Settlers Days marches through Saturday’s rain in Lanark

LANARK — Saturday’s rain impacted a portion of the Old Settlers Days festival, but the parade marched on through downtown Lanark.

A heavy downpour of rain fell across the region late morning washing out the festival’s car show and kids tractor pull.

The parade was delayed from an 11 a.m. start to a 1:30 p.m. start and made it through its route as the skies cleared.

After the parade, the Kiddie Water Fights and the Civil War Encampment program were held as scheduled.

The encampment included a reenactment of a battle by Battery G, 2nd Illinois Light Artillery, a reenactment group based in the Rockford area.Battery G participates in battle reenactments, living history encampments, parades, ceremonies and educational presentations. The group’s mission is to educate the public about the American Civil War, about the role that field artillery played in the war and about the people who fought and lived through those difficult times.

In order to properly educate the public, we strive for authenticity in our impressions, uniforms, equipment and encampments. Battery G currently has 4 cannons in our arsenal; 3 of which are original barrels used during the Civil War while the other is a reproduction. Two cannons were present at Old Settlers Days.

Battery G is always looking for new members who would like to participate with us in this great hobby. Dues are modest and are used to maintain our equipment as well as to help pay for our other expenses. If you’d like to join Battery G or want some more information about us or reenacting in general please get in touch with our recruiter.

“Battery G, 2nd Illinois, Light Artillery was mustered into Federal service on Dec. 31, 1861. Throughout the war the Battery was assigned to the western theater of operations and participated in the Vicksburg campaign, fought at the battle of Nashville and was engaged in numerous skirmishes and engagements in Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee fighting against, among others, the Confederate troops of Nathan Bedford Forrest and Sterling Price. One Battery member, Corporal Sam Churchill, received the Medal of Honor for gallant action at the battle of Nashville. At the end of the war the Battery was stationed in Montgomery Alabama, where it was mustered out of Federal service on Sept. 4, 1865,” the group’s website says.