Come July 19, the Muskingum River will come alive with a Civil War reenactment that sees guests of the Lorena Sternwheeler getting shot at from the river banks — and the boat firing back.

The holiday’s origins can be traced to the American Civil War, which killed more than 600,000 service members — both Union and Confederate — between 1861 and 1865.

In July 1865, when Alexander died, the Civil War had only just ended. ... Martha, born on Oct. 19, 1823, was the widow of a canal boat builder and captain from Petersville, MD.