SOSKAN Defending the Ditches

This was based at an American history event in 2008 at the Royal Armouries in Fort Nelson, near Portsmouth. It was viewed by several thousand visitors on scripted guided tours which included use of special effects like smoke and sound plus period surgical displays, the firing of an original 1860s mortar and the defence of the trench against enemy attack, to portray the fighting in the ditches surrounding Petersburg in Virginia during the American Civil War.

The 1864 trench set was constructed by Stephen Wisdom of Ancient Wisdom and manned by re-enactors of The Southern Skirmish Association. Film produced by Ancient Wisdom and all music used with the kind permission of Civil War historian and musician Mr Bobby Horton (www.bobbyhorton.com)

The 1864 Petersburg trench will return this 24th &25th May 2009, and will again be manned by the men of the Southern Skirmish Association. To find out more about the Southern Skirmish Association visit www.soskan.co.uk

This video is the property of the Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson, and can only used with thier expressed permission.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• American Civil War UK
• Soskan
• ACWS
• 4th US Infantry
• Regular Army
• Yankee
• Confederate
• Rebel
• Union
• Battle
• Skirmish
• Cannon
• Gun
• Musket
• Bayonet
• Camp Life
• Living History
• Period Recreation
• Reenactment

[griebz]

Farbs

[philipg52]

As the man said.Living in the works around Petersburg would've been tough on everyones clothing/uniforms etc.These guy's would have worn dirty, tattered and scruffy, threadbear uniforms.We all know that by this stage of the war the ANV was near starving and short of just about everything.So clean nicely pressed and laundered dont look right.One thing about Hollywood,they know how to produce that living rough in hell look.There were no nice laundries on the seige lines at Petersburg.But AAA++

[ConfederateGypsy]

Very good. Maybe I ought to get back in the ranks. I did a lot of the 125th Anniversary battles. Older and wiser now.Might be fun again.

[jesballboy]

@Stritchers True and some did not even have uniforms they just wore normal cloths.

[Stritchers]

Hey, who says he was really dead? He may very well have simply been knocked out or was not quite bled out yet. Most doctors in 1864 were hard pressed to tell if a man was dead or alive and more than once, a soldier would wake up on the battlefield days later and scare the hell out of people as he stumbled about. If anything, that adds authenticity rather than detracts! :)

[Stritchers]

The only real problem is that the rebel clothes are a bit too good condition (bit too clean and not enough tears, patches, faded parts, and holes) for a battle technically happening in 1864. Other than that, these guys really are living up to the best traditions and deserve a round of applause.

[82Hooper]

Yeah you do :) there's definately english civil war re-enactors over there, I've met a few attending events in the UK :) I used to do ACW over here as well.

[sherman1863]

At 1:43 , that is one soft looking reb.

[Mohawkmarcje]

At 2:43, watch the carefully placed musket on the 'corps' in the centre move with every breath the 'dead guy' takes... hehehe! Good try though, nicely done.

[goldenhide]

Very cool and very well done. Makes me miss Civil War re-enacting with a passion. Interesting to see it being done across the pond.