Photo by Todd Weddle / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo

Union forces retreat as the Confederates attack as re-enactors portray different battles during the St. Joseph Days of Civil War: Live Re-enactment Sunday afternoon north of the French Bottoms Conservation Area.

The Confederates may have won the battle, but both sides won the crowd.

Nearly 150 re-enactors staged a mock Civil War battle Sunday afternoon in a riverside field near Terrible’s St. Jo Frontier Casino.

A few hundred spectators sat in bleachers that shook with each volley of artillery fire.

“Those Confederates sure like firing their cannons,” spectator Steven Hoffman said. “They’re loud, but I like it.”

As the Confederate cavalry charged, Union soldiers fired and a rebel rider fell from his horse.

The crowd saw a spectacular stunt. The men on the field viewed the situation a bit differently. While the combat may be fake, an element of danger remains for the re-enactors.

Ray Orth, who played the part of first sergeant for the 2nd Colorado Cavalry, explained the nuances of re-enacting a battle to a small crowd of visitors outside his tent after the smoke had cleared.

“The one reb that came off, that was not intentional. That’s why you saw a guy hang around a little bit to make sure he was OK,” Mr. Orth said. “If you looked close, you would’ve seen that the guy helping him had on a blue coat.”

Re-enactors use several tricks to ensure that their show looks real to the crowd without putting anyone in serious danger.

Some methods are visible, like when soldiers point their firearms up or down at 45-degree angles. And of course, no one steps in front of a loaded cannon.

Others are less obvious. A full charge of gunpowder in a Civil War-era weapon could cause serious damage, even with a blank in the chamber. So soldiers pack their chambers with cream of wheat and a smaller amount of gunpowder. The bang sounds the same, and the crowd never knows the difference.

Mr. Orth said the most rewarding part of staging a battle always comes afterward. The crowd walks through the open camp, usually armed with plenty of questions. Mr. Orth sat and talked with visitors for nearly half an hour, while an iron plate of salt pork and hard tack sat on the table next to him.

“You won’t see this in a fridge,” he said.

Some re-enactors travel across the country for mock battles in places like Gettysburg or Bull Run. It’s all a matter of how far one is willing to go for their expensive hobby.

“People enjoy it for different reasons and none of them are wrong,” Mr. Orth said. “Me, I like to teach the history and explain what’s going on.”

The education does not have to end when the re-enactors pack up their tents. The St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau offers a self-guided tour for those who wish to learn more about the city’s Civil War history. Visit www.stjomo.com/publictours.aspx and click the “Civil War Tour” link for a map and brochure.

Business reporter Clinton Thomas can be reached at clintonthomas@npgco.com.