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| Medical doctor by trade. Union Colonel by hobby. Had a nice conversation with the doctor as I've often wondered how the men decide who will be an officer and who isn't. He replied that it was very similar to the way it actually was in the war. Sometimes someone will form a company or regiment and appoint themselves honcho, but most often, the officers were elected by their men if they came from small villages where everyone knew everyone else. In the case of large cities, the state's governor most often appointed the commanding officers. |
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| My friend "Shorty" delivering breakfast from the fire. These people take the historical accuracy of their costumes and encampment seriously and each is very knowledgeable about what it is they represent. In fact, she, and all the women, sew their own clothes. |
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| Fire-cooked cornbread and apple pie. Delicious. Shorty also made a wonderful sweet potato casserole. All from authentic period recipes. |
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| Shorty's "camp". I'm telling you, you have to be dedicated to the historical value of this endeavor to put this much work into it. Like me, she is no longer a "spring chicken" and is building herself a period camper trailer for future events. Enough of this pitching a tent stuff. In fact, nearly everything in this picture has been sold and this is the last time for this set up. |
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| Just because I like it. |
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| I believe if I were doing this, I would arrange to be an officer, or better yet... live with the women! |
that is pretty cool....we have a lot of re-enactors around here....being close to appomattox...
ReplyDeleteits cool they go back to all the little details like the food and such
I used to think these folks were simply weird but have come to respect what they're doing in-so-far as preserving history.
DeleteHow cool is this. I sincerely hope that when Shorty gets her "period camper trailer" built, you'll take some pictures for your friends and followers.
ReplyDeleteWill do.
DeleteReally, they took chandeliers with them when they were on campaign?
ReplyDeleteI believe that village is a depiction of people who lost their homes during the war and how they lived.
DeleteVery cool pictures, enjoyed this a lot.
ReplyDeleteIn the early 70's a buddy had gotten his PhD in history and was being intereviewed at Duke for a faculty position. the last evening they gave him a party and the chair of the dept told him they were very impressed. He said the only thing they hadn't talked about was how he taught the war between the states. Dennis said "Oh, that's easy! I just say we won."
They never called again.
Would that all wars were that simple.
DeleteWait a minute...YANKEES...eatin' cornbread...and sweet potatoes? Something is amiss here, y'all.
ReplyDeleteI've known quite a few re-enactment types, my brother being one of them...and yes, they are usually very much into it. His group was involved with the fort in St. Augustine. I am sad to say, I have no idea what they actually did. I only know about it due to the musket he had hanging over his home fireplace.
I enjoyed this piece, C. Nice post.
The Yankees were encamped across the field. I suppose it's as good as any other pastime. I'm impressed with the level of detail in everything they do.
DeleteI have a shirt tail cousin that does this. I heard it was referred to as the War of Northern Aggression by some. Around these parts we have Voyageur encampments from the fur trade era. One participant offered me three running dogs for my wife. She got mad when I said, "Make it four."
ReplyDeleteDang, four dogs for a woman seems like a pretty good deal to me! Would love to see one of those festivals.
DeleteI knew a guy who used to do the Voyageurs re-enactment for the Rendezdous. I couldn't help but be a smartass and asked if they would contract smallpox and pick up tapeworms for authenticity. Me, I'll stick to the latter 20th century and beyond. Keep your powder dry!
ReplyDeleteReminds me of that great Jimmy Buffett line... you pick the century, I'll pick the spot
DeleteWe used to live in South Carolina where it sometimes seemed the Civil War (or, as they called it, the War of Northern Aggression) was still going on. Re-enactments are common there, and you are correct - the attention to historical detail is impressive.
ReplyDeleteA bit off topic - we attended a reenactment event of the Revolutionary War in South Carolina once, when we had company visiting from Germany. Our German visitors were especially interested in the Hessian re-enactor, who was cussing about the hot wool clothing in the unbearable heat of the South Carolina summer. Since, true to character, he spoke German, they asked him where he had learned German so well. Turned out he had attended a few semesters at the same university in Munich that an uncle of our visitors had attended.
A cursing Hessian. That sounds right. :) Small world isn't it?
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures; very evocative. Looks authentic too (not that I'd know).
ReplyDeleteI asked the girls what they wore under those voluminous dresses and their immediate response was slit britches, crotchless panties. Not the information I was looking for but certainly enlightening.
DeleteJust send me the pie and ya'll can keep the never ending war. Now one of the discussions going on here is the history of slavery in Detroit. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteLOL I though Detroit was still enslaved. Living history.
DeleteVery interesting. Would you be wearing the blue or the grey?
ReplyDeleteI would have definitely been wearing grey. My ancestors fought for the South in the war.
ReplyDeleteI've seen re-enactors from the Renaissance, from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, WWII, and Vietnam. (No love for WWI?) In each case, they're bound and determined to instill as much authenticity into their endeavors as possible. Nothing like a bunch of guys on a hot Georgia day wearing woolen undies and clothing to "keep it real." (No thanks!) One thing kinda neat, though. Mike gave a pair of his Nam Army-issue glasses to a re-enactor, and the guy can actually wear them, because the prescription matches.
ReplyDeleteLOL Probably the same prescription for everyone... that's the Army way you know.
Deleteok, this will probably piss off everyone including the pope..I think those reenactment games are horrible..worse time in our country and more men killed in damn near all the other wars put together..why would anyone want to remember it? and act it out..I'm convinced the southerners think they will win if they keep doing enough times..sigh*..
ReplyDelete