The OES visited the Civil War’s Camp Anderson in April of 1861. Using our time machine, we were transported back in time to watch the 17th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment be formed. The camp was one of the better camps of the Civil War since it was in close proximity to a major town. They had fresh bread, bacon, beef and potatoes, so there was very little sickness. After growing to about 1,000 strong, the 17th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment was ordered to western Virginia, where they found a Confederate recruiting station closing. They secured the area and guarded the railroads. Company A of the regiment served as General McClellan’s personal bodyguards of some time. Although the men only signed on to serve a 90-day enlistment, most of them re-enlisted for three years, and more served until the war came to a close in April of 1865.
Location Information: Public Park
The re-enactment was located at the Smeck Historical Farm at 7395 Basil Road in Baltimore; Fairfield County.
Photographs
The view of Camp Anderson as we approached.
The soldiers gathered around the fire to prepare food.
Some of the camp's officers gathered to talk.
One of the companies as they came into camp.
Cannons in the foreground of Camp Anderson.
The camp's hospital was nothing more than this tent and some tools.
Some unfortunate soldiers had lost some limbs.
The surgeon's tent was set up next to the hospital.
Officers attempted to stay warm as they gathered around the fire.
Soldiers propped up their muskets when they weren't being used.
The troops learned to load their weapons.
Using the ramrod, they loaded their rounds.
They were now ready to fire.
The soldiers fired their muskets with deadly force.
Ather the round had been fired, the men had to reload.
They pulled out their ramrods.
Once reloaded, the soldiers were able to fire again.
The men returned to formation after they fired.
A line of soldiers gathered to learn formations and commands.
A smaller group learned the basics.
The men regrouped later and learned how to use their weapons in hand-to-hand combat.
The man in the front demonstrated for the rest of the group.
The company approached the cannons.
Some of the men brought over artillery supplies.
The regiment was given their opening instructions.
After some safety overview, the men loaded a round into the cannon.
A primer was loaded and a string was attached to the rear of the cannon.
They pulled the string, but the cannon wasn't loaded. Only the primer went off.
The men retrieved rounds from the trunks.
They loaded the cannon, placed the primer and were ready to fire.
BOOM! The cannons fired, causing a huge cloud of smoke.
The second cannon fired its round.
The cannon closest to us reloaded and fired again.
You can see the fire shooting out of the cannon.
It looked like a scene from the movies.
The smoke thinned out after lingering for thirty seconds or so.
But the next firing of the cannons brought the smoke once again.
Video
Camp Anderson: Cannon Fire
See how Union cannons were loaded and fired.
Camp Anderson: Musket Fire
Newly enlisted Union troops learn how to fire their muskets.
