NC: Duplin Roads Interview

 Gabriel Boney 

The following is an interview with North Carolina War Between the States Sesquicentennial Chair Bernhard Thuersam on the upcoming “General Hoke at Duplin Roads, 1865: A Living History” program. It will be held at 6:30PM Tuesday, March 25, at the Wallace Women’s Club, 216 NE Railroad Street in Wallace, NC.  The public is invited and admission is free.

What was the impetus behind this unusual living history presentation – why this format?

BT:  “The Commission was looking for a unique and informative way to observe the Sesquicentennial beyond the usual reenactments, static displays and lecture formats.  Several of us had viewed the Williamsburg-style living histories with Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry and John Adams in-character, and we decided upon this as a most interesting direction.

General Robert F. Hoke

 

  Mrs. Eliza Parsley

The possibilities are only restricted by the historical characters we can portray; the Duplin Roads event has General Robert F. Hoke and Gabriel Boney discussing the important military events from Fort Fisher to Duplin Roads as if they had just occurred, plus a refugeeing Wilmington lady (Mrs. Eliza Parsley) who adds a first-person account of the plight of women and children on the home front.  As in the great Williamsburg programs, our audience will feel as if they are watching history unfold before their very eyes.”

How do you see this conversation format being more effective than a lecture format?

BT: “I think lecture formats are certainly effective and we use them in many instances, but as one who participates in living histories and reenactments around the State I do often witness the positive effect of uniformed interpreters interacting with the public.  That public is usually very much interested and more engaged. 

This is what the Commission wanted to pursue -- to bring North Carolina history closer to the public to learn, understand, and think about these events that shaped history.  This is what history education is all about, engaging the observer, helping them see through the eyes of someone at an earlier time, and bringing them to better understand how events of 150 years ago may still affect us today. It may also challenge them to learn more about a topic, ask probing questions and further research them.” 

Why focus on a little-known general, and who is Gabriel Boney?  Why is he important?

BT: “Robert F. Hoke is for some reason little-known though he was one of Lee’s most trusted division commanders and an accomplished North Carolina general officer.  It was Hoke who liberated Plymouth from Northern occupation, nearly liberated New Bern shortly after, and who steadfastly resisted enemy attacks at Forks Road below Wilmington in early 1865 and forced them to go around him.  Hoke’s entrenchments at Rockfish Creek were also a serious impediment to the enemy – they were reluctant to engage him again after being repulsed repeatedly at Forks Road. 

Gabriel Boney was selected as he was a prominent Duplin Roads (now Wallace) merchant and planter, and his son was serving in the Fortieth North Carolina Regiment under Hoke’s command.  It is plausible that Boney would have met Hoke during the two-week encampment, and also desired to see his son.  Modern-day Wallace is built upon what was Boney land, and I am privileged to portray Mr. Boney.” 

You are doing two performances on March 25? How did you train for this?

BT: “Yes, a midday program to 100-or so high school history students, and an evening program at 6:30PM at the Women’s Club in Wallace. 

We are not professional or trained actors – we rely upon our knowledge of the events and study of our characters to be convincing to the audiences.  The most important thing is that we present this North Carolina history in an honest manner, and encourage the audience to think and understand this history more deeply than before – and why it is important today. If we are training for anything, it is to be honest and in-character.” 

Who are your fellow characters in the Duplin Roads program?

BT: “I have been very fortunate to meet two very well-versed and knowledgeable people who help make this possible – Wayne Newnam of Beaufort and Kelly Hinson of Jackson Springs.  Clearly, without them the programs would be impossible.  Wayne performs as General Robert F. Hoke annually at the Plymouth battle reenactment and often presents a realistic Gen. Joseph E. Johnston character complete with impeccably-tailored and authentic uniforms and headquarters camp display.

He does an excellent job and has taught me so much.  

Kelly regularly portrays the grieving widow of Gen. Stonewall Jackson, Anna Morrison Jackson, who was a Charlotte lady.  Kelly will be depicting Eliza Nutt Parsley in our Duplin Roads program, a Wilmington lady whose husband is a field officer with Lee in Virginia and she and her two children are refugeeing in Robeson County with friends. I am confident Kelly will bring the audience to tears telling a riveting story of life as a refugee, the same as she does as Mrs. Jackson reading her loving husband’s last letters to her.  I am very, very lucky to have these two friends to work with.”

Are you offering this same program elsewhere in North Carolina?

BT:  “We may schedule a few more in the Wilmington and Pender County area this year, and certainly more in Duplin County early next year as we approach the 150-year observance of this historic event in Duplin. Certainly public interest will guide this.” 

Are you planning other living history events of this type?

BT: “Yes we are.  Given the interest and success of the Duplin Roads program, another will feature Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and Gen. William J. Hardee in a headquarters camp dialogue which gives the audience a view of the events those commanders faced, their view of the enemy’s movements and strategies, and how the final campaign in North Carolina unfolded.  I see this program being popular toward the end of the year and into the Bentonville battle time next March, perhaps performing this in Averasboro, Dunn, Bentonville, Goldsboro, Smithfield and Raleigh.  We have the Johnston/Hardee characters lined up, there may be others.”

Will you perform the Johnston/Hardee program at the Bentonville historic site?

BT:  “We have not spoken with them as yet, but are discussing this with a private historical organization with a large nearby site.  It will take place at the time of the battle, mid-March, and it would certainly be correct to have Generals Johnston and Hardee there, as well as others who participated. We are looking for more officers to help us better present these living history conversations.”

Thank you for your time and sharing this with us.

BT:  Many thanks to you, we appreciate the public being made aware of the programs.