Knowledge and Zeal

Man portrays General Ulysses Grant at Civil War encampment in my town.

     I arrived late. An encampment of Civil War reenactors was breaking up. Tents were disassembling. Union soldiers no longer spoke in character as though the year was 1863. They were speaking in a normal fashion.
    I struck up a conversation with a man portraying General Ulysses Grant. He bore a resemblance to the actual general. This guy was more than an actor, he was an expert on the life of Grant.
    “I’ve spent twenty-four years studying Grant,” the man said.
    Testing his knowledge, I mentioned my visit to the battlefield at Spotsylvania, Virginia. Some historians consider that battle the most ferocious of the war. Grant was in charge.
    During one assault, a union officer (not Grant) ordered his men to attack a Confederate line, and do so without firing weapons. This ‘bum rush’ strategy was unprecedented. Troops always fired their muskets while advancing. The officer calculated that time spent while firing was detrimental to the prospects for success. Better to make haste and shoot later.
   The bum rush succeeded. Union troops overran the Confederate position. Granted promoted the officer. The bum rush tactic was adopted by the Army.
    General Grant—the actor standing before me—knew about that assault. He said, “You don’t fire to get there. You get there and then you fire.”
    I asked him for the name of the innovative officer. Grant couldn’t recall it.
    Not wanting to take up any more of Grant's time, I thanked him for the conversation. He ducked into a trailer. For several minutes, I busiest myself taking photos.
    Then, out of the blue, General Grant addressed me.
    “Emory Upton was his name.” Grant identified that officer whose name eluded us.
    I nodded toward Grant’s trailer. “Did you look up the name?” My question suggested that Grant had internet access inside the trailer.
    Grant touched his head, “It’s all in here.”
    I’m not easily impressed, but this man impressed me.
    When someone reveals depth of knowledge and zeal, he earns respect.

Canvas tents, authentic to the period, at the encampment.