Second annual Fort D Days scheduled for this weekend

Fort D, four blocks south of the intersection of Route 74 and Sprigg Street in Cape Girardeau, will hold its second ecampment of re-enactors and local citizenry from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Before Fort D Days, an education day called "Boot Camp" will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday for local students to visit and learn about the Civil War from experienced re-enactors.

Fort D is the only surviving earthen fort built in the summer of 1861 around Cape Girardeau. Four forts were built by soldiers of the 20th Illinois Infantry, Bissell's Engineers of the West and local militia under the direction of Illlinois Lt. John Wesley Powell.

The Turner Brigade, Union re-enactors from Missouri and Illinois, will camp at the fort and provide living history demonstrations including infantry drill, camp life, artillery drill, Civil War-era food, weapons displays, engineering tool displays and demonstrations.

Civil War Roundtable members and local residents will guide visitors to demonstrations. Music will be provided by local students both days.