NIGHT TOUR 



One of the weekend's highlights is 

 the torchlight tour that begins at the historic 

 Plymouth United Methodist Church. Women 

 in long period gowns and men in old suits greet 

 visitors. 



Inside the church, a woman in a black 

 dress and black lace coverlet on her head reads 

 a soldier's letter. 'Tonight, my attire is black for 

 those who have given their lives," she says. 



During the war, the original wood-framed 

 Methodist Church played an important role in 

 the community. 



"The Methodist Church was torn down in 

 the war, and the wood was used for firewood and 

 coffins for dead soldiers," she adds. The church 

 was rebuilt after the war. 



After the choir sings period songs, a tour 

 guide leads visitors around the historic district in 

 Plymouth, using a torch to light the way. 



Their first stop is the white-framed 



ABOVE: Civil War soldiers are buried in the Qraee 

 Episcopal Church cemetery. LEFT: Confederate 

 re-enactors perform an arch of sabers for Terry 

 Harwood and jimmy Phillips at their wedding. 



Windley-Ausbon House, one of only four 

 surviving houses from the War Between the 

 States still standing. Built around 1830, the 

 house is still marked by Civil War bullet holes. 



At the house, a Confederate petty officer 

 reads a letter that he is penning to a friend. "I am 

 not a picture of health," he says. "I am preparing 

 to fight.... Write often." 



After stops at several more houses, a 

 Union soldier in blue uniform hobbles down a 

 dark street and yells at two Confederate officers. 



"Get out of my way," he yells. "You shot 

 and killed our men. You dirty rebels." 



Then a girl in a striped dress guides a 

 wounded soldier to the hospital. 



"Doctor, doctor, here's a wounded man," 

 she says. 



The doctor yells back, "I am trying to run 

 a hospital. I have got men on straw beds. I am 

 not a miracle worker." 



Each year, the battle lives on through tours, 

 street skirmishes and other events. 



By participating in these living history 

 events, Thompson hopes that children and 

 others will develop pride in the region. 



"The modern trend is to minimize history," 

 he adds. "If we don't teach children about their 

 history and heritage, they will drift away from 

 the region. It is important that students learn to 

 appreciate their roots. We need young people to 

 save and protect what we have." □ 



RE-ENACTMENTS PLANNED 



In northeastern North Carolina, Civil 

 War battles included Plymouth and Roanoke 

 Island. 



To celebrate the historic battles, both 

 communities are holding living history 

 weekends in 2005. 



In commemoration of the 143rd 

 anniversary of the Battle of Roanoke Island, 

 the Roanoke Island Festival Parkwill host a 

 re-enactment Feb. ipso. The event includes 

 Civil War street skirmishes and living history 

 demonstrations. 



Along the Roanoke River, the 15th Annual 

 Battle of Plymouth Living History Weekend 

 will be held April 15-17 in downtown Plymouth. 

 The event includes re-enactments, period crafts 

 and other activities. 



Visitors can see relics from the Port 

 O'Plymouth A \useum and other sites in 

 downtown Plymouth throughout the year. 

 Those who cannot attend the weekend may 

 watch for an upcoming Histoiy Channel show 

 on the Battle of Plymouth. 



For more infonnation about the Roanoke 

 Island event, call 252/475-1500 or visit the Web: 

 vvww.roanokeisland.com. 



For more information about the Plymouth 

 event, call the museum, 2521793-1377, the 

 Washington County Chamber of Commerce, 

 252/793-4804; or go online to: www. 



Iivinghist0t7weekend.com. 



-A.G. 



26 WINTER 2005 



