On Hallowed Ground

The Friends of Raymond

and the

Blue-Gray Alliance

present the

Vicksburg Campaign

Sesquicentennial Reenactment

October 19-21, 2012

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 The Friends of Raymond, Inc., a group organized to preserve, interpret, manage, and promote significant historic sites in Raymond, Mississippi, will sponsor a national level re-enactment of the 1863 Vicksburg Campaign as part of the commemoration of the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War.

The reenactment of several military actions of the Vicksburg Campaign will be hosted by the Blue-Gray Alliance, a national organization of reenactors, from October 19-21, 2012, with up to 5,000 participants. Since sponsoring an initial 1998 national reenactment, the Friends of Raymond has preserved 136 acres of the battlefield, has added interpretative trails, and has placed reproduction artillery pieces of the correct type on the artillery positions of the Battle of Raymond.

Plans are to commemorate portions of General Ulysses S. Grant’s 1863 Vicksburg Campaign, today recognized by the US Army as "the most brilliant campaign ever fought on American soil." From May 1-17, Grant’s army flawlessly maneuvered, caused the Confederate forces to disperse, and successfully fought five battles against an outnumbered opponent. Grant then marched on May 18 to Vicksburg's back door, and unsuccessfully attacked the Southern citadel on May 19 and again on May 22 before settling into a successful 47-day siege. Three of the campaign's engagements, the Battles of Raymond and Champion Hill, and the May 22 assault at Vicksburg, will be re-enacted on portions of, or adjacent to, the actual Raymond Battlefield. The event is being staged in October, rather than May, to avoid conflict with other scheduled sesquicentennial events and to take advantage of the favorable fall weather in Mississippi.

The event will begin on Friday, October 19, 2012, with educational field programs for schools. On Saturday, October 20, the re-enacted battles for the general public will begin with the Battle of Raymond at 10 a.m. on the actual battlefield. At 3 p.m. on Saturday the program will continue with the Battle of Champion Hill, which was the largest Civil War battle in Mississippi and was one of the most decisive of the Civil War. The final re-enactment will commemorate a portion of the ill-fated assault by Union forces on the works of Vicksburg on May 22, 1863. This event will depict the attack on the Second Texas Lunette, a crescent-shaped fortification that was located near the modern Visitors Center in the Vicksburg National Military Park. This fortification will actually be reconstructed on property near the Raymond battlefield. After his unsuccessful assault of May 22, Grant decided to take the city by siege. 

Special programs will also be held in the City of Raymond on Saturday. A Civil War band will play at the recently-restored 1857 Raymond Courthouse at noon on Saturday. In addition, significant Civil War medical and other specialty displays will be on the courthouse lawn for the weekend, in commemoration of the fact that the courthouse was used as a hospital after the Raymond battle. All of these events will complement the Friends of Raymond's Annual October Pilgrimage.

Civilian reenactors, garrison troops, and period merchants, or sutlers, will encamp on a newly-acquired 67 acre parcel of the battlefield. On this field, demonstrations and lectures will be conducted for the public between the battles on Saturday, to include cooking, sewing, and refugee impressions.

This program is being planned with the cooperation of state, county, and local officials; property owners, community leaders, battlefield preservationists, historians, and reenactors. The Blue-Gray Alliance (BGA), a national organization of re-enactors consisting of the 1st Federal Division and Cleburne's Division, has designated this event as its fall 2012 national event. The BGA will host the weekend by providing troop organization and re-enactor leadership. The troop commanders will be Terry Crowder of the First Federal Division and Joe Way of Cleburne's Division. Friends of Raymond will provide logistics and community coordination.

Troops will bivouac at several different places “campaign style” during the course of the weekend as well as a "garrison camp" on the newly acquired battlefield property. As a condition for reimbursement, artillery is being requested to organize into batteries prior to the event and register a minimum of seven crew members for each cannon. Because the re-enactment is planned using historic sites, the need for adequate hard-surfaced parking has been considered and it will be limited to 5000 participants. Spectator and participant parking is abundant, and buses will be utilized for continual transportation to all the event sites including downtown Raymond. No outdoor activity is weatherproof. Emergency plans are also being developed.

Admission is $15 per day, children 12 and under accompanied by an adult are free. Two day pass is $25. Up to 5000 spectators are also expected to view the battles. Parking is free. Proceeds will go to battlefield interpretation and acquisition. A master plan for the development of the Raymond Battlefield is being completed to include trails and interpretive sites. Much of the pre-event site preparation work directly relates to permanent improvement of the site as a battlefield park.

Reenactor Registration

Reenactor Information

Reenactor Information

Registered Participant List

Battle Scenarios

Battle of Champion Hill - Scenario

Assault on Vicksburg - Scenario

School Days

Saturday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Saturday 10:00 – 11:00 AM

Courthouse: Medical & Specialty displays: Band at noon

Battle of Raymond on the original site on Hwy 18 south of Raymond

Saturday 4:00 – 7:00 PM

Saturday 7:00 – 8:30 PM

Sunday 9:00 AM – NOON

Sunday NOON

Sunday 2:00 – 3:00 PM

Soldier Camps & Sutlers Open to Public after Battle

Camp Dance near Sutlers for participants

Soldier Camps / Sutlers / Church Service Open to Public

Memorial Service at Raymond Confederate Cemetery

Assault on Vicksburg on Hwy 18 south of Raymond

>>>click here to view photographs of previous reenactment by Henry Little

Copyright (c) Friends of Raymond 2010.  All Rights Reserved.