2019 The Skirmish At Gambles Hotel
Experience The Skirmish At Gambles Hotel Reenactment on March 9-10, 2019 in Florence, South Carolina. The reenactment depicts an encounter that occurred on March 5, 1865 when 500 federal soldiers, under the command of Colonel Reuben Williams of the 12th Indiana Infantry, marched into the Florence area to destroy the railroad depot. These federal troops were met by a group of Confederate soldiers who drove them away with the help of 400 reinforcements from the area home guard.
Skirmish At Gambles Hotel Reenactment
Bounty for Union Soldiers
In an effort to get more Federal soldiers, we’re offering a $200 bounty for any group that can put 20 rifles on the field both days. The bounty is good for up to 3 groups. Out of state units will get preference. We still have the bounty for artillery, see Garfield for that. And the bounty for cavalry. I think Petra is keeping up with that.
The Columns is a popular name for The Harwell House at Rankin Plantation, a beautiful antebellum home that dates back over 100 years. The name refers to the 22 Greek style, Doric columns that surround the home on three sides. The house was placed on the National Register of historic places in 1974.
Proceeds from Skirmish At Gambles Hotel Reenactment go towards historical preservation such as the 23rd History Scholarship, the Florence Museum of Art, Science and History, the SC Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum at the SC State Museum, and other worthy projects.
Admission
$10.00 Adults
$5.00 Students under 18
FREE: Children under 12
These funds will go directly to historic preservation or our scholarship at Francis Marion University.
Skirmish At Gambles Hotel Reenactment Mini-Gallery
Skirmish At Gambles Hotel Reenactment Schedule (tentative)
Thursday
12:00 am Registration & Gates Open For Sutlers & Reenactors
Friday
8:00 am Registration & Gates Open For Sutlers & Reenactors
8:30 am Demonstrations For Area Students
3:00 pm Demonstrations Conclude
9:00 pm Officers Meeting, The Commander’s Quarters
9:00 pm All Vehicles To Be Out Of Camp
Late arrivals may unload and then move their vehicles to parking.
Saturday
7:00 am Reveille
8:30 am Morning Parade
9:00 am Camps Open To The Public
9:15 am Company Drill, Scenario Review
9:30 am Battalion Drill
2:00 pm Skirmish At Gambles Hotel
3:00 pm Troops To Pass In Review
5:00 pm Camp Closed To Public
8:00 pm Barn Dance, 1860’s Period Dress Please
11:00 pm Tattoo & Taps
Sunday
7:00 am Reveille
8:30 am Morning Parade
9:00 am Camps Open To The Public
10:45 am Soldiers Chorus Rehearsal, Barn
11:00 am Church Service, Barn
1:30 pm Skirmish For Reenactors
2:00 pm Skirmish At Gambles Hotel
The event is over with the dismissal of troops after the end of the battle on Sunday. Spectators are requested to make their way out without dallying too long. Reenactors may bring their vehicles in to load out. Please be extra watchful and careful as many people are still moving about the camps
School Day
We will have historically correct presentations depicting camp life of the soldiers, infantry and artillery drill, cooking demonstrations, a blacksmith and a civilian homestead.
Our education program for The Skirmish At Gambles Hotel reenactment for school children is by invitation only. It’s not hard to get one, but you must contact Petra Darby at 803-518-1921 or by email at petradarby[@]yahoo.com (without the brackets). And please note. To offset the cost of insurance, we’re asking 5.00 per child that attends.
Directions to The Skirmish At Gambles Hotel Reenactment
To program your GPS, use 4789 East Old Marion Hwy, Florence, SC 29502 for a street address.
The event site is located near the intersection of Interstates 95 and 20, about 25 miles below the NC state line. That makes it easy from just about everywhere.
[su_accordion][su_spoiler title=”Reenactor Information”]For The Skirmish At Gambles Hotel reenactment, all usual amenities will be provided: water in the camp, blue rooms at strategic locations, plenty of hay in the barn, and more firewood then you’ll be able to burn in a cold weekend! We have a barn dance on Saturday that has become renown. As it has always been, there is no registration fee for reenactors. There will be about 20 sutlers there to get any gear you need. The city of Florence is only a few miles away and is large enough to accommodate any needs you may have. You may arrive as early as Thursday morning, but be aware that we will have 1500 school children on Friday for the education program.
Every year we try to come up with something a bit different. If you attended the battle last year, there’s a good chance you’ll see and do something different this year.
Do you like to campaign? Get away from the hustle and bustle that goes on near the sutlers? Give me a shout. We’ve got no shortage of remote areas that would give the most hard core unit what they’re looking for.
