1916- Sham Battle

This article describes the battle re-enactment as part of the Mecklenburg Declaration celebrations in 1916.

The Charlotte News 5/21/1916 p. 2

THOUSANDS SAW THE SHAM BATTLE  

Myers Park and East Dilworth and Points Between Filled With Picturesque Throngs of Humanity Witnessed Maneuvers of North Carolina State Guard in Mimic Battle.  

The sham battle, the crowning feature of the military pageant of the celebration, attracted many thousands of people to Myers Park yesterday afternoon, where one of the most spectacular maneuvers ever undertaken by the state guard, with the exception of the annual summer encampment, were staged in that area of the Myers Park – Dilworth section that lies between the crest of the hill eastward of Sugar Creek in Myers Park and the woodland on the ridge between Sugar Creek and Dilworth proper.  

Street cars on both the Myers Park and Dilworth lines took thousands of people to the grounds, while long lines of automobiles and other vehicles took other thousands. Toward 3 o’clock the crest of the ridge running from the neighborhood of Word H. Wood’s house southward was alive with a tremendous multitude of people, some in automobiles, some on foot and some in other vehicles. On the ridge west of Sugar Creek and north of the bridge over the Myers Park – Dilworth belt road was another throng of humanity, while all the vales and valleys between contained others eager to see the battle. Five companies of coast artillery went to Myers Park in advance of the other troops. They were under command of Major Kuykendall of Greensboro. They were formed in a long line stretching from the crest of the ridge southward toward Sugar Creek.  

The first and second infantry regiments approached the field from East Morehead street extended. At the eastern end of that thoroughfare, this contingent separated into two detachments, one going southward toward the bridge over Sugar Creek and the other going in a northwesterly direction toward the upper end of Myers Park. With all details worked out as if for an actual battle the attacking troops who advanced from the west side of Sugar Creek kept under cover of patches of brush and the shoulders of the elevations, seeking to approach as near as possible without being seen to the defending line. The troops on the defending line began firing first in desultory fashion, the fire increasing to a considerable volley for a moment and then dying down.  

The attacking line did not return the fire but sent forward scouts to observe the position of the defenders of the Myers Park ridge. Presently the scouts and pickets of the attackers from the north side of the Sugar Creek valley began firing and the troops behind them went forward by rushes, still keeping under cover until within several hundred yards of the defending line. Then the attacking line opened fire also and ran across the creek and up the east side of the valley joining the detachment from the north and both rushing forward toward the crest of Myers Park ridge. By this time both attackers and defenders were keeping up a steady fire and the rattle of the rifles must have sounded very much like an actual conflict. The only feature lacking to make it a touch of realism was the presence of dead and wounded.  

Theoretically the two attacking divisions captured the line on the ridge of Myers Park and the battle was over. The vast throngs of people watched the make-believe battle with intense interest and were amply repaid for standing on hour and half in the sun to watch the spectacle.