Civil War re-enactors close out summer at Fort D

Re-enactors at the Fort D Historic Site in Cape Girardeau celebrated the end of summer with a bang.

Re-enactors Scott House, left, and Joe Martin, center, standby as Jerry Kasten sponges the cannon during the cannon fire demonstration Monday at the Fort D Historic Site in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Children and adults alike stood at the site Monday morning, some with hands clasped over their ears, as a cannon was loaded and fired just a few yards away.

The first shot rang out and white smoke curled around the end of the cannon's neck.

"Did you like that? Want to see another one?" said re-enactor Scott House to the crowd. After an emphatic "yes," he and a few other practiced re-enactors prepared a second shot.

Before seeing it in action, House answered questions about the cannon's accuracy and the loading, firing and cleaning processes. He also showed the crowd what the projectile loaded into the cannon looked like, 10 pounds and bullet-shaped, rather than the typical round cannon ball.

People may come for the experience, House said, but they leave with an education. The goal for the Fort D re-enactors is to bring history to life, he said.

"I think most people are amazed we know as much as we do about these pieces and know as much as we do about the Civil War," House said. "We're more than just re-enactors. People can ask us questions."

Re-enactors Marvin Buck, left, and Bill Eddleman refresh themselves with a beverage and watermelon Monday at the Fort D Historic Site in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

House is also quick to point out to visitors that the cannon is similar, but not completely identical to those that would have been used by Civil War soldiers at Fort D. For starters, the re-enactors fire the projectile using 4 ounces of gun powder, while the soldiers used about 8 pounds.

He also said he realized the soldiers at Fort D didn't often shoot the cannon from the fort, but that nearly wasn't the case. Soldiers were training and running drills at the fort 150 years ago preparing for Gen. Sterling Price and his troops as they marched out of Arkansas.

"It was around this time, early September, they would have been drilling a lot," House said. "It would have been a tense time."

Ultimately, the battle didn't materialize in Cape Girardeau, but at Fort Davidson in Pilot Knob, Missouri. Still, local residents and out-of-town tourists like to visit Fort D and get a glimpse of Civil War history, House said. Visitors came as far as Nebraska and Indiana to see Monday's events.

Scott House describes the cannon fire demonstration for the crowd Monday at the Fort D Historic Site in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

While Janet Williams is local, she said it was nice to see that people outside the area recognized the significance of places like Fort D.

"It's so important to remember our history and remember the way things used to be," she said. "Plus, it's not every day you get to watch someone fire a cannon."

Labor Day wrapped up the end of activities hosted at Fort D this year, but House said re-enactors are always willing to participate in other historic events -- especially those that support veterans -- so it's possible the men could again don their caps and coats and the women their long skirts for another event later this year.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

420 Fort St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.