# Civil War Re-enactors



## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

Are any of you guys into this? If so please drop me a line; I am working on a story.

Thanks,

P


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## crs (Dec 30, 2004)

They are Lizard People, Patrick! Stay away!


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## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

Undoubtedly, but a lot of them are in the area Sept. 23 and I want to know why.


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## KenR (Jun 22, 2005)

Are they re-enacting a particular battle?


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

The whole Historical Reenactor phenomenon is worthy of a study. It was largely birthed by DIXIE GUNWORKS, one of those companies like Scientific American who market treasures you never imagined, have no practical use for and must have. The Civil War, or in courtesy to our southern members the War of Seccession is the grandaddy of Mountain Man Rendevous with Hawkens, Roman legions in the U.K. marching lockstep along Hadrian's Wall and a small group of U boat gamers who dress in full Kreigsmarine uniforms while fighting the North Atlantic online. Name a period or people and somebody is agonising over the number of eyelets on Spanish American War shoes. This can be a good thing, experimental archaeology was largely inspired by these folks, History is preserved and film Studios have an authentic, enthusiastic and relatively cheaper alternative to the Spanish Army on loan between ETA explosions. The downside is some of these people disappear into their 'persona' only grudgingly showing up for work on Monday Morning as uncomfortable as a 14 y/o Goth on a talk show makeover.


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## JLibourel (Jun 13, 2004)

Indeed, it is a weird phenomenon. Like most normal males, I gave up running around playing soldier a little before I hit puberty.

The movie Ted Turner put out "Gods and Generals," which had to be one of the very worst movies ever made, and its predecessor about Gettysburg (which I missed and forget the title thereof) made extensive use of re-enactors for the battle scenes, which led some cynical commentators to observe that the Civil War must have been almost entirely fought by middle-aged fat guys!


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## Lushington (Jul 12, 2006)

JLibourel said:


> Indeed, it is a weird phenomenon. Like most normal males, I gave up running around playing soldier a little before I hit puberty.
> 
> The movie Ted Turner put out "Gods and Generals," which had to be one of the very worst movies ever made, and its predecessor about Gettysburg (which I missed and forget the title thereof) made extensive use of re-enactors for the battle scenes, which led some cynical commentators to observe that the Civil War must have been almost entirely fought by middle-aged fat guys!


The name of the film you are referring to is . . . wait for it . . . _Gettysburg_. The general obesity of both the Union and Confederate "infantry" in that film _was_ hilarious. Not too many of the "re-enactors" looked like these three famously picturesque fellows:

Now that's lean and mean.


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## JLibourel (Jun 13, 2004)

Lushington said:


> Now that's lean and mean.


Rebs, obviously. Interestingly, if you change their duds, they could almost look like some of the chappies we're fighting in Afghanistan, especially the two bearded ones--same lean, hawklike ferocity!


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## Lushington (Jul 12, 2006)

JLibourel said:


> Rebs, obviously. Interestingly, if you change their duds, they could almost look like some of the chappies we're fighting in Afghanistan, especially the two bearded ones--same lean, hawklike ferocity!


Quite.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

The whole historical re-enactor thing really has exploded in the last ten years though, hasn't it?

I am all for the fun of such ventures, but in the US at least, what has happened is this historical re-enacting has led to a blur between Highland Games/Pipe Competitions and RenFaires. Again, all power to the RenFaire folks, there is no two ways that these are a good time. However, the general public has now blurred the two and one can not have a Pipe and Drum (P&D) Competition without a) people showing up dressed like Braveheart and b) other people showing up expecting to see people dressed like Braveheart.

There is one group that are pretty serious about authenticity, like Kav stated, worried about the number of eyelets on their shoes, usually calling themselves "Jacobite Society" or similar, referring to the time of Culloden or so. Them I can live with, but the kids taking a blanket and making it a "great kilt" and strapping on a sword of any random type, from Katana to two handed axe, and deeming themself a "Highland Warrior" just sort of put an odd fringe to things these days.

All of this I could live with too, as it is all about the fun, but since this blurring, it seems like the P&D competition is almost secondary to creating the RenFaire type merchant area. People still want the massed bands to parade through the main ground once a day or a few solo pipers wandering about, but the P&D competition grounds are now usually totally seperate from everything else, almost ostracized from the main gathering. I guess I am just following train of thought here on the impact of re-enacters on one of my chosen leisure pursuits.

