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Civilian
Life in Mosby's Confederacy
Event Site: The principal event site is Sky Meadows State Park, near Paris (northern Fauquier County) Virginia. Sky Meadows consists of 1800 acres of pristine land on the edge of Ashby's Gap. 1200 acres of adjacent land has recently been protected by the Piedmont Environmental Council, protecting the viewshed. The centerpiece of Sky Meadows is a small, middle class plantation house called Mount Bleak. The original portion of the house was built in the late 18th century and it was enlarged to its present size ca. 1830. Mount Bleak was the home of the Settle family, headed by Abner Settle, Sr. One of his sons was a Mosby Ranger and another son informally rode with Mosby while formally serving in the 6th Virginia infantry. The house as a "safe house" for Mosby's men, as was the next door plantation, Belle Grove, owned by the Edmonds family. Mrs. Edmonds (nee Betsy Settle) was the sister of Abner Settle. Three of her sons were in Mosby's command and her daughter, Amanda was a well known diarist. Event Structure: This event is being organized partially in conjunction with a preservation fundraising trail ride being held on Saturday to benefit the Snickersville Turnpike Association and the ongoing restoration of Welbourne. Welbourne is a ca. 1820 plantation house, home of the Dulany family for eight generations, and also a Mosby Rangers safe house. Cousin John Peyton De Butts was a Mosby Ranger and stayed at Welbourne during the War. The trail ride is for modern riders but being guided by uniformed cavalry led by Todd Kern and featuring our friends from the 4th Virginia, Co. H. Time Frame: Late August, 1863. Portrayals: We will be portraying the Settle family of Mt. Bleak (the 1830 farmhouse that is the centerpiece of Sky Meadows State Park), their cousins and next door neighbors the Edmondses (family of diarist Amanda "Tee" Edmonds), the Dulany household at Welbourne and cousins and in-laws from nearby Oakley, and various other families of the area. Jeff Smith, as Col. Mosby, will pay us a visit with some of his men. We will b assigning roles based on where you are staying, age, gender, physical similarity to the persons potentially to be portrayed, and the portrayal preferences of the reenactors participating. See History section below for more information. Kathryn will provide biography / background on individuals being portrayed. Click here for information on the Settle household. Event Type: This event will be a mixture of first and third person. First person interpretation will be accompanied by third person "docent" type interpretation whenever spectators are present and participants are expected to do a stint as a designated docent and cockades will be issued for this purpose. This will not be a heavy immersion but a semi-immersion type event because of the amount of public interpretation and the "roving" nature of the event, moving from Sky Meadows to Welbourne and back again. Accommodations: Participants can sleep in the wash house ("new summer kitchen") and in the guest house at Sky Meadows for a nominal charge, to defray the costs in renting the guest house. Some participants (Colleen and Anita, at this stage) are renting rooms at Welbourne, which is a bed & breakfast. The rooms have been block booked for the trail ride. If you call Welbourne and any rooms are left, please let them know that you're part of the event. Horses: Equine participation is welcome. There is a barn & paddock at Mt Bleak but the paddock fencing is not in the best shape, so we recommend a picket line bein established along the fence. For overnight accommodation, Sky Meadows has a boarding stable on the other side of Rt. 17, where stabling may be arranged. Contact Points &
Addresses: Sky Meadows State
Park Chief
Interpretative Ranger: Kathie Budnie Welbourne Bed
& Breakfast Proprietors: Nat
and Sherrie Morrison (Nat is a Dulany on his mother's side,
the 8th generation of the family to own the
house)
Web Links:
Bibliography:
Event Schedule: Friday: Participants are allowed to arrive at Sky Meadows the night before if desired. If you want to come early, you must email Kathryn to let her know. Alternately, Kathryn can provide accommodations in her place in Fairfax County for anyone coming from out of town. Saturday: 9 a.m -- Trail ride departs from Welbourne. (Anita is doing the trail ride and will only be with us as a civilian Saturday night and Sunday) 11 a.m. -- Sky Meadows opens to the public. Throughout the day, we will be demonstating period crafts (please bring sewing, etc) and interacting in first person, with designated "docents" interpreting for the public. We are allowed to cook in the reproduction wash house, eat in the dining room (if we bring our own dishes), sit in the parlor, on the porch and in the (original) summer kitchen. The scenario during the day is that some of the Dulanys of either Welbourne or Oakley are visiting the Settle family. 5:00 p.m. -- Sky Meadows closes to the public. 5:30 p.m. -- AGSAS living historians depart Sky Meadows for Welbourne 6:00 (?) p.m. -- arrive Welbourne, for return of cavalry trail riders. That evening, dinner at Welbourne and participation in candlelight tour scenarios. 10:00 (??) p.m. -- Those staying at Sky Meadows return to Sky Meadows Sunday: Sky Meadows opens to the public from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our event is scheduled to end at 3 p.m. but we can stay as long as we wish. Crafts / first person interaction as per Saturday. For information, contact Kathryn Coombs
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