Unionists, or good fellows who will wear a blue jacket – It’s only a six hour ride from the Mason Dixon line. We usually galvanize amongst ourselves, but what a great opportunity for a federal unit to be spoiled at a fine event. Did you know it could be 80 degrees and sunny while a blizzard is blowing back home? Well, it could! If you attended The Skirmish At Gambles Hotel reenactment just for a drill weekend, you would surely mark it on your calendar for the following year. Contact Tom Grazioli at tom[@]associatedcomputer.cc (without the brackets) or call 843-455-2989 for more information. You can also check our bulletin board.
Artillery – A bounty is being offered to guns that have been invited to The Skirmish At Gambles Hotel reenactment. Unfortunately we can’t give a stipen to every battery that might want to come. The money just isn’t there. We normally accommodate 10 guns. Contact John Nolan at johnnyrebsn2002[@]yahoo.com (without the brackets) for more information.
Cavalry – All horses, donkeys, and mules must have a current Coggins certificate. The farm works cattle across all the property that we use. When you arrive on site and register for the event, you will have to show your certificate at that time. Do not bring an animal that does not have a current certificate. If you do, you will be required to immediately remove the animal from the property.
A bounty will be paid for each mounted trooper that participates. It’s $10.00 each day for each mount, and $15 more if you do school day. It’s not a lot, but we hope to cover the cost of your hay for the weekend. Collect your bounty at the mercantile after church on Sunday.
The Ball – Held on Saturday night in the top of the hay barn. The Crescent Moon Rounders will likely provide the music. And we keep a close eye on the hay lest we loose one of our men like the proverbial needle. Why they keep getting lost in there is a mystery to me, but surely not to the fathers of the young ladies at the dance!
Officers Call – This will take place at 9:00 pm on Friday at the tent of Colonel Bruce Blackmon of the Palmetto Battalion. Make sure a representative of your unit attends to get more information and assignments as they will be determined at this meeting.
[/su_spoiler][/su_accordion][su_accordion][su_spoiler title=”Spectator Information”]There is more than just the battle. The military and refugee camps are open and people are encouraged to visit and speak to the reenactors. The first person impressions are supposed to give you the experience of speaking to a person of that time and place. There is a cabin that would have been correct for field hands. You can expect cooking demonstrations. Sometimes we have candle makers and quilters demonstrating their skills. There’s always a blacksmith or two banging away at an anvil.
There are period merchants called “sutlers” that sell wares that would have been available at the time. There is also a varied selection of modern vendors selling food, drinks and historically related items.
The house is usually open for tours. Those are conducted by the property owner separately from the event. Check at the gate as you arrive to see if any are planned.
Be prepared to walk. The camps are about 100 yards from the battlefield. We do have handicapped parking close to the battlefield for those that require it. It doesn’t hurt to bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. We have an area in front designated just for people to sit.
What time should you come in? The Skirmish At Gambles Hotel reenactment battle is at 2:00 in the afternoon. Skirmishing will begin even earlier. If I were you, I’d get my lunch and take it down at 1:00 where I could get a good seat and eat while waiting. You will want to get to the site even earlier than that. Sometimes the line of cars will backup at the entrance. Come down at 11:00. Walk the camps and sutler row at your leisure. Get your lunch and mosey to the battlefield. It’s a pleasant way to spend a few hours and you might be surprised at what you’ll learn.
[/su_spoiler][/su_accordion]Vendors
Vendors and sutlers are by invitation only. We make an effort to limit the type of vendor so that there are not too many of any one kind. The fee for sutlers is $75. For modern vendors it’s $100.
We do not allow anything that is offensive or distasteful to be sold at your table or in your tent. We reserve the right to define what may be offensive or distasteful. If we find something objectionable, you may be asked to remove it, or you may be asked to leave the premises.
We set up the modern vendors closer to the house. Sutlers set up on one line facing the barn. Parking is really close, less than a hundred yards from the most distant tent. There is adequate room for a camper to be set up, but not enough to have a pavilion. There are no hookups. Generators are OK if they don’t bother anyone. If you prefer to stay in a hotel, there is one at the 327 exit on 95, just 7 or 8 miles away. And there are several more in Florence from 10 to 20 miles away.
Mark your calendar today so you don’t miss the next Skirmish At Gambles Hotel Reenactment in March in Florence, South Carolina.
Tags: Skirmish At Gambles Hotel Reenactment, Skirmish At Gambles Hotel Civil War Reenactment, Civil War Reenactment, Civil War Living History