Summer of '63... 1863

EAGLE — Eagle City Park took you back to the summer of 1863 this past weekend, as it was the site of the Living History Camp and Civil War Reenactment.

“It’s going to be loud, but they will warn you when the cannons go off,” the reenactment guide told the crowd before the battle began, “We usually aren’t able to have the crowd so close. But that makes this one of the best locations to watch the battle.”

The guide spoke with an Irish accent, representing an Irish-American immigrant, and explained the strategies and characters that were on the battlefield.

The cannons began to blast, with billowing white smoke covering the field, and soldiers from both sides took advantage and used this opportunity to gain closer movement to their opponent.

He wasn’t wrong, the cannons were very loud and manned by at least 9 soldiers, though a cannon could be fired with two in a pinch.

The camp and reenactment are put on by the Washington Civil War Association (WCWA), a non-profit organization that emphasizes educating communities while being as historically accurate as possible.

“Children weren’t supposed to be in the battle, as the age to enlist in the military is eighteen,” the reenactment guide told the crowd, “However, there are reports of children as young as eight on the battlefield. Children were fighting on both sides,” as children from the Couer d’ Alene Scout Troop 201 filed out unto the field.

The scene was not easy to watch as cannons fired loudly, and shots were fired from both sides. Some child reenactors were “hit” and played the part well, yelling loudly for help. If no help came, they were taken off the field by their fellow soldiers.

The battle also featured a reenactor playing the role of Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, a surgeon who wanted to treat wounded soldiers, despite being told that she couldn’t because she was a woman. Edwards didn’t give up, and wrote letter after letter requesting an official post, yet was denied. Her work was eventually observed by Assistant Surgeon General Robert C. Wood, who couldn’t deny her talents. She was formally named the only female acting assisting the surgeon in the United States Army.

The guide himself was a haunting echo from the Civil War when more than 150,000 Irish immigrants – many of whom were recent immigrants and were not yet United States citizens – joined the Union Army during the war. While some joined as a way to show their support for their new home, many joined in hopes of dissuading the effects of racism and discrimination from several anti-Irish groups.

The group reenacted the battle twice on Saturday, holding contests between the performances that were popular of the time, including a pie-eating contest, a marshmallow whistle contest, a coin hunt, and one battle on Sunday.

Eagle City Park is located about 26 miles from I-90 between the towns of Prichard and Murray, the park was the site of the first gold rush in the area, and promotes the hobby of recreational gold prospecting.