Published: July 01, 2009 09:53 am      

Reliving history:10-year-old girl takes part in Civil War re-enactment

While most 10-year-old girls are thinking of frilly dresses or a cool frock for the summer temperatures, Abigail Proctor of Kosciusko, might be found wearing woolen trousers, long sleeve shirt with vest along with a woolen cap.

That’s her attire when she accompanies her father, David Proctor, as he participates in Civil War battle re-enactments as a member of the 15th Mississippi Infantry Re-enactors.

The father-daughter duo recently attended a re-enactment of the Battle of Brice’s Crossroads in Baldwyn, marking the June 10, 1864, Confederate victory. The event was hosted by the Brice’s Crossroads Commission and the City of Baldwyn.

Cleburne’s Division of Re-enactors Inc. brought thousands of Confederate and Union troops from 36 states to Baldwyn for a children’s Discovery Day and two days of camping and fighting re-enactments on the 1,400 acre battlefield.

Ten-year-old Abigail took her horse, Starlight, to the Baldwyn event and enjoyed riding him around the battlefields, she said. She has accompanied her father to other Confederate re-enactment events, but this was a first for Starlight, she said.

Other activities of the event included a reception on Friday night with a period band performing 1860s music. The reception was hosted by the Baldwyn Main Street/Chamber.

On Saturday, re-enactors performed historically authentic scenarios of the Battle of Brice’s Crossroads.

Abigail is a sixth grader at Greenlee Elementary School, daughter of David and Penny Proctor

Edwina Carpenter, museum curator, and The Baldwyn News contributed to this story.