David Davenport: Davenport traveled all the way from Fresno to bring his Civil War history expertise to Saturday's event.

A retired professor who taught Civil War history at Fresno City College, Davenport's great-great-grandfather, Sgt. James Sturdevant, fought for the Union Army during the war. According to Davenport, Sturdevant was captured during the Battle of Shiloh and imprisoned before returning home.

Tony Vranicar: During the week, Vranicar is a mechanical engineer in Menlo Park. But since reading "The Red Badge of Courage" in high school, Vranicar has been so fascinated by Civil War history that he spends much of his free time researching it.

He eventually joined a volunteer infantry, which he said was much like joining "a troop for Boy Scouts," and has been traveling on weekends to participate in living history and re-enactments events ever since.

Bob Preston: A retired deputy sheriff who served in Iraq, Tracy resident Bob Preston has a long line of Civil War veterans in his family tree. And unlike most others, Preston is a descendent of family members who fought for both the Confederacy and the Union.

Dressed as a lieutenant colonel Saturday, Preston said Civil War re-enactments have become a family affair, as his wife, sons and even grandchildren also tend to participate. As someone who has been fascinated by the war since he was a child, Preston said in his nine years re-enacting the actual events he has learned one thing.

"The fact that everyone in my family survived makes me really respect what they did, no matter what side they were on," he said. "They went out every time knowing they may not come back. That takes a lot of courage."