Closing 2025
- Jason A. Sumner
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Marbury, Alabama - Friday, 12th December - Saturday, 13th December, 2025
2025 has been an incredibly busy year for both the company and for myself. As the Fall season has come to a conclusion, there is much to be grateful for with regard to both the company and within my own life.
As anyone who possibly has followed this site may have noticed, posting this year has been quite sparse as compared to the year prior, and this is given that I have been engaged in the composition of my dissertation as I move towards completion of a Ph.D in Leadership (June, 2026!). Though this does not mean that my attendance at events has slowed or lessened. I have remained steadfast in my commitment to our cause to educate about our history and continue to remain quite active in the field.
Observations as we move into 2026:
The hobby in and of itself has lost many members in recent years. There are possibly numerous factors at play, inclusive of the costs, our societal environment, a lack of interest among the younger generation, and a lessening of quality and accuracy at localized events. These, perhaps, are not the only issues which negatively impact the hobby as a whole, but they certainly give cause to be concerned among many living historians interested in preserving our history, and preserving the “hobby” of teaching others about this era within our nation’s painful history.
There is nothing glorious or glamorous about the hardships these men faced while engaged within this conflict. They suffered. When we take the field, at least among my pards and I, the focus is to very much honor the memory of every man who served, regardless of army or other distinction. We find that there is a comradery in our love for this period of history and often it is not contained to the war between the states; rather, it spans to multiple other periods of American history. This passion for the past is an important “ingredient” if you will, for invoking an interest in sharing one’s knowledge. Yes, not everyone loves history as much as we do, but we do enjoy the opportunity to express information that brings clarity to sometimes collectively misunderstood knowledge. We do this through great accountability, beholden to primary source information rather than historical accounts written after the fact. Research must inform what we do and it must be the rule and guide of all living historians who seek to bring honor to those who came before and the many who, in this particular circumstance, gave the last full measure of their resolve to serve a cause so much larger than simple issues. We have a responsibility to further be truthful in our work and to ensure that we do not present a specific or biased narrative of the past, and we collectively strive to present a complete picture, each time we put on a program or take the field at an event.
Perhaps, in time, societal change will again remind most Americans of the value of the past, and the pain therein, as it is a poignant and necessary teacher. We collectively have a responsibility to learn from the sins of our fathers and to observe the lessons of their struggles in order to be a better people and to create a better society. How can we teach future generations and establish a history worth learning ourselves, when we turn our backs on the past that has established the nation we live in today? I often find myself asking this question of the public and my own students. I wonder with great sadness why there is so much apathy regarding our unique history. As an educator, I believe we have collectively lost our way in the manner in which we educate our children. We do not create experiences in the classroom that cause interest, and oftentimes, educators are pressed to cover vast amounts of material with insufficient instructional time. This further reinforces the goals of my own company and so many others, as we see our craft as necessary to providing a tangible experience in which onlookers can very much interact and learn through experience. Experience is the best teacher!
Within this particular sentiment, I am looking forward to new challenges in 2026 as the company must work to grow both in numbers and in the quality of our educational programs and goals. This past year we gained three, possibly four new members and we expanded upon our programming. I am hopeful for additional membership in the coming year, as we continue to advance the cause of educating on our past. More members will give us the opportunity to further develop our capabilities for putting on new programs that are innovative and very rewarding for the public.
A Company Christmas
Our company had its annual Christmas gathering at the Confederate Memorial Park in Marbury Alabama, making use of one of the historic barracks located at the park. This marked the second occasion in which the company has had our annual end of the year event there and it was absolutely delightful. This year’s get-together featured more food than the company membership could eat, our “dirty Santa” period gift exchange, and a very generous drawing of lots for items donated by one of the company members.
Despite somewhat cooler temperatures, the weather was actually quite pleasant and allowed for time around the fire pit outside of the barracks. Inside the structure the three woodstoves kept all warm and comfortable, a nice change from the norm of sleeping on the ground while in the field.
Members of the company also had the opportunity to crash the park’s picture’s with Santa Clause (Featured at the top of the Post). We very much enjoyed having our picture taken with the north’s most well-known invader. Afterwards, most of the company enjoyed a walk through the park’s museum. A highly recommended stop if you’ve not been and find yourself in the area. The park is quite unique and also features the state’s archival collection from the Confederacy. One of my favorite features of the museum from this particular visit was the colors of the 18th Alabama which were displayed prominently when entering the museum.
The museum further boasts a number of other items, from uniforms, to a rather fine collection of weapons and information about Alabama’s commitment to the Confederate cause. Additionally, the museum features exhibits on the state veteran’s home which was originally located at the site of the park. Though the main structure burned many years ago, these exhibits feature pictures and information about the numerous cottages and main structure that originally stood on the property.
Closing the Year
Looking forward to 2026, the company will send delegates to the Hardee Guard Battalion Meeting in early January, where these representatives will cast votes on behalf of the company in the new slate of both officers and battalion events for the 2026 year. Further the company will hold its bi-annual winter meeting on the 17th of January, in which company officers and events will be elected for the Spring 2026 Season. The company’s first possible event of the 2026 year will more than likely be Olustee, Florida, which will be the second weekend of February. Here’s to another year of living history and wonderful educational experiences for those we meet in the field.
If interested in learning more about the Confederate Memorial Park in Marbury, AL, please check out the park's website: https://ahc.alabama.gov/properties/confederate/confederate.aspx
Please accept my sincerest wishes of a most blessed and Very Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones, followed by a Happy New Year.
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