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Re-enactors from the 44th Tennessee United States Colored Troops told their story today. The group set up tents and demonstrated what life was like during the Civil War. The activities took place at Orchard Knob Military Park as part of Black History Month.
History comes alive as re-enactors tell a story that not everyone has heard, the story of black soldiers who fought during the Civil War.
Gerald Wellington, "There were 186 thousand blacks that fought during the Civil War, the 44th was commissioned in 1864, there were troops here in Chattanooga, they were also in the battle of Dalton, Nashville, Murfreesboro, and Franklin."
Gerald Wellington has been re-enacting Civil War history since he saw the movie Glory more than 10 years ago. He wants the contributions of black soldiers to be remembered, or heard for the very first time. Even thought there's so much history in the area, many people don't take the time to discover it.
Wellington, "The information has been there all the time, when I was going to school I was never taught about black troops fighting in the Civil War, we were always told that we were slaves, just waiting for someone to free us, that we never participated in our own freedom."
Very few people know that a black woman also fought alongside men in the 44th.
"Cathay Williams and she reversed her name to William Cathay in order to serve, she served from the Civil War until the Indian Wars out west."
Williams gender was revealed years later, when she tried to collect her pension, but was denied. Stories like that kept the small group of onlookers fascinated. Children also took part in the re-enactment, just as they were part of the actual battle during the war.
"The drummer would be with the commanding officer on the battlefield, it would be so loud you couldn't hear the commands, each command they gave there was a drum beat to it."
Members of the 44th re-enactors hope more people take the time to discover the history that can sometimes be found in their own backyard.
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