Confederate Calvary approach the Union Firing Line, waving a flag of surrender. Fallen rebel troops lie in the foreground.
The Civil War’s final battle was fought for the final time at the 28th Keokuk Civil War Reenactment over the weekend.
The Battle of Appomattox Courthouse ended with the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. It happened 150 years ago, and it came to life in Keokuk’s Rand Park as around 150 reenactors took to the battlefield dressed in period uniform and wielding antique firearms and cannons.
But those reenactors will not return to Rand Park next year. After 28 years, the Keokuk Civil War Reenactments are over.
Event officials blame a dwindling interest in reenactments in recent years, and have found it hard to get a group of reenactors together during past events. Kirk Brandenberger is the director of the Keokuk Tourism Board, he says that when the event first began, it wasn’t unusual to get 500 reenactors into the park. Last year, they only had 75.
“It’s becoming harder and harder each year to find reenactors. The hobby is shrinking, and there just aren’t the reenactors out there that there used to be,” Brandenberger told KBUR.
Jerry Mallett and Ralph Logan have been reenacting the Civil War for over 30 years. They played the part of Union Field Commanders during the battle. Mallett explained the dwindling interest.
“They lose interest because it becomes so far back into history,” Mallett said, “In our generation, my grandfather was born during the civil war. Now we’re getting into generations that are three or four generations down the line.”
Logan was concerned that schools were not properly educating students on the importance of the Civil War.
Attendees ate Alligator on a stick and other fair food, and also drank old fashioned bottled Sarsparilla and purchased Civil War memorabilia.
Union Troops line up before the reenactment.
