Here I am at the Civil War Days Living History Encampment with my friend Bill Payne. Bill joined us for the encampment for several reasons: he is a reenactor (as part of the US Naval Landing Party), an author (he wrote the historical fiction bookA Veteran in a New Field,which is a fun fictional story, set just after the Civil War, with lots of real historical details), and a musician (as part of the group Veterans in a New Field).

The Veterans in a New Field were one of two musical groups who performed Civil War era music during the encampment (the other was the 77th Regimental Balladeers). Both groups play music that is fun to listen to, but they also know a lot about the history of the music!

After the official performance by the Veterans in a New Field, one of their members shared with me an old song about groundhogs— I was excited until he started singing— it was about eating groundhogs for dinner! Yikes!

-Luykas