The Blue and The Gray returns

April 2, 2017: A Confederate soldier fires at advancing Union troops.

The Blue and The Gray Civil War re-enactment returned to Moorpark this last weekend.

The event, normally held in November, was cancelled in 2016. The field at California Lutheran University used for the 2015 event, had been leased to the Los Angeles Rams.

This year, the Rotary Club of Moorpark held the re-enactment at Hitch Ranch, just West of downtown Moorpark. It’s a good site and this year’s cool temperatures really were appreciated.

But personally, the old site at Tierra Rejada Ranch is still my favorite location.

In 1862, following his victory at Manassas in Virginia, General Lee invaded Maryland. On Sep. 17, 1862 the Union troops under the command of General George McClellan attacked Lee’s army at Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg, Maryland. The Union won the bloody fight.

The five battles at this year The Blue and The Gray event recreated the fight at Antietam. Due to a scheduling conflict, I missed the three battles on Saturday, April 1st. But I attended the two Sunday battles. The Union won the first, the Confederates the second.

In the image above, I got lucky and caught a muzzle flash. Below, Union troops react to a pyrotechnic explosion recreating a cannon ball explosion.

I've posted more images in this 2017 The Blue and The Gray flickr album.

April 2, 2017: Retreating Union soldiers react to cannon ball explosion.

April 2, 2017: A Confederate soldier recovers his lost hat.