CIVIL WAR ENCAMPMENT PLANNED

JACKSON -- The sound of musket and cannon fire will echo through the hills and fields around Gordonville this weekend as part of Cape Girardeau County's Civil War heritage comes alive once again.

On Saturday and Sunday, between 150 to 200 Federal and Confederate reenactors from Wisconsin, Indiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois and Missouri will recreate their living history campsites along the St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Company's railroad tracks west of Gordonville.

During the weekend, the two sides also will skirmish with each other when the Iron Mountain's steam-powered passenger train arrives from Jackson. On both days, the Federal and Confederate troops will demonstrate battlefield tactics that were used in the mid-1800s.

The event is sponsored by the Friends of Steam Railroading.

After two consecutive weekends of wet weather, it appears Mother Nature will cooperate with more typical sunny and cool weather, and a brilliant display of fall color for both visitors and reenactors.

Most of the action will take place along the Iron Mountain railroad tracks north of Gordonville Park, according to Mike Westhoff, coordinator of this weekend's reenactment. When he's not busy recreating his role as a Civil War soldier with the 9th Illinois Infantry Regiment, Westhoff is marketing director for the Southwest Illinois Tourism and Convention Bureau at Collinsville, Ill.

Describing the action that is planned, Westhoff said, "We'll have Federal troops on board the train as it heads south to Gordonville. As the train approaches Gordonville and the Federal campsite, the Confederates will lie in wait and ambush and attempt to stop the train."

The steam train will leave Jackson for Gordonville Saturday every two hours, starting at 9 a.m. Skirmishes between the troops will take place as the 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. trains from Jackson approach Gordonville. At 3 p.m. Saturday, there will be a tactical demonstration near Gordonville Park. The final skirmish will take place as the 3 p.m. train from Jackson is arriving at Gordonville.

On Sunday, the steam train will leave Jackson at 8 a.m. and will arrive at the campsites in time for the Catholic Mass. Skirmishes will be held at 10 a.m. and noon as the train nears Gordonville. There will be another tactical demonstration of Civil War-era battlefield operations at 2 p.m. Sunday.

When the troops are not skirmishing, they'll be living in their camps. Visitors are welcome to walk through and observe the reenactors as they portray their roles as enlisted men and officers of the Federal and Confederate armies.

Visitors also will have an opportunity to observe the daily camp routine, such as drills and preparing the daily meals.

Tickets for the round trip between Jackson and Gordonville are $10 for adults and $5 for children 3-12 years of age. Children 2 years old and under ride free.

For those who drive to Gordonville, parking at the battlefield site is $5 per vehicle.

After arriving at Gordonville, passengers can spend two hours walking through the campsites, watching the skirmishing and talking with the reenactors before returning to Jackson on the next train.

Westhoff said the Gordonville reenactment is extremely popular with reenactors, who look forward to coming to Cape Girardeau County when it is scheduled. "I do a lot of reenactment events all over the country, and the reenactment at Gordonville is one of the most popular among our reenactors," he said.

"The site is ideal. It's isolated, and well away from the intrusions of the 20th century. The times I have camped out at Gordonville, I've heard the coyotes barking during the night. The sound of the mournful whistle of the steam train as it heads toward Gordonville actually sends chills up and down my back because it's so authentic to the mid-1800s Civil War period.

The cooler weather at this time of year also makes things better for the reenactors in their heavy uniforms," Westhoff said.

"You really have something special down there with the great location and the steam train. It makes the Gordonville reenactment event one of the most popular of all the events we do in the United States."