14th Annual Spirit Walk

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The annual Spirit Walk fund raiser for the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society happens next weekend. More info here. Groups of ticket purchasers are led through the town by famous Charlottesville characters of the past. Along the route they encounter a number of famous and not so famous real persons from the past who have passed through or lived in Charlottesville. As actors and performers, we get to research and write our own material, as long is it is kept to about two minutes long. This will be the third year of my participation. It doesn't get any easier learning lines, but at least this year there is plenty of material for my character. It's a kick performing literally on the street, and by the end of the 45 or so 2 minute perfomances/monologue, I'm ready for a new character.

For those of you not able to attend, here's my text for this year, from a man much maligned in our revisionist historical times:

Well well well... Tis true, my dear listeners, that the Rebels deceived my men into flight back across the Rivanna from Rio Hills in 1864.* But let me tell you the rest of the story that snake out back didn't tell you.

I was back one year later, in March 1865, we crushed General Early's army in Waynesboro and turned towards Richmond. Charlottesville stood in our way. When we reached this rather pathetic village, leaders of town and University pleaded with me, on their knees, to spare their dear little college from the same torch that consumed VMI. Some 10,000 soldiers descended upon the town for three days, like a plague of locusts. I won't deny that the townsfolk were badly abused by the occupation. But the boys must have something for their efforts, or surely they will leave me.

Friday afternoon I installed my office in the Farish family homestead down on East Jefferson Street. Later that evening a rough sort of laborer was brought to me by scouts who thought they had captured General Early out of uniform. A spy! Thought they. The man's real identity came to light when one of the Farish girls cried out, "Mama, they've got Papa!" Alas, he was Captain Thomas Farish, with a three day furlough and thoughts of aiding his family. General Sheridan determined the man should hang as a spy, eh? I was set up in the man's parlor, how could I see him swing from his own oak tree? Phil Sheridan eventually agreed Farish was doing what we all would have done under the circumstances: trying to protect his family and home during hateful times. I took pity upon his life. I'll never forget what he yelled the next day when I departed for Gordonsville to chase after some Rebs, "Custer, I hate you as an enemy, but I love you as a brother!" Barely a month later Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House and the great conflagration between the states was ended.

I never pretended I wanted people to pass me by unnoticed. By God you'll remember my name eh, George Armstrong Custer, youngest general in the army of the North. Now be gone, I am sorely weary.

* Reference to the previous character who tells audiences about the "battle" of Rio Hills when the Union cavalry was confused by their own men in the smoke of the gunfire from their attack.