In hopes of deserting, a Confederate soldier made a mad dash towards the woods. Before he could escape, he was stopped by two members of the calvary, and led back to his position.

With that taken care of, the calvary rode out to meet the Union forces, and the last skirmish of the Battle of Selma officially began.

Both sides started firing rifle and cannon shots that shook the ground.

Adult onlookers clapped and cheered while some children screamed in fright. After being comforted by their parents, the children began to enjoy the loud display.

“When are they going to do it again?” said a child to his father.

He did not have long to wait.

The next Confederate cannon blast knocked down a tree that was near the Union soldiers. The crowd gasped in amazement, and the cheers and shouts began again.

The Union soldiers returned fire with a shot that sent water from a small stream flying into the air. Amid more shots that launched dirt hundreds of feet into the air, the Union calvary rode down the hill toward the Confederates.

The battle got heated.

The Confederates fired shot after shot at the approaching enemy.

“Look, the house is burning!,” said a child.

Flames could be seen coming from the roof of the house on the battlefield.

Union soldiers spread out in front of the house and began firing, while others continued to march forward. Confederate cannons stopped many of the approaching soldiers, but not all.

As the flames finally caused the house to cave in, the Union forces were given the order to charge. The severely outnumbered Confederates fought valiantly, but were soon overpowered. The bodies of wounded and dead soldiers from both sides littered the ground as they raised their hands in defeat.

The 18th Battle of Selma was officially over.

Despite the disappointing ending, the estimated 3,000 people in attendance clapped and cheered their approval of this year’s reenactment. General Bill Rambo apologized for not being able to defeat the “Yankees.” The military reenactors lined up to carry out a volley of gunfire in remembrance of those who actually died in the war, officially ending the Battle of Selma.