On a recent visit to my first Civil War battle reenactment that took place near Martin City, Missouri, I had a chance to reflect a little while photographing.  The reenactment was sponsored by the North/South Alliance, a western theater reenactment organization of the First Federal Division(Union) and the (Confederate) Army of Tennessee.  The battle reenacted was the battle of Westport, often referred to as the “Gettysburg of the West”.  Now, I didn’t want to write just about the history here.  More to the point, I wanted to write about what thoughts that soldier may have been having before they went into battle. Of course none of these individuals were actually ever in a battle during the Civil War, perhaps another War that has been fought by United States maybe.  This I didn’t know and gave little thought of.

When it was almost time before the reenactment to start, I had been watching what was going on in the field before me. Soldiers bringing up cannon’s, troops from both sides lining up in the distant fields on horse back.  When the cannon’s were lined up I noticed a group of soldiers lying underneath this cart for shade that stored the ammunition for one of the cannon’s.  There was one individual that was sitting not underneath as the other’s, but next too the wagon wheel.  His head down, clothing dirty, hot and sweating under the heat of sun.  Thinking of who knows what, his contemplation was important to the inner workings of this photograph.   I could not help, but think during the young history of the United States what did go threw a soldier’s head just before battle.  Would they think of their wife’s, their children, home or would their thoughts be of, will I dye today!  It was then thinking to myself, I understand what this picture is about.  Thoughts of life and death.

Often a picture does not come together like that for me, but I leave the photograph for your interpretation and thoughts.  Feel free to write a little something.  I would like to read your thoughts as well.

Copyright © 2008 Chad Davis