Civil War reenactors will encamp Nov. 1-2 at Blakeley State Park’s preserved earthworks where the last battle of that conflict was fought April 9, 1865. Portraying the 1st and 4th Missouri infantry units on the site where they defended Confederate lines will be the Liberty Guard Mess, a group of young reenactors from Central Florida.

Reenactors will portray historically accurate daily life of the enlisted men of the two Missouri units that were a stronghold of the Confederate defense of Fort Blakely. That daily life will include tenting, cooking, handling of rifles, relaxing and even an authentic period trash pile, according to Walter Cook, commander of the Blakeley activity for Liberty Guard Mess.

Commanding the activities for Blakeley State Park will be Stacey Gardner, historian and senior ranger at the park. He will coordinate the event working with the Florida reenactors.

Known for their extensive historical research and accurate demonstrations, the Liberty Guard Mess will be making its third trip to the favored Blakeley Park battlefield, driving from the Orlando and Tampa areas Friday, Nov. 1.

The campground will be open to visitors all day Saturday, Nov. 2 as reenactors describe and demonstrate daily life of the Confederate soldier.

Although there will be no staged battle, the uniformed soldiers will demonstrate rifles and other military equipment of that period. They will strike their tents and break camp Sunday morning, Nov. 3.

Admission to Blakeley Park for the living history event will be at the regular price of $3 for adults and $2 for children 6-12. Hours are from 9 a.m. to dusk. The November event is the first of several planned Blakeley activities in the run-up to the April 1865 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War.