Fifth-graders at Springfield Elementary saw what life was like in the 1860s, thanks to a recent visit to the school by a group of Civil War re-enactors.

The re-enactors dressed in period clothing and set up a camp, complete with a cannon, to demonstrate how Confederate soldiers lived during the Civil War. Students also learned about the techniques women used to prepare food and make clothes and soap.

The visit from the re-enactors coincided with lessons SES fifth-graders have been studying on the Civil War. One of the fifth-graders, Colby Malphus, 11, dressed in Civil War attire and participated in the re-enactment with his family.

Colby was recognized recently for his media project on a Confederate soldier’s life on and off the battlefield. It will be one of the projects on display at the Effingham County School System’s inaugural Georgia Student Media Festival Showcase on Oct. 10 at the Effingham College and Career Academy.

The re-enactors, from Camp Davis 2073 in Guyton and other Sons of Confederate Veterans camps, donated their time to conduct the “living history” demonstration. They have put on programs at several Effingham County schools in recent years, and this was their first visit to Springfield Elementary.