Reenactors?

[SweetSassyLady]

Are there any Civil War reenactors here? We went to an exhibit this last summer and I honestly was thinking about joining them. My husband was interested as well. It looks like loads of fun and a good way to remember the "Glorious Dead".

[Qweetzy]

I've never been to a reenactment. I would think it would be interesting. I've heard there a plenty of spooks on the Gettysburg battlefield. It does sound like something I may want to explore too. Thanks for the suggestion.

[HikerJoe]

That sounds like a hoot. If I participated I would like to reenact as a cannon.

[charley]

I'm a spy for the north. I hope to be heading south again the first of the year. It's easier now that I have relatives scttered over the south.

[SweetiePie]

I think it would be a lot of fun! I love going to these sorts of things. We go to a Renaissance Fair every summer and we dress in costume. It is awesome.

[briansnat]

I'm not but my brother was for many years. He had a lot of fun doing it. He told stories of campfires after hours singing period songs and sipping corn whiskey out of flasks.

Different units have varying degrees of authenticity. My brother's unit was a very authentic one. He'd buy clothing made using period methods and materials. In some cases he used actual antique items like his gun, canteen and flask. It can be pretty expensive to outfit yourself authentically. They would not be allowed non Civil War period items. If you smoked it had to be a pipe or cigar as cigarettes were not common at the time. And the pipe had to be of a Civil War era design.

Even the food had to be authentic. Sometimes all they would have to eat would be hard tack that they made from a Civil War era recipe. I tried it once. Not something I'd want to live on .

Other units don't care as much about being truly authentic as long as you look authentic from a distance. The fully authentic reinactors even make sure the stitching is authentic, even stiches you don't see while this group doesn't worry about hidden stitching as long as the stitches that show look authentic.

And still other units barely make a show of being authentic. They wear modern materials like nylon and might even have Adidas on their feet. The latter group is kind of looked down on by the other two.

As I said, my brother had a blast, unless he was sleeping in a leaky pup tent in the rain and wearing soaked wool clothing. He said that could be pretty miserable.

[AlphaMale]

That does sound fun. I'm not sure I would be up for the authenticity but it would certainly be fun to try. My wife could be a Suthin' belle and wear green velvet drapes made into a dress and a hat. Hmm. I think I have some of those in the attic.

[SweetSassyLady]

I've thought about doing the Renaissance reenacting too. I think I was born in the wrong century. I think it's just that I love the old fashioned ways of doing things.

[scarlett]

We have a group that meets at a local summer camp every weekend during the fall to practice and get together and do their "Knight stuff"....I love seeing them all dressed up in their finery. It is so cool. I have often wondered how to get involved in one of those groups.

[huntergal]

I have a friend who does civil war re-enactment. You really have to know your stuff because they expect you to be in character right down to the kinds of utensils you use and the stuff that you say.