Fortress Party 2016 Retrospective, part 5: Civil War USO Show

In 1864, the Union soldiers were starting to get a little burned out from all of the brother-on-brother fighting and battlefield amputations. The Civil War USO Show was there to boost their morale with a night of music and comedy. 

 

The sign says, "GO BLUE BEAT the confederate STATEs of America."

The lineup for the evening included uniquely antebellum (or peri-bellum) band names: Custer's Last Stand-up Act, Oliver Wendell Homely, The John Wilkes Kissing Booth, The Frankly Scarletts, Pain in the Manassas, Buffalo Bill Codeine, Babe-graham Lincoln, 4 Chords and 7 Beers Ago, Stonewall Jordan and the Ulysses S. Greats, Period Accurate, and Shreddysburg Address.

There was a small stage built on used wooden pallets. 

Alex played a handmade washtub bass. 

The show started with a word from our sponsor, an actual Snake Oil salesman.

Most of the soldiers enjoyed themselves, but some were still apprehensive about having to go back to battlefield amputations the next day.