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CNN Live Today
A History Lesson
Aired September 17, 2002 - 11:56 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We want to bring you this story, a history lesson on the battle of Antietam. It was the bloodiest day on U.S. soil.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: That's right, spectators recently got to see the Civil War battle there, re-enacted, but getting the blue and the gray back on the battlefield took a lot of grief. So corporate sponsors were enlisted to do that.
LIN: Our Bruce Morton reports from the front line of the Battle of Bloody Lane.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the battle at Bloody Lane, 5,500 men killed or wounded, part of the larger Battle of Antietam, 23,000 killed. The bloodiest day in American military history. This re-enactment marks the 140th anniversary of the battle, and the Clash at Bloody Lane is brought to you by, no kidding, Farmer's and Merchants Bank and Trust. You can't see their logo on the battlefield, but corporate sponsor, who contributing a quarter of a million dollars are a major reason this reenactment is happening. Just ask event cochairman Dennis Frye.
DENNIS FRYE, EVENT CO-CHAIRMAN: Without the corporate sponsorship, we would not be able to do the media advertising, the public relations. We would not be able to attract the number of people that need to come here into our community to enjoy this. We wouldn't be able to do the educational programs.
MORTON: And ticket prices would soar. Re-enactors, 13,000 of them here, pay from 10 to $25. Adult spectators pay $17 a day, less for children.
FRYE: We're providing a family educational event at very moderate prices, very, very cheap to compared to what it would cost to go to a ball game or even the movies. And so through our sponsorship, we are able to keep this very reasonable for families.
MORTON: More than 60,000 re-enactors and spectators attended the three-day event. No logos on the battlefield, no logos at the camp sites.
RAY BOURLAND, ALLEGHENY ENERGY: It's very, very low-key. We certainly do not want to intrude upon any of the sacredness of this particular historical event. MORTON: In fact to find the sponsors, you have to go to the sponsorship tent, not a compulsory stop. The F&M Bank, which brought you bloody lane, has a car there, and you will see other corporate logos, but that's it.
You can spend your day watching fighting. This is a cavalry demonstration, or watching men march, women in hoop skirts, whatever, and never see an ad. You can learn about the battle, a turning point many experts say, a victory the north badly needed, a victory which convinced some European countries to stay out of this American war. It's authentic, though tourists in short sometimes outnumber soldiers.
It is authentic, well, mostly. I mean, the Confederates really didn't really have walkie-talkies, did they? These beans look authentic, but you can find hot dogs and modern stuff, too. It's a great big battlefield party. And the one thing everyone here agrees on is that the 140th anniversary of Gettysburg re-enactment next year will be even bigger.
Bruce Morton, CNN, with Union and Confederate Forces, Antietam.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 17, 2002 - 11:56 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We want to bring you this story, a history lesson on the battle of Antietam. It was the bloodiest day on U.S. soil.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: That's right, spectators recently got to see the Civil War battle there, re-enacted, but getting the blue and the gray back on the battlefield took a lot of grief. So corporate sponsors were enlisted to do that.
LIN: Our Bruce Morton reports from the front line of the Battle of Bloody Lane.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the battle at Bloody Lane, 5,500 men killed or wounded, part of the larger Battle of Antietam, 23,000 killed. The bloodiest day in American military history. This re-enactment marks the 140th anniversary of the battle, and the Clash at Bloody Lane is brought to you by, no kidding, Farmer's and Merchants Bank and Trust. You can't see their logo on the battlefield, but corporate sponsor, who contributing a quarter of a million dollars are a major reason this reenactment is happening. Just ask event cochairman Dennis Frye.
DENNIS FRYE, EVENT CO-CHAIRMAN: Without the corporate sponsorship, we would not be able to do the media advertising, the public relations. We would not be able to attract the number of people that need to come here into our community to enjoy this. We wouldn't be able to do the educational programs.
MORTON: And ticket prices would soar. Re-enactors, 13,000 of them here, pay from 10 to $25. Adult spectators pay $17 a day, less for children.
FRYE: We're providing a family educational event at very moderate prices, very, very cheap to compared to what it would cost to go to a ball game or even the movies. And so through our sponsorship, we are able to keep this very reasonable for families.
MORTON: More than 60,000 re-enactors and spectators attended the three-day event. No logos on the battlefield, no logos at the camp sites.
RAY BOURLAND, ALLEGHENY ENERGY: It's very, very low-key. We certainly do not want to intrude upon any of the sacredness of this particular historical event. MORTON: In fact to find the sponsors, you have to go to the sponsorship tent, not a compulsory stop. The F&M Bank, which brought you bloody lane, has a car there, and you will see other corporate logos, but that's it.
You can spend your day watching fighting. This is a cavalry demonstration, or watching men march, women in hoop skirts, whatever, and never see an ad. You can learn about the battle, a turning point many experts say, a victory the north badly needed, a victory which convinced some European countries to stay out of this American war. It's authentic, though tourists in short sometimes outnumber soldiers.
It is authentic, well, mostly. I mean, the Confederates really didn't really have walkie-talkies, did they? These beans look authentic, but you can find hot dogs and modern stuff, too. It's a great big battlefield party. And the one thing everyone here agrees on is that the 140th anniversary of Gettysburg re-enactment next year will be even bigger.
Bruce Morton, CNN, with Union and Confederate Forces, Antietam.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
