THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 8, 1995 TAG: 9509060160
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 157 lines
The Civil War comes alive again this weekend at the Chesapeake Central Library at 298 Cedar Road.
Now in its third annual run, this family weekend activity has become one of the best Civil War celebrations in the area.
``As soon as last year's event was over I had people ask me about next year's,'' said event founder and organizer Paula Alston with the Chesapeake Public Library system. ``It's amazing the high level of interest there is around here for the Civil War.''
Tapping in on that high level of enthusiasm for the War Between the States, Alston has organized the third annual Chesapeake Civil War Days.
Alston, who holds a master's degree in contemporary American history from San Jose State University, is the adult programmer for the library, helping organize everything from seminars on preparing your taxes and a home schooling festival to plays and musical events for adults and families.
``I try to program anything that may appeal to our adult patrons,'' she said. ``Seeing that a keen interest in the Civil War exists and that several re-enactment groups hold meetings at the library anyway, I thought it would be a natural to organize Civil War Days. In organizing this event I wanted to include Confederates and Union, blacks and whiles, men and women and children.''
Alston has enlisted the aid of M.J. Forbes of Chesapeake, commander of the 15th Virginia Cavalry re-enactors, who has acted as a coordinator of sorts for all of the re-enactment troops.
But rather than just present a Civil War program concentrating only on the military aspect of the war, Alston has coordinated a well-rounded look at the turmoil that divided this country from 1861-1865.
Along with the usual colorful parades, drills, marches and skirmishes of re-enactors, Alston will bring President Abraham Lincoln to the heart of the Confederacy, have speakers discuss Civil War humor, medicine, naval history and the important contributions of African-Americans and women.
The program will also feature the popular music of the time by two nationally known performing groups, Civil War poetry by the poet laureate of Norfolk, Civil War commemorative stamps issued by the U.S. Postal Service at the library with a special Chesapeake Civil War Days cancellation postmark. There will also be cavalry drills, artillery demonstrations, living encampments and special screenings of the acclaimed films ``Glory'' (Friday at 7 p.m.) and ``Gettysburg'' (Saturday at 5 p.m.) in Central Library Meeting Room 2.
There will be a host of children's activities, including sessions with Addy, one of the ``All American Girl'' book characters who lived during the Civil War. Other children's events will include a meeting with President Lincoln and several arts and crafts activities. Those not interested in the military aspect of the war will still be entertained by a period fashion show, an afternoon tea and a musical presentation by the Portsmouth Opera Guild.
Art lovers will get their fill of Civil War art, one of the fastest growing art collecting hobbies in America. David Hartung of the Hartung Galleries on North Battlefield Boulevard will offer 18 framed limited prints from such top Civil War artists as Mort Kunstler, Don Troiani, Dale Gallon, Don Stivers and new artist John Paul Strain. In addition, Hartung will also have several Civil War sculptures available including a unique Civil War chess set in ceramics created by his wife, Wanda Rhea.
This thing has just grown and grown in the past two years,'' Alston said. ``I feel we're doing something right thanks to all the support we've gotten. We're offering a well rounded look at the Civil War and we're making it a fun event for the entire family.''
The third annual Chesapeake Civil War Days is being sponsored by the Chesapeake Public Library, the 15th Virginia Cavalry Living History Group, the Chesapeake Fine Arts Commission, the Friends of the Chesapeake Public Library, the Norfolk County Historical Society and the U.S. Postal Service. COVER STORY: MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
There'll be tunes mixed with the gunfire. The Union and Confederate encampments will be alive with the popular music of the 1860s.
The third annual Chesapeake Civil War Days taking place this weekend at the Chesapeake Central Library on Cedar Road will feature the shouts of drill instructors, the cadence of marching feet, the roar of cannons along with the melodies of minstrel shows, folk tunes and camp songs that entertained the troops and civilians during this country's darkest hour.
The two-day event will feature the talents and expertise of the performing duo Vaughn & Starbuck and the group from Bremo Bluff, the Tuckahoe Social Orchestra.
Both will perform this Saturday and Sunday on stage, during encampments, inside the library, during an informal dance and at a special concert.
Vaughn & Starbuck are a singing duo who specialize in the songs and melodies performed by soldiers during the Civil War.
Jerry Vaughn hails from Florida and Greg Starbuck, an exhibits technician at the Virginia Marine Science Museum, makes his home in Virginia Beach. Both are Civil War re-enactors who have been performing together since 1988. Together, they play an array of instruments including guitar, mandolin, banjo and other stringed contraptions of the time.
They have been in re-enactments from Florida to Virginia and have appeared in the Civil War films ``Ironclads'' and ``Gettysburg.''
The two released a recording of 15 camp tunes three years ago called ``Vaughn & Starbuck On the Road to Boston, Songs of the Civil War and Before.''
The Civil War News said ``this music truly comes alive.'' It went on to say that ``when they're cooking, Vaughn & Starbuck show good balladeering and have a smart, surging sound.''
Their dedication to the period and to their music have made them a popular performing duo at Civil War gatherings across the country. Whether on stage or sitting on a barrel of hard tack at a troop encampment, the two perform such songs as ``Blue-Tail Fly,'' ``Yellow Rose of Texas,'' ``Whiskey In the Jar,'' ``The Girl I Left Behind'' and many others. Many of their tunes are based on older Scottish and Irish melodies brought over to the New World by the first wave of Anglo-Irish colonists.
The Tuckahoe Social Orchestra is the brainchild of Joe Ayers of Bremo Bluff in central Virginia.
The group performed at last year's Chesapeake Civil War Days and were brought back by popular demand, according to Paula Alston, organizer of the event.
Ayers, who is the grandson of a Virginia dance fiddler, makes the Social Orchestra a true family affair, incorporating his children within the ranks of the performing group. The orchestra is made up of Ayers along with his children Eric, Chris, Heather, Gabriel and Elizabeth. Collectively they play guitar, violin, accordion, harmonica, banjo, clarinet, recorder, various brass instruments, tambourines and even the bones.
They perform 19th century parlor, dance and minstrel music.
Ayers and his son were seen playing banjo and guitar during a brief camp scene in the acclaimed Civil War film, ``Gettysburg.'' He also has appeared in ``Sommersby'' and the NBC mini-series, ``Vidal's Lincoln,'' and has contributed to musical soundtracks for several other films and documentaries.
When not performing pop music of the 1860s, Ayers also studies early American music, giving lectures, offering historical consultation for films and sound tracks, giving workshops and seminars and participating in residencies, receptions, weddings and dances.
But this weekend, Ayers and his family will again don their period costumes and have everyone, blue or gray, singing and dancing along. MEMO: [For a related story, also see page 12 of The Clipper for this date.]
ILLUSTRATION: [Cover]
MR. LINCOLN COMES TO CHESAPEAKE
[Color Photo]
File photo
Jim Ewart will participate in the Civil War Days as a soldier in the
1st Battalion, Virginia Regulars, Company A.
Photo by AUBREY WILEY
Tuckahoe Social Orchestra is led by Joe Ayers, who plays the banjo.
The other members are his children.
Jerry Vaughn and Greg Starbuck specialize in the songs and melodies
performed by soldiers during the Civil War.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
[For a list of events, see microfilm for this date, on page 14 of
The Clipper.]
by CNB