Hundreds gathered at Riverside Park on Saturday to get a glimpse at the battle before the battle.

Re-enactors, families, and visitors from all around gathered at Riverside Park Saturday to witness a re-enactment of a skirmish between Confederate and Union forces as a part of the 2012 Battle of Selma.

The thundering sound of cannons, the popping of rifles, and the smoke produced by both filled the air on Saturday.

The skirmish re-enactment was another fulfillment of a hobby for some.

Joan Tucker, who attended the skirmish in period clothing, said she attended the skirmish to support her husband and his participation in the re-enactment, and the event serves as a good history lesson.

“I enjoy the Battle of Selma. It’s a good battle,” Tucker said. “My husband is a part of the cannon crew, so I’m enjoying watching the cannon crew do what they’re doing. I do this because he enjoys it. Also, it really brings home how much the war changed everyone’s lives.”

Like Tucker, Rosalee Hardyman attended the event dressed in the attire of the time.

Hardyman was also in attendance to support a loved one, and she said re-enactments serve as another great way to convey and teach history.

“My fiancée is on the cannon crew, and we’re having a re-enactor’s period wedding on June 2,” Hardyman said. “I do it to support him and his hobby. I’ve never done this before until I met him. There’s a lot of great people involved and it’s so much fun to be involved in something like this. It’s fun. It’s very nice and I get to wear beautiful clothes. I really do enjoy it and I’ve learned a lot about history and things I had no idea about that you don’t learn in school.”

While Saturday’s skirmish created an action-packed afternoon, the full battle re-enactment is set to take place Sunday at 2 p.m.