This family was moved by history -- from Texas to Gettysburg

GETTYSBURG, Pa. -- When Carolyn Brent's family members started talking about traveling from their home in Canyon, Texas, to visit Gettysburg during the 150th anniversary, they didn't have to worry about booking a hotel.

"Our grandparents have an interest in the Civil War," Brent explained, "and they moved out here last April."

From Texas.

"Papa took the initiative when they moved out," Brent said, explaining that her grandfather was the driving force that got the family to Gettysburg.

Saturday, the family was taking in the Blue Gray Alliance re-enactment. Another multi-day re-enactment is scheduled for next week. Those events and others are expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors to Gettysburg each day through July 7.

There are 13 people living in the three-bedroom apartment her grandparents have rented. They share two bathrooms.

She said her grandparents will be moving back to Texas this year. She and her siblings and parents will leave Gettysburg at the end of July. "The 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg will only come once," she said.

Brent and her sisters, Caitlyn Brent, 18, and Courtney Brent, 15, and their cousin, Brienna Cheney, 18, of Charlottesville, Va., brought their period clothing.

Courtney explained that the four of them aren't really re-enactors, as they're not registered, nor are their dresses or accessories authentic. "And our hair's probably not right," Carolyn Brent said.

But the Brent sisters did make their own dresses.

"We started our dresses last year," Courtney said. "I finished mine two or three months before we came out here."

Grasping the blue fabric of her dress, Courtney noted she would have chosen green, but "that's not historically accurate."

She said

Levi Herring with the Liberty All Fife and Drum corps prepares for the day's events of the Blue Gray Alliance re-enactment on Saturday. (DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - JASON PLOTKIN)

few women wore green in the 1800s, since the substance used to make green dye was hard to come by, and it was made from poisonous materials. Some women died from it, she said.

Caitlyn Brent said she figured the cost of fabric in when purchasing the material she used to make her dress. She chose a deep burgundy.

The Brent sisters said they learned a lot about sewing when they made their dress, including how to stitch the cartridge pleating on the back of their dresses and how to sew the boning to add shape to the dress bodices.

Although they acknowledged the limitations of a woman's role during the Civil War, Cheney said she has fun with the period dress.

"I have three brothers who are not near as interested in dress-up as I am,"

From left, Carolyn Brent, her cousin Brienna Cheney and Brent's sister Courtney watch the Hanover cavalry battle during the Blue Gray Alliance event at Bushey Farm on Saturday. Their grandparents moved from Texas to Gettysburg so the family could stay there during the 150th anniversary. (DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS -- JASON PLOTKIN)

she said.

The four girls said they learned about the Civil War while being homeschooled. They have continued to read about the war and watch movies on the topic, which has increased their interest in the subject.

"It's fun to see all the things we read about in school," Carolyn Brent said about being at the re-enactment. She said her family is planning on going to the Gettysburg Anniversary Committee re-enactment next week, too.

As for whether they will make the trip from Texas to Gettysburg in future years, she wasn't sure.

But after thinking for a minute, she said "The 200th (anniversary) would be cool."

They've come a long way

Eric and Vivien Carter traveled to Gettysburg from their home in England to experience the 150th anniversary.

"Our bedroom is full of Rebel stuff," Eric Carter said.

Vivien Carter explained that "many, many years ago," when they were traveling through Tennessee, they passed through Shiloh National Military Park.

"We just got sucked in," she said.

They've been interested in the American Civil War since then.

If you go

Today is the final day of the Blue Gray Alliance re-enactment, being held at the Bushey Farm at 1845 Pumping Station Road. Activities will run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with battle re-enactments scheduled at 8:30 and 9 a.m. The Pickett, Pettigrew, Trimble Charge will take place at 12:30 p.m. For more information on the re-enactment and other 150th events see, http://www.ydr.com/Gettysburg150.

Source: http://www.ydr.com/ci_23566979/this-family-was-moved-by-history-from-texas?source=rss_emailed

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