Civil War Event
Village of Hainesville Annual Civil War Encampment & Battle
Saturday, October 19, 2024 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 20, 2024 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Relive history as knowledgeable re-enactors, both military and civilian in period costume, recreate an American Civil War Encampment and Battle in a rural setting in Hainesville, Illinois. Event highlights include: a narrated military battle between Union and Confederate uniformed military forces (the Atlanta Campaign, May 7 to September 2, 1864), military and civilian bivouacs and encampments, battlefield surgeries, undertakers and period medical displays. Visitor participation in the instruction of military drill is also available.
Historical presentations are provided by such luminaries as Abraham Lincoln, General Grant, Elijah Haines (village founder), Mary Todd Lincoln, Harriet Tubman (who escaped Southern slavery to rescue some 70 other slaves) and Thomas Morris Chester (the only black war reporter for a major Civil War daily newspaper, the Philadelphia Press). Vendors of food, soap, wool and period military souvenirs will also be available.
Opportunities will exist for visitors to question participants about their knowledge of and their character’s role in that period of our history. They are very knowledgeable of that period and their role in it. This event provides a great history lesson and perspective.
Hosted by Northbrook Sports Club off South Hainesville Rd. Admission and parking is FREE. Additional event information and re-enactor registration can be found on the tabs below.
Civil War Event Schedule
Hainesville’s 2024 Civil War Event Schedule
On-going activities all day: Union, Confederate & civilian camp visitations, General Grant’s HQs, medical displays & battlefield surgeries, settler & presenter interactions. Also available are food vendor, soap, wool item and military souvenir sales. Opportunity exists for public to participate in military drill instruction. All presenters when not giving their presentations will be available throughout the event to mingle & converse with the public. Military drills and battle are at the battlefield. See sign for drill instruction for the public.
Saturday, 10/19
10:00 AM: Public Entry Begins
10:15 AM – 10:45 AM: Military Drill (M)
10:50 AM -11:20 AM: Elijah Haines (P), Hainesville Founder
11:00 AM: Drill Instruction (M)
11:25 AM – 11:55 AM: Mary Todd Lincoln (P), Life in the White House
12:00 PM- 12:30 PM: General Grant (P)
12:40 PM – 1:10 PM: Harriet Tubman (P), Her Life & Times
1:00 PM – 1:20 PM: Drill Instruction (M)
1:15 PM – 2:00 PM: President Lincoln (P)
2:10 PM – 2:40 PM: Officer’s Call (M); Thomas Morris Chester (P)
2:45 PM – 3:15 PM: Battlefield Surgery (M)
3:15 PM – 3:30 PM: Assembly (M)
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM: Narrated Battle (M); Atlanta Campaign (P)
4:00 PM: Event Closes for the day
Sunday, 10/20
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM: Church
9:00 AM: Public Entry Begins
9:15 AM – 9:45 AM: Military Drill (M)
9:50 AM -10:20 AM: Elijah Haines (P), Hainesville Founder
10:00 AM – 10:20 AM: Drill Instruction (M)
10:25 AM – 10:55 AM: Mary Todd Lincoln (P), Life in the White House
11:00 PM- 11:30 PM: General Grant (P)
11:35 PM – 12:05 PM: Harriet Tubman (P), Her Life & Times
12:00 PM – 12:20 PM: Drill Instruction (M)
12:10 PM – 12:55 PM: President Lincoln (P)
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Officer’s Call (M); Thomas Morris Chester (P)
1:35 PM – 2:05 PM: Battlefield Surgery (M)
2:15 PM – 2:30 PM: Assembly (M)
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM: Narrated Battle (M); Atlanta Campaign (P)
3:00 PM: Event Ends
(M) – Military; (P) – Presenters
Civil War Event Video
View a five-minute video of the 2021 Civil War Event. (Depiction is valid. Ignore dates shown.)
Civil War Event Directions
The site for the event is on the north end of the Northbrook Sports Club property at 200 Hainesville Road, Hainesville, IL 60030.
At the intersection of Belvidere Road (US route 120) and Hainesville Road, turn south. Then carefully cross the railroad tracks and move further south stopping at the Information Booth to receive the event program. Then you will be directed to the visitors parking area. Parking for the handicapped, re-enactors, presenters, media, food vendors and EMS is further south.
Signs are posted throughout the vent site to direct visitors to the various activities. A site map is also included in the event program. All activities can be accessed by walking. Golf carts are available to transport the handicapped, as needed.
Enjoy the event.
Event Site Map and Site Key
Click the image thumbnail to enlarge the map.
- Visitor Info/Program Stop
- Visitor Parking
- Re-enactment Registration Tent
- Union Forces Encampment
- Battlefield (Site of Battle & Military Drill)
- Confederate Forces Parking
- General Grant’s HQ
- 17th Corps Hospital & Battlefield Surgery
- Civilian Encampment
- Presentations Moved to Tent at 13
- Picnic Tables
- Presentation Tent
- Food Vendors (near 13 location
- Re-enactor, Presenter & Vendor Parking
- Media & EMS Parking
- Portable Toilets
29th US Colored Troops (in vicinity of 8&9 Drill Instruction for the Public (North of 8)
NOTE: Signs indicate activity locations. Refuse containers & recycle bins are strategically located throughout the encampment area.
Civil War Event Sponsors
We thank the following 2023 Civil War Event sponsors.
ACE
659 Railroad Avenue, Volo, IL 60073
Clearview Recycling
250 Belvidere Road, Hainesville, IL 60030
Northbrook Sports Club
160 Sports Club Drive, Hainesville, IL 60030
Robert E. Frank Real Estate
P.O. Box 1111, Lake Ville, IL 60046
R. H. Witt Heating
2049 Johns Drive, Glenview, IL 60025
Robinson Engineering
26575 W. Commerce, Suite 512, Volo, IL 60073
Event Sponsor Form
To sign up to sponsor the 2024 event, view and complete the 2024 Sponsor Sign Up Form.
Re-enactors Forms
View the 2024 Civil War Event Re-enactors Registration Form and the 2024 Re-enactors Waiver Form.
Mail the completed forms to: Wayne Carle, 26112 West Parkview Drive, Antioch, IL 60002
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