By Carol MacAllister

OCEAN GROVE , NJ — The weekend of November 5-6 brought the second return of Civil War encampments and reenactment battles on the pristine beaches of Ocean Grove. Infantry, naval attacks, and generals on horseback worked down the beach to the thunderous sounds of cannons and rifles, all setting off car alarms of twenty-first vehicles.

Ringing cell phones during battle, kids looking for more action, and parked cars invading otherwise authentic looking photo opportunities along the Pathway distracted imaginations wanting to be swept away into the 1860s. The background of Ocean Grove homes added much to round out the ambiance of the era.

On Saturday night, a gem of a program in the Youth Temple fully captured the audience and managed to sweep attendees back in time with period fashion, music and first-person reenactments.

A mix of soldiers, 1860s costumed visitors, and present day people filled the audience that was first entertained by a restful setting of a guitarist and drum player singing simple American heritage songs from the 1860s. The audience joined in often because the songs, like Goober Peas, and Dixie are still part of today’s music. The Susquehanna Travellers, an instrumental quartet, continued the American heritage of music focusing on tunes written by Stephen Foster and war songs typical of the times.

Costumed Teretha Jones, representing the 22nd US Colored Troopers and a resident of Neptune, hosted the evening after a brief introduction by Randy Bishop.

Ms. Jones introduced the white abolitionist, Elizabeth Van Liew, portrayed by Kati Brower, who captured listeners with her dramatic impersonation and stories of the southern Civil War spy. Later in the program, visitors were again mesmerized by the visit of the black abolitionist and women’s rights pioneer, Sojourner Truth, played by Lorraine Stone, and then by Carolyn Evans’s impersonation of the black abolitionist, Harriet Tubman who led slaves north to freedom.

Ms. Jones introduced fashion of the 1860 war era by introducing and describing those who modeled uniforms of the soldiers and officers of the Union and Confederate armies, the distinctive Zoves, and civilian clothing of men and women.

Paulette Weiss’s unique presentation of “Ladies Underpinnings” enlightened many viewers as she dressed a mannequin and described the 1860s woman’s seven layers of dress: crinolines, corsets, hoops, chemise, stockings, bloomers, undergarments, false sleeves, under blouses, hats, parasols and more.

The Ocean Grove Historical Society, The Camp Meeting Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the NJ 2nd Brigade and the 22nd US Colored Troop re-enactors, local politicians and merchants sponsored the engaging evening of entertainment and fashion, “Civil War Style, 1861-1865.”

---