KConservative
Cass/Jackson Edition 2008

County Happenings
The Burning of Dayton - Civil War Reenactment
Cass County's largest Civil War reenactment ever will feature "The Burning of Dayton" on March 29 and 30 just outside the present-day town of Dayton, Missouri. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime event when fourteen structures built to represent the Civil War era town will be put to the torch on Sunday afternoon.
Hundreds of Union and Confederate reenactors will provide visitors on both days with the chance to experience life in a Civil War encampment. Activities on Saturday will feature drills by infantry, cavalry and artillery along with a hospital demonstration in the Medical Camp. Troops will then battle at 2:00 p.m. that afternoon.
Saturday afternoon will include a women's fashion show at the Dayton Baptist Church and a "Talking Tombstones" tour of the Dayton Cemetery. The evening highlight will be a period dance with the "South Fork String Band" providing music and instruction for all ages.
Various storytellers and living history scenarios will provide stories of life during the Civil War on the Border both Saturday and Sunday. Period sutlers, craftsmen, blacksmiths and demonstrators will share their skills and goods for visitors both days.
Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m., some 300 participants will stage a battle reenactment of the July 9, 1862 fight in Cass County between 250 of Quantrill's men and Union troops which took part on the Lotspeich Farm north of present-day Creighton.
Shortly following, the rebuilt town of Dayton will be put to the torch. On January 1, 1862, Jennison's Seventh Kansas Cavalry Jayhawkers of 200 soldiers under the command of Daniel Anthony burned 46 of the 47 buildings in Dayton upon learning that Confederates had been recruiting there.
Dayton is ten miles south of Garden City on MO Hwy F. The hosting unit is Gar-Infantry, Confederate States of America., and sponsoring organization is the Cass County Civil War Roundtable.
This event is a Maximum Effort Event sanctioned by The Missouri Civil War Reenactors Association. All activities are free and open to the public.
Groups or individuals interested in providing food or craft booths should contact Jackie Roberts at 816.884.6285 or visit the website at www.burning-dayton.org.