Bob Walden discusses Civil War era rifles while his wife, Jaynetta, looks on. (Photo by Betsy Allen)

Civil War and frontier era reenactor Bob Walden was the special speaker at the October 30 meeting of the Upper Vandalia Historical Society, where he gave a presentation on the history of firearms during the Civil War. He brought seven different rifles which illustrated the technological progression of fire power during the war.

Some of the guns that…