Harrison Daily Times

Gene Waters of Harrison (right) and John Crain of Mountain Home were among nearly 50 reenactors who set up camp last weekend for the Battle of Yellville.

About 50 Civil War reenactors assembled just south of Yellville at Camp Adams over the weekend to offer living history lessons about the War Between the States. The event was sponsored by the Yellville Area Chamber of the Commerce and the Marion County Heritage Society.

Gene Waters of Harrison and John Crain of Mountain Home were two local reenactors wearing wool uniforms that were common in the 1860s. They are seasoned reenactors who have joined up to 10,000 other reenactors to fight and "die" in reenactments at Gettysburg, Wilson's Creek, Murfreesboro, Manassas, Antietam, Franklin and other Civil War battlegrounds.

About 50 reenactors from across the region set up camp Friday for the weekend's activities.

Waters said about 400 students toured five educational stations Friday, everything from actual artillery pieces to camp life. Saturday, about 200 residents set up chairs to watch soldiers fire rifles, pistols and artillery during the reenactment of the Battle of Yellville.
Waters said he was a confederate soldier Saturday. Sunday, he could be a Union soldier. He carries both blue and gray uniforms.

Yellville was burned two or three times during the Civil War, and the South won Saturday's reenactment. Waters said the North probably would win Sunday, saying it was politically correct for each side to win, except at historic battle sites.

Waters has been participating in reenactments for about 15 years. His ancestors from Newton County, the Coopers and Lees, fought for the Union. Many other re-enactors also named ancestors called to fight during the Civil War.

Charles Berry of Evening Shade said all of his family, both on his mother's and father's sides had fought for the Confederacy. Relaxing in gray wool pants and a red long-sleeve shirt, Berry said he looks almost identical to portraits of his great-great-grandfather's brother, who was killed at the age of 16 at Antietam. Civil War reenactments are popular with events scheduled throughout the year.