East Tennessee Civil War Campaigns has announced that the reenactment of the Battle of Bulls Gap, which had been scheduled for this May, has been postponed for a year.

Bill Ringel, coordinator for the event, stated in a press release, "The state of the economy has limited registrations received from reenactors in a five-state region who attend Civil War events in East Tennessee.

The event, reenacting the November 1864 battle, was to have been held at I-81 Motorsports Park near exit 44 on Interstate 81.

Ringel said the event had verbal commitments from more than 1,000 reenactors early in the year, after the event was announced, "but continuous reports of job losses and economic concerns have taken their toll."

As previously announced, the 17th annual reenactment of the Battle of Blue Springs will not be held this October, though the town of Mosheim, its sponsor, has committed to holding the event in 2010. That announcement was primarily because key organizers would not be available this fall, but would be in 2010.

Ken Hayes, owner and operator of I-81 Motorsports Park, expressed disappointment at the postponement.

"We were very excited about expanding the use of our park for living history events," Hayes said in a press release.

Hayes said many area residents were looking forward to the reenactment, and apologized "for the disappointment they must feel."

Mack Cothran, an event coordinator, said the park manager, Bill Gage, has built forts and cabins, cut and stored firewood, and made other preparations that will have to wait a year.

For more information, call Carlos Whaley, CEO of East Tennessee Civil War Campaigns at 423 620-7483 or visit www.etcwc.org.