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Battery D fulfills two goals: One for public, one for members

Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette Standing in a shroud of cannon smoke, members of Battery D fulfill their primary function which, according to the battery commander, is enjoying their hobby.Here, they are preparing to fire another round.

COPPER HARBOR — Battery D, 1st Michigan Light Artillery completed its annual Fort Wilkins encampment Sunday afternoon, concluding its 35th annual encampment. The primary goal of the battery is to offer as accurate account of life in the 1860s as is possible in the 21st century. The 501(C)-3 nonprofit does in this in a variety of ways, including guest speaking appearances, and school classroom visits, where they try to teach and learn more about the way of life in the 1860’s, by providing an entertaining look at history. They also strive to impress upon people today the trials and tribulations that the typical, hardworking, person underwent merely to survive in those times, “notwithstanding the pressures of war, and to teach our fellow human beings that the war, and the symbols and reminders of it, should not be erased as signs of hatred, but remembered as lessons of the past, and tributes to those who gave uncompromisingly to build this Great Country in which we now live. We have complete families assisting in this portrayal, from babies to geezers,” the battery’s website states. That is mission of the battery as an organization. For its members, however, their primary function is a bit different.

Troy Bongard of Claire, Michigan, the Lieutenant commanding Battery D, said in this regard the battery serves two missions.

“Our primary function is to enjoy our hobby,” he said. “There’s an on-going joke in the hobby that you join for two reasons: you’re either a history buff, or a pyromaniac. If you join as a history buff, you turn into a pyromaniac. If you join as a pyromaniac, you become a history buff. I was the latter: I joined as a pyromaniac and turned into a history buff.”

The battery makes several historical and battle reenactments in a season, but to the members, Bongard said, the favorite event is the annual weekend encampment at Fort Wilkins.

“We love, love, love, coming up here,” Bongard said. “It is the highlight of our reenacting season every year, we really look forward to it. We have an annual meeting where we put together the year’s schedule, and Fort Wilkins is always on the schedule, and Fort Wilkins is always a maximum effort event. So, if you’re going to make at least one, this is the one to make.”

Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette Members of the Wisconsin 2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment provide thorough drill instructions to a group of kids during the Battery D encampment at Fort Wilkins Saturday afternoon.

As the battery has been a popular and returning event for the past 31 years, its members were thrilled to help the fort celebrate its 175th anniversary.

“We had 19 military, and we probably had 15 or 18 civilians,” Bongard said, “and then we invited a couple of infantry groups, 2nd Wisconsin, the 7th Michigan, and a Zouave group, but I can’t remember which unit they represent.”

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