More than 50,000 troops fought during the Battle of Champion Hill on May 16, 1863. The battle ended when the Confederate forces were crushed and forced to retreat to Vicksburg. Twenty-seven years later, veterans from both the Confederate and Union armies reunited at the site to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the battle. On Saturday, the 152nd anniversary of this event will be emulated and will include a barbecue lunch, ice cream and a distinguished speaker, Rebecca Drake said.

Drake, who has written nine books pertaining to the Civil War, is also a board member of the Champion Heritage Foundation, the sponsor of the event.

“ Bertram Hayes-Davis, the great-great grandson of Jefferson and Varina Davis, has been chosen to be this year’s event speaker. The all-day event will also feature a variety of other crowd-pleasing activities, which will include the Angel Bandits performing bluegrass string music, the Lewis Family Gospel Singers, exhibits by members of the Mississippi Craftsmen, manikin exhibits by artist Bertha Lewis, book signings by local writers and an art exhibit by Jerry McWilliams,” Drake said.

Winners of the Janet Champion Essay contest will also be recognized and awarded at noon by the Champion Heritage Foundation.

“Janet, a school teacher, was diagnosed with ALS last year, and to show our love and appreciation, we established the Essay Awards in her honor. We plan to continue the essay award in future events,” Drake said.

This year’s event will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the grounds of the Champion Hill MB Church and golf carts and buses will be available to transport participants to the site and on the battlefield tours. Admission is free, but the cost of the lunch is $10.

For more information, visit www.battleofchampionhill.org.

The Reunion of 1890 was one of the first of its kind to bring Union and Confederate veterans together following the war. Event organizers, Sid Champion II, Clay Sharkey and citizens of Bolton and Edwards, planned the impressive picnic that represented one of the largest crowds ever in Mississippi history.

Veterans enjoyed visiting, shaking hands and sharing stories of the war. The highlight of the 1890 reunion was a speech given by Stephen D. Lee, former Confederate general who played a significant role in the battle of Champion Hill, Drake said.

In the event of rain, the event will be rescheduled for Saturday, May 23.