JEFFERSON, Texas-The streets of downtown Jefferson and nearby Cypress River Ranch will fill with the cacophony of a battle that never took place this weekend.
The annual Battle for Jefferson Civil War Re-enactment is part of Jefferson's 72nd annual Pilgrimage, a history celebration that recalls Jefferson's fascinating past, including its time as a 19th century riverfront town.
In addition to re-enactors from across the Four States Area representing both Federal and Confederate forces, the weekend includes historic home tours organized by the Jessie Allen Wise Garden Club, a Saturday morning parade and Civil War skirmish downtown (10 a.m.), a candlelit Illumination at Oakwood Cemetery (7:30 p.m. tonight), a Muskets and Magnolias Grand Ball (8 p.m. Saturday) and the Presentation of Colors at Christ Episcopal Church (10 a.m. Sunday).
In addition to the Battle for Jefferson re-enactments both weekend afternoons at Cypress River Ranch (4 p.m. Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Sunday), military and civilian encampments and period sutlers will be stationed throughout the city's historic district and downtown.
Wes Hamilton serves as chairman for the Battle for Jefferson.
"The Battle for Jefferson is a battle that never was," Hamilton said. "The federal forces didn't make it to Jefferson because they were defeated at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill. But during the war, Jefferson was a major supply port."
Manufacturing happened there. Supplies were brought to Jefferson to ship by steamboat to Shreveport, New Orleans and points east, Hamilton said.
"There was even still a Confederate ordnance magazine where ammunition was stored before it was shipped on the steamboat, and that structure still stands on the banks of Big Cypress Bayou Big Cypress Bayou was navigable," Hamilton said.
During its heyday, he said, Jefferson was the second largest port in Texas, after Galveston. In that sense, Jefferson had a role to play in the Civil War as a manufacturing and shipping center.
The Battle for Jefferson, then, is hypothetical. "If federal troops had made it into Texas, we try and portray what might have happened here," Hamilton said. Post-Saturday parade, troops and cavalry march and ride into town.
"After the parade there's a street skirmish on Austin Street in the middle of downtown Jefferson, which again is something that very well could have happened during the war," Hamilton said. "That kind of gives visitors a taste of what's to come out at the battlefield. It's a real fun event for the whole family."
Because Jefferson was a port city, it had a diverse culture, Hamilton said.
"At one point we were a larger city than Dallas," he said. "With that port culture that we had, you'll see a lot of Louisiana influences and we have numerous historic homes that still stand in the historic district."
They remain an attraction for visitors. Jefferson had a large Jewish community at one time, too, said the event chairman. The building that houses the Jefferson Playhouse now originally was a Catholic convent but then became a synagogue.
"Jefferson also boasts one of the few remaining Carnegie Libraries in Texas that was of course funded by Andrew Carnegie and was built in 1907," Hamilton said.
In these ways and others, Jefferson is a place rich with history even beyond the Civil War connections.
"We welcome our visitors to Jefferson. We pride ourselves on Southern hospitality and we hope everyone comes out and has a great weekend," Hamilton said. "It's just a good opportunity to immerse yourself in history and 19th century culture."
Cypress River Ranch is located at 1552 FM 2208. Battlefield admission is $10 per person, free for children 6 and under.
(More info: BattleforJefferson.com.)