Re-enactors weather the storm

The Confederates’ front line fires on the Union Army Saturday afternoon at the Battle of Chaplin Creek in Franklin Grove. (Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@svnmail.com)

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FRANKLIN GROVE – While most of the Sauk Valley awoke on Sunday to power outages and splintered tree limbs, Major Wayne Henson took stock of the damage done to his army encampment.

Together with about 60 fellow American Civil War re-enactors, Henson weathered Saturday’s severe thunderstorm under the frenetic flapping of a white canvas tent at the Franklin Grove Historical Society’s Chaplin Creek Village.

Saturday and Sunday marked the second year that Henson’s Civil War volunteer re-enactment corps, named Battery G, swooped into town and camped out for 2 days of staged battles between the Union and Confederate armies.

In historically accurate costume, the corps traded musket volley and cannon fire on Chaplin Creek Village’s rolling hillside.

Henson, a retired construction laborer from Stillman Valley, took an interest in the Civil War when he discovered that his great-great grandfather died as a Union soldier at the  battle of Chickamauga, Ga.

He founded Battery G, 2nd Illinois Light Artillery, about 30 years ago. It has since acquired three cannons documented to have been fired during the Civil War, and attracted 395 participants from across the Midwest.

Captain Tim Tedrick, another Battery G Union soldier, said the fun of Civil War re-enacting is the time spent outdoors with friends who share a common enthusiasm.

“That’s the whole point of this hobby is to do stuff like this,” said the CPA from Sterling.

“Some of us golf. Some of us fish and hunt,” Henson said. “We do this.”

See Battery G again

Battery G will appear
July 4 at the Grandon Civic Center in Sterling to fire the cannons during the Municipal Band’s performance of the “1812 Overture.” Visit www.batteryg.org to see a schedule of their events.

About Chaplin Creek Village

Chaplin Creek Village serves as the home of the Franklin Grove Area Historical Society, the Chaplin Creek Muzzle Loaders, and the Illinois Atlatl Association, a group dedicated to the sport of spear throwing.

The historic site is open to the public on weekends from June 1 through Sept. 28. Hours are from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; other times by appointment.

Chaplin Creek also is available for special events including weddings, family reunions and picnics at the Village Gazebo.

For more information, e-mail to ccinfo@chaplincreek.com or call 815-990-5090.