Earl Timmons will be heading up this expedition and driving up on October 22nd. Great event, reenactor friendly, perfect time of the year.
Fri - Living History
Sat - Flag Destruction Ceremony, Flag Raising Ceremony, Memorial Service, Battle, Cake Walk, Lady’s Tea & Dinner
Sun - Church, Battle
Robertson County residents and surrounding communities will be able to travel back in time this weekend as they journey to Ridgetop to experience one of the largest Civil War reenactments in Middle Tennessee.
From Oct. 23-26, the City of Ridgetop is hosting its annual Morgan on the Rim event at Ridgetop Station Park, located at 1954 Woodruff Ave. The immersive historical experience, filled with hundred of military and civilian re-enactors from the 1860s, will allow visitors of all ages an opportunity to see a piece of local history come alive.
Over the course of three days, guests will be able to witness demonstrations of cavalry, infantry, and artillery in Civil War battles, learn how soldiers and civilians lived during that time period, while also interacting with special guests such as Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln.
According to event organizer Dale Gilmore, Morgan on the Rim brings new attention to a real battle that was fought in Ridgetop over 160 years ago.
As the Army of Tennessee headed to Gallatin following the Battle of Perryville in Kentucky in October 1863, Confederate Gen. John Hunt Morgan dispatched a cavalry brigade to the area.
“General Morgan was returning to Tennessee from a battle up in Kentucky, and he split up his forces,” Gilmore said. “The Union army had already captured Nashville. This was October of 1863 and there was a battle fought here in Ridgetop. General Morgan sent his troops down here and they waited and moved a Yankee supply train off the trestle bridge here in Ridgetop. That happened on October 31 of 1863, which is the battle that we are re-enacting.”
In addition to the battle re-enactments, visitors will have the opportunity to take part in interactive exhibits, explore antique collections and civil war equipment, create memories with old-time photography, and enjoy food from a number of local vendors.
Visit the Historic Wilson House, bid on the items in the Silent Auction, join in the Cake Walk, shop at the Sutlers and Vendors, See Period Activities, Calvary, and Artillery Demonstrations throughout the day. Stop by the Military and Civilian Encampments and learn about how they lived.
After an over decade long hiatus, Morgan on the Rim was brought back again for the first time a few years ago. According to Gilmore, several local reenactors came to the City Ridgetop with the idea to bring the event back. The two groups then came together to host the event beginning in 2022.
The weekend will kick off on Friday with a Student Day, which is free for all Robertson County students to attend from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., giving kids an early opportunity to enjoy a number of the programs, activities and artifacts.
Students can learn to march with wooden rifles, visit The Wilson House (the on-site museum), see artifacts from the time period, as well as cannons and the infantry encampment that will be setting up.
“Abraham Lincoln and Miss Mary will be here to greet them,” Gilmore said. “There will be different stations of soldiers to talk to them. They will be able to get up close to the cannons. There’s a working hospital ambulance that’s going to be here that will explain a lot of the medical work that was done during that time period. Students will also be able to visit the encampment and see how the soldiers actually lived during that time period.”
The rest of the weekend’s activities will take place on Saturday and Sunday, beginning with opening ceremonies at 10 am in front of the Wilson House, an on-site museum named after a former army captain’s home that now houses artifacts from the Civil War, both World Wars, and the Korean War.
On Sunday afternoon, a memorial service will take place for Charles Morris, an avid Civil War enthusiast.
Following the death of Army veteran John T. Picton, who’s last wish was to have his ashes shot out of a cannon at last year’s Morgan on the Rim, Morris was so moved by the tribute that he requested the same honor. After he passed away in April of this year, Morris’s family plans to honor his wish with a similar ceremony
Disclaimer - information on this event is based on 2024 and calibration with event coordinators
You may also like the following events from 53rd Georgia Infantry Company K:
- Next month, 9th August, 10:00 am, The North Georgia Relic Hunters in Marietta
- This September, 19th September, 08:00 am, The Battle of Hurricane Shoals in Maysville
- This October, 3rd October, 08:00 am, Battles At Andersonville, GA in Andersonville
Also check out other
Workshops in Greenbrier,
Trips & Adventurous Activities in Greenbrier,
Nonprofit events in Greenbrier.
