unit 

 members also participate in festivities. While 

 Ken Perdue is preparing for batde, his wife, 

 Jenny, is learning to play the dulcimer and 

 making a scarf. 



"We have been coming for three years," 

 says Ken Perdue of Chester, Va. "I always loved 

 Civil War history. When I was a boy, my father 

 took me to a Civil War battiefield, and it struck 

 a spark." 



While the battles are raging, some of the 

 enlisted men stay back at the camp to repair or 

 make equipment. 



Pieces of ironwork — from cooking 

 utensils to cannons — stand outside Ray 

 Britt's tent. "I reproduce the pieces from old 

 photographs," he says. 



Dressed as a blacksmith in a period 

 hat, vest, colored shirt, tan pants and apron, 

 Britt is making a flag stand for soldiers. "As a 

 teenager, I got interested in blacksmithing," he 

 says. "My family was interested in the Civil 

 War. So I put the two together." 



Not far from the blacksmith, Donna 

 Prosser of Richmond, Va., is selling period 

 pieces of ladies' clothes and accessories 

 — from parasols and hats to full-length 

 dresses and hoop skirts. 



"My husband and I do re-enactments 

 whenever we can," says Prosser. 



PLYMOUTH HISTORY 



Located in northeastern North Carolina 

 on the Roanoke River and near the Albemarle 

 Sound, Plymouth got its name from the early 

 shipping industry. 



Ships, captained by men from Plymouth, 

 Mass., stopped for cargo at what was often 

 referred to as "Plymouth Landing." In 1787, 

 the town was incorporated as Plymouth. 



The shipping industry brought prosperity 

 to Plymouth. During the early 1800s, the town 

 was one of six main ports in North Carolina. 



Continued 



