Cedar Creek's Upcoming 140th Anniversary Event Is 'Special'
By Kathryn Jorgensen
October 2004

MIDDLETOWN, Va. - "Anything divided by five, especially by 20, is extra special," says Joseph W.A. Whitehorne, Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation president. That makes the upcoming Cedar Creek 140th anniversary very special.

"I really think it's going to be a good one," says Whitehorne about the Oct. 15-17 anniversary reenactment. At presstime some 7,000 participants had registered and the number was growing. Artillery registration, which was capped at 80, was closed long ago. More than 150 cavalrymen are signed up.

"In summary, it's going to be big and will be very impressive," says Whitehorne. Reenactors will find an expanded venue, as Belle Grove Plantation's 258 acres will be part of the event site. Whitehorne says the maneuver area will be almost double that of past years. Confederates will camp on Belle Grove land close to the Cedar Creek earthworks and will maneuver across Belle Grove land against Federals who will be camped on Cedar Creek property near the Heater House.

Event tents, musicians, speakers and book signings will be at Belle Grove. Spectators will find it "spectacular," Whitehorne predicts. They will be on a ridge along US 11 looking across the rolling land. Saturday's Second Kernstown battle will begin at 1:30. The Battle of Cedar Creek will be reenacted on Sunday at 12:30.

A large crowd is expected. The event usually gets three spectators for every reenactor, so Whitehorne figures they should have around 21,000 spectators. Some 30,000 attended the 135th anniversary event.

The 140th will begin with a fundraising preservation march from Middletown and tactical on Friday. The foundation is hosting a Friday night reception for battle descendants. The camps open at 9 on Saturday and Sunday for spectators and Belle Grove Plantation will be open for tours.

The foundation board's volunteers take on the jobs to be done in hosting such a large event. Whitehorne says they have tremendous support from local scout groups, businesses and community clubs. The National Park Service, which operates the Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historic Park, is helping pay for police overtime for traffic control and the local fire and rescue company is donating its services.

Between 150-200 volunteers will be helping. "We literally couldn't do it without the volunteer help," he says. "Its a validation of the mission when that many people care enough."

Reenactors have been important to the Cedar Creek mission for the past 14 years of reenactments. They enjoy the event because it is on original battlefield and "because 99.9 percent of what we take in goes to the mission," says Whitehorne.

The foundation has paid off its original 158 acres, the three acres on which the visitor center stands, and another 12-acre tract. It is now paying down the mortgage on 135 acres which contain earthworks.

Every six months $25,000 is due. Whitehorne says the frustration is that "meeting the mortgage impairs other things, like more interpretive markers and restoring Heater House." Until it is debt free the foundation can't move on its plans to make a visit to Cedar Creek what Whitehorne calls "a super year-round experience."

The 140th anniversary reenactment will raise important funds toward this goal. Last year reenactors passed the hat when they learned of the foundation's critical need and they won't likely let Cedar Creek down this year.

The original battle on Oct. 19, 1864, saw Federals driven several miles by a surprise Confederate attack, then rallied by Gen. Philip Sheridan for a successful counterattack.

For reenactment information call (888) 628-1864 or visit www.cedarcreekbattlefield.org. Also see Joseph Whitehorne's "Preservation News" column on Page 2.