As a venue for battle re-enactments, historic Endview Plantation in Newport News, Virginia, has been attracting – and impressing - Civil War re-enactors for decades.
The central re-enactment field – luxuriously covered with emerald grass – summons winter-weary re-enactors in early April. The wooded perimeter that surrounds the battleground helps to isolate the field of battle from distracting modern intrusions.
“When the city [Newport News] bought the property they set aside about 22 to 23 acres with the house. We use more than that,” said Tim Greene, education coordinator at Endview. “They set aside the rest of the property for possible future development. That hasn’t happened,” he said. “We probably use about 90 acres.”
Wooded areas adjacent to the central battlefield provide plenty of space for period camping – as well as shade from the Virginia summer sun. A huge beautifully constructed earthen redoubt provides defenders with protection from the inevitable offensive onslaught.
“We want people to feel at home and be comfortable. That adds to the attraction,” said Greene. “If they can’t relax and have fun and enjoy each other, then why would they come here? That a big part of it,” he said. “We want them to have fun, and if they have fun, everything else comes together.”
Firewood, water, and hay - for the cavalry’s horses - are among the amenities that Endview provides re-enactors. A limited number of artillerists receive a stipend to defray the cost of their powder. Portajohns are also conveniently available near the camps and around the battlefield.
“There’s a good mixture of fields and woods. There’s the recreated fort – redoubt – that we’ve built back there. It’s not something you see at most sites,” observed Greene. “We’re in a historic area. Wiliamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown are so close to us,” he noted. “For people who come to participate or visit, this is not the only place that they can go. There are plenty of other historical sites.”
Local re-enactor Tim Smith -a York County native - has been re-enacting with the 1st Texas Regiment since 1988. Smith has four ancestors – artillerists – who fought for the Confederate cause in Virginia. They were assigned to Jamestown Island.
“Endview is a great location,” said Smith. “The fact that it was saved and that it’s here for historical interpretation is a real boon for Newport News,” he noted. “I enjoy the site, and I enjoy coming back here and interpreting history.”
Darrell Markijohn – a re-enactor from Zoar, Ohio – drove down to check out the battlefield re-enactment site – and to command the Union re-enactors during the Siege of Yorktown / Battle of Dam #1, an annual weekend event that commemorates the battles of the Peninsula Campaign.
“This is my first time here. It’s really nice. It’s a fine site. I can’t believe how wonderful it is,” said Markijohn. “I wish it was closer to Ohio. It’s a ten-hour drive,” he said. “It’s on historic ground. That’s a lure – an attraction – for re-enactors.”
Endview Plantation had a role in Civil War history. At the beginning of the Civil War, the property was owned by Dr. Humphrey Harwood Curtis who helped organize the Warwick Beauregards, a volunteer company, at Endview Plantation in 1861. The Warwick Beauregards soon became designated as Company H, 32nd Virginia volunteer Infantry Regiment. Dr. Curtis’s cousin John L. Harwood, a Confederate veteran, is buried in the Harwood Family Cemetery on the Endview site.
“The size of the site and its accessibility also make it attractive – albeit it’s way out on the Peninsula – but it’s near the highway so it’s easy to get in,” observed Markijohn. “These grounds are fabulous. This camp area is wooded with mature trees. You don’t always get that,” he said. “If we were here in the summer when it’s extremely, it would be great to have this shade.”
Before Tim Greene came to work as education coordinator at Endview, he had re-enacting experience. His knowledge of what re-enactors like - and what they don’t like – benefits the atmosphere at the site immensely.
“The people that are running it [Endview] are very gracious, very accommodating,” observed Markijohn. “They’ve done a very nice job laying it out. There are access roads and beautiful fortifications. It’s first rate.”
Terry Shelton, commander of Longstreet’s Corps, also commanded Confederate forces during a recent visit to Endview. It was not his first visit to the site. Shelton engaged in preliminary talks with the Endview staff regarding the possibly of putting together a future event.
“It’s a great site. The camping is great. I’ve been here several years. Longstreet’s Corps has long supported this event at Endview,” said Shelton. “There was a year or two that we didn’t come, but historically the corps has been here pretty often. The people that run the place are extremely cooperative and encouraging,” he noted. “They built this fort out here and they did an excellent job, It’s a very re-enactor friendly event.”
When it comes to putting on a quality event at Endview, old-timers like Bill Bishop and Mac MacDaniels put politics aside and galvanize – if necessary – to bolster the Yankee forces.
Bishop, an expert in special effects, pioneered the use of pyrotechnics at Endview re-enactments – decades ago. MacDaniels has been re-enacting enthusiastically for 48 years. His first event was Stuart’s Raid on Chambersburg in Boonsboro, Maryland.
“We try to bolster the number on Union soldiers on the field since we have trouble getting Union guys from up North to come down here,” said MacDaniels. “I normally do a Confederate impression here at Endview, but today we galvanized and did Yankees,” he said. “It doesn’t matter to me as long as I’m having fun. That’s the name of the game. Whatever it takes.”
Future events – at Endview Plantation and Lee Hall Mansion in Newport News – are in the works according to Tim Greene.
“Next year, we have plans with a guy named Chris Anders who does events throughout Virginia and Maryland,” said Greene. “We have an event planned for the first weekend of June of next year between here and Lee Hall Mansion which is our sister site just up the road from us,” he said. “We’re also hoping to move forward with General Shelton and General Markijohn with an event in the future as well.”
For additional information regarding Endview Plantation visit www.Endview.org
-By Bob Ruegsegger