I was once again honoured to be among the participants at an event this past weekend called "A Civil War Gathering of Eagles" in Winchester, VA at The Old Court House Museum.   Our group of personas and Generals from the War Between the States was larger and better than last year's, and the presentations were sterling.  Those who missed out on this event truly missed an educational experience that was unparalleled.  While our crowds were not large, they were special in their own right - one couple we had met a few weeks before in Stratford came, despite the husband being ONE day out of rotator cuff shoulder surgery.  It is for people like these that we especially do what we do.

One absolute highlight for me from the weekend was the Saturday evening performance by Stan Clardy of his one-man play, "Soldiers in Gray" .  Mixing in spoken descriptions with soul-stirring musical performances, Clardy tells the story of a young man of the south from his recruitment to "The Cause", through the training and comradeship with other young men of his community, to discovering the horrors of war, to the grinding disappointment of surrender tempered by the joy of returning home to loved ones.  The play hits its emotional depth, however, when Clardy transforms first into the aging veteran, and then into his great-grandson discovering the war relics in a musty attic trunk, and connecting with his heritage.  The watery substance I was wiping from my face by then was no longer perspiration from the steamy Virginia heat, but tears of love, honor and joy at Mr. Clardy's nonpareil performance.

The other highlight for me was my chance to participate in a never-before portrayed "event," the trial of the case of the Commonwealth of Virginia, et al. v. the United States.  In our "what-if" scenario, after the secession of the seven original southern states, four middle-tier states, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky, bring an original proceeding under Article III, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution seeking a declaration of rights by the U.S. Supreme Court as to the legality of secession.  Mr. David Townsend of Tampa, FL, portrayed Edward Bates, U.S. Attorney General, and I portrayed John Randolph Tucker, Virginia Attorney General, representing the Petitioners.  Our Court was led by Randy Bryant of Winchester, VA, who portrayed Chief Justice Roger Taney.  Our remaining Justices were all either former Judges, or serving prosecutors.  The case was "tried" in the courtroom of the Old Court House Museum, a magnificanet restored 1840's courthouse (photo at left from 2007 event).

Our trial was completely unscripted.  Instead, everyone was prepared, the respective attorneys had filed extensive legal briefs, and this was staged as if it were happening in real time.  The results were incredible.  In a matter of moments from the outset, I felt as if we were engaged in the real thing.  Certain physiological responses I experience in a real courtroom were there, particularly the little "shock" I always feel upon receiving a verdict, good or bad.  Our Supreme Court exceeded my wildest expectations, providing intensive and well-framed questioning that forced the attorneys to stretch and scramble away from our planned presentations and truly join the historic and intellectual battle over secession. 

At the end, the Court recessed to decide the case.  In a 7-0 decision, our U.S. Supreme Court declared that the Petitioning states did, indeed, have a right to secede from the Union as one of the many state powers retained when the Constitution was formed.  Interestingly, the Court limited its ruling to the four Petitioning states , because, as Mr. Justice Taney explained, these states had shown their respect for the rule of law.  In other words, the Court did not give the seven already-seceded states a "free pass" on their actions.  I discovered later, to my considerable personal satisfaction, that three of our seven justices, two native New Yorkers and a West Virginian, had entered the proceeding declaring that they absolutely would not support the legality of secession under any circumstances, but they were persuaded by my arguments to the contrary.

I have told my brothers and sisters in this event that their gracious admission of me into their group and the opportunity to participate with them is everything, and more, that I had hoped living history and reenacting would be.  This past weekend again confirmed that feeling.  I rattled on and on so about the event and related subjects on our way home to Kentucky that I think I completely put Corinne to sleep - at least she passed much of the drive in that well-earned state.