_Slainte_


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## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

JLibourel said:


> Rebs, obviously. Interestingly, if you change their duds, they could almost look like some of the chappies we're fighting in Afghanistan, especially the two bearded ones--same lean, hawklike ferocity!


The guy on the far left looks like Johnny Depp.


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## zignatius (Oct 8, 2004)

If you're doing a story and you have the time for research beyond interviews, find a copy of "Confederates in The Attic" (Horwtiz). It's an excellent -- and pretty funny -- look at the reenactor culture and how the old-school southerner views the Civil War.


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## Chuck Franke (Aug 8, 2003)

It's a ploy - just training up for round two... See, it's like this, all the yankees will be giggling at the oddly dressed fat ******** (you can only call'm that if you are one - I are one) and suddenly someone will say "hey wait, those aren't good replicas at all, they are carrying M16's and that looks like a 50 Cal and...whooops"


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

So to help finance round two I can send confederate play money for 3 seven fold..........


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## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)

Chuck Franke said:


> It's a ploy - just training up for round two... See, it's like this, all the yankees will be giggling at the oddly dressed fat ******** (you can only call'm that if you are one - I are one) and suddenly someone will say "hey wait, those aren't good replicas at all, they are carrying M16's and that looks like a 50 Cal and...whooops"


SHhhhhhhhhh!


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

JLibourel said:


> Indeed, it is a weird phenomenon. Like most normal males, I gave up running around playing soldier a little before I hit puberty.
> 
> The movie Ted Turner put out "Gods and Generals," which had to be one of the very worst movies ever made, and its predecessor about Gettysburg (which I missed and forget the title thereof) made extensive use of re-enactors for the battle scenes, which led some cynical commentators to observe that the Civil War must have been almost entirely fought by middle-aged fat guys!


Some of us took a little longer to give up playing soldier...for me it was just before I turned 50 and to be honest, I still miss it! When preparations for the Iraq campaign were ramping up, I was one of those old fools who wrote the military personnel office, volunteering for recall (some of us just never learn). Wisely, they politely declined my offer!

Your comment about Ted Turner using re-enactors in his civil war battle scenes reminded me of an experience at an air show I helped to organize in NW Indiana several years ago. We had arranged for a group of civil war re-enactors to set up an encampment and to stage a fire fight during times that the flying events were not in progress. While visiting their encampment, I was speaking to a confederate soldier and, seeing a cookpot over an open fire, asked what they were having for dinner...without missing a beat he pulled out a huge ice chest filled with White Castle burgers. No wonder the South lost...they were trying to subsist on "Sliders," and hence the overweight soldiers!


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## JLibourel (Jun 13, 2004)

I would make a sharp distinction between "playing soldier" and "being a soldier." The former I find pretty silly in anyone old enough to have to shave. Being a [real] soldier is find estimable, at least when done well.


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## Relayer (Nov 9, 2005)

I don't find anything too silly about re-enactors, however, I must admit that I am something of a student of the War Between the States, and have, even at my advanced age (50 in Sep), thought fondly of the possibility of becoming a re-enactor. Also, I don't know any re-enactors. If I did I might find some of them silly, of course, or I might have a newfound respect for them. I just don't know.

My fondness of firearms and shooting (as well as my prior military service) probably also plays a part in the attraction, as I'd love to own and shoot a reproducton 1863 C.S. Richmond rifle. I think that would be great fun.


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## pendennis (Oct 6, 2005)

Chuck Franke said:


> It's a ploy - just training up for round two... See, it's like this, all the yankees will be giggling at the oddly dressed fat ******** (you can only call'm that if you are one - I are one) and suddenly someone will say "hey wait, those aren't good replicas at all, they are carrying M16's and that looks like a 50 Cal and...whooops"


Gee, Chuck, why'd you have to let out all our secrets?

I'd be perfectly content to take my Enfield Volunteer in .45 cal, and snipe from 1,000 yds.


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## JLibourel (Jun 13, 2004)

Chuck Franke said:


> It's a ploy - just training up for round two... See, it's like this, all the yankees will be giggling at the oddly dressed fat ******** (you can only call'm that if you are one - I are one) and suddenly someone will say "hey wait, those aren't good replicas at all, they are carrying M16's and that looks like a 50 Cal and...whooops"


Why would this be necessary? The South dominates today's GOP, and the GOP dominates the country as never before! It is very arguable that the South lost the war but won the peace anyway.


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