Thick white smoke drifts over the battlefield and into the spectator area. Musket fire erupts from both the Confederate and Yankee lines. White smoke billows. The earth shakes. Little children cover their ears.
Big children laugh nervously.
The Annual Ocklawaha River Raid, a reenactment of the only Civil War battle fought in Marion County, takes place every year on the grounds of the Lake Weir Chamber of Commerce in Ocklawaha. In addition to reenacting camp life, a battle is staged each day of the weekend event. The skirmish is recreated, but not necessarily the way it happened. The battle reenactment is good to teach children history, but it's not always true. The grounds open to the public at around 10 a.m.