March to Destiny' re-enacted
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Article RatingCivil War re-enactors march far and fast to keep their June date with Shippensburg's March to Destiny every year.
The living history encampment — June 24-26 this year — takes a dramatic historical look at Shippensburg's role in the days that preceded the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg, mixing authentic re-creations of the clothing, customs and events of the era with enough dramatic flair to attract casual observers.
Saturday afternoon's street skirmish on West King Street and Sunday's tactical re-enactment at the Shippensburg Community Fairgrounds provide the drama.
Re-enactors say they love the feel of a bivouac in cozy downtown surroundings and the drama of a mock battle on the street where Confederate and Union soldiers skirmished 142 years ago.
More contentious
Experts say the street skirmish re-enactment is much more contentious than the 1863 engagement, where vastly outnumbered Union defenders beat a hasty retreat from the oncoming Rebel horde. But the smoke and thunder from muskets is good entertainment.
The tactical event at the fairgrounds never happened here, but provides a visual presentation of Civil War fighting tactics.
The real history is available in the Union and Confederate camps, where knowledgeable re-enactors share their wisdom with anyone who asks — talking about weapons, equipment, camp life, social customs and the course of history through America's Civil War.
Re-enactors from the lofty status of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee to the lowliest private soldier in tattered garb say Shippensburg is the place to play Civil War games.
Al Stone is Robert E. Lee. He's portrayed the revered Southern general for 11 years and appeared in a number of Civil War films, including the PBS masterpiece April 1865.
Despite his high-profile portrayals, Stone says there is no substitute for the March to Destiny.
"Shippensburg is at the top of the list," he says. "I don't know how many people I've told about the welcome mat there."
Foraging exercise
Stone says the foraging exercise, where soldiers canvas the community looking for food to sustain them, is unique and wildly popular.
"Everyone gets excited about going to a door and coming away with an orange or a banana or a handful of cookies," Stone says. "It could only happen in Shippensburg, where the organizers know what re-enactors want and bend over backwards to provide it."
He says the community response makes Shippensburg a better gig than Gettysburg.
"I'd rather be in Shippensburg," he says. "We do this for the love of history, and when we go somewhere we hope to find others who appreciate history. We're wanted in Shippensburg."
Rich Adkins, a 62-year-old Harrisburg insurance information technology guru, says this will be his second year at the March to Destiny. He works with the Shippensburg Area Civil War Round Table to organize and recruit re-enactors
The setting makes Shippensburg's event unique, Adkins says. He looks for as many as 300 military re-enactors this year, along with a civilian entourage in period garb in tow with the forces from the North and South.
More growth expected
He predicts the March to Destiny will continue to grow.
"This event started with a few brave souls," Adkins says. "When an event is new there is reluctance on the part of re-enactors, because they don't know what it will be like. What spreads the word is first-hand word of mouth, and the re-enactors love Shippensburg."
He says most events are isolated at a site in the boonies where there are no diversions outside of the event.
"Here, when the re-enactment is done you have a dance, a wedding or a tea," Adkins says. "You can walk across the street and listen to a bagpipe play or get some ice cream at an ice cream social. At Gettysburg, you're in a big field three miles from town."
Adkins says he doesn't know anyone who was at the March of Destiny last year who is not coming back this year.
Denny Rohrbaugh, like Adkins, was raised in Gettysburg. Unlike Adkins, he got caught up in Civil War re-enacting at an early age.
"We live this in a lot of ways," Rohrbaugh says.
He's well-versed in the historic aspect of the War Between the States, and says his fellow re-enactors are, too.
"I'm both a re-enactor and a historian," Rohrbaugh says. "The rush is the battle, feeling what it must have felt like then, but we all have a love of history and a respect for our ancestors."
New events this year include:
• an actual Civil War-era wedding at the Dykeman Mansion overlooking Dykeman Spring, where Confederates made camp in June 1863.
• an ice cream social at the McLean House bed and breakfast, the site where a tannery operated along the Branch Creek in 1863.
• pyrotechnics to accompany the tactical event at the fairgrounds Sunday. A Victorian Ball also has a new home — the spacious Naugle Motors showroom.
• Jim Rubin appearing as President Abraham Lincoln. He will present the Gettysburg Address Saturday afternoon prior to the street skirmish and offer humorous tales in the Federal camp in the evening.
Most of the events will center around the West King Street Shippensburg Public Library and Borough of Shippensburg grounds on West Burd Street.
