Members of the Hunley Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy, attended a wonderful 4th of July celebration at Heritage Park in Simpsonville. Heritage Park has a beautiful, grassy outdoor amphitheater, complete with a high-tech stage. On stage the Greenville Symphony put on a first-class concert of patriotic music for all to enjoy and the highlight was the 1812 Overture—of course! Near the end of the Overture cannons are called for and, indeed, cannons were supplied! Thirteen guns of varying sizes were present to provide the thunderous accompaniment right on cue.
Hunley member Hope Kateman and her husband Joe both serve on a cannon battery, the Columbia Flying Artillery out of Easley, and member Holly Sheen’s husband Ray was manning the mortar as well. The gun crews were under the direction of Jack Marlar.
Everyone clearly enjoyed the dramatic ending to the 1812 Overture as the cannons roared fire and smoke. As the smoke cleared, the cannon crews doffed their hats to the crowd which was on its feet with a standing ovation. The happy ending to the evening was the spectacular fireworks display which immediately followed, exploding overhead from the field beside the amphitheater. A perfect ending to a perfect evening!
