Conference smurf::civil_war

Here in England with the English civil war we as a re-enactment society run
many living history's. These are several days to a week where we create the 
times and livestyles of the english civil war. This is not a battle style
event but purely done to show what life was really like. 

Schools and he like come for a day and help/ are showed what it was like. When
particiating nothing of modern life is allowed in the area (apart from the 
school kids). This is very practical and the kids also get to eat a realistic 
meal (now the comments on that from the kids can be very humourous).

Every one takes on a role and plays it showing kids what people were like in the 
past, and telling them stories as if we actually were the people we play.
This is done to show kids about life in the past, without all the comforts of
modern life and with a civil war going.

Is this what you mean ?
I'm sure the re-enactors of the ACW will have similar events.

Mark

	Note the use of the word "unusual".  :-)
    
    						Don
    
     [Reprinted without permission from The Villager (Summer of 1991), 
     a free tourist publication]

                    The Civil War and its 'Glory'
                             
     By Keith Ryzewicz
     Special to The Villager

     STURBRIDGE--For a Civil War veteran, Douglas Quigley is a young man.

     But he clings to the old days.  The war's been over for a good 125 
     years now, but Quigley still can often be seen donning his infantry 
     uniform, reliving great battles--even chomping away on some good 
     old-fashioned hardtack.

     So you doubt Quigley's Civil War participation? There he was at the 
     Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest in American history, standing in a 
     charge as, according to historian Brian Burns, who described it to a 
     Sturbridge Historical Society gathering this week, "the 32nd blue dot 
     from the left ... Only his mother could tell."

     Now before you begin calculating Quigley's age and wonder why you 
     haven't heard about him before, understand which Doug Quigley we're 
     talking about. One Quigley is your basic, relatively hard-working 
     Sturbridge resident.  But he has an unusual hobby, one in which he 
     becomes Doug Quigley, Civil War veteran.

     Quigley is a reenactment soldier of the War Between the States, 
     performing part-time wherever such a veteran is needed and 
     participating in reenactment gatherings both large and small on both 
     sides of the Mason-Dixon line.

     "We do it for our own interest, but we also do it just to honor these 
     guys, how they survived, what they went through," Quigley said of 
     himself and many others like him around the country. "They deserve all 
     the credit they get.

     That feeling of remembrance struck Quigley most strongly at the largest 
     of reenactments to date, the 125th anniversary of Gettysburg. More than 
     12,000 people in Civil War regalia took part in the event, and at the 
     end of the "battle", Quigley recalls, the countryside grew quiet and 
     the reenactment soldiers paused for a moment of silence in memory of 
     the real soldiers more than a century ago.

     "It was the most moving moment. ... People were in tears," Quigley 
     said.

     That reenactment was filmed by the makers of 'Glory', accounting for 
     Quigley's big screen career.  That movie, along with the much-
     ballyhooed Civil War series produced by Ken Burns for PBS, has helped 
     drum up unparalleled interest in Civil War history, something Quigley 
     welcomes.

     He remembers earlier surges of interest, particularly around the 
     centennial celebrations in the early '60s.  Reenactment groups began 
     to emerge than, but mostly as target shooting clubs using old weapons.

     Efforts to reproduce the Civil War soldier were often far from 
     authentic. "We no longer wear mailman uniforms," Quigley laughed of 
     former attempts to duplicate the predominantly blue Union uniforms, 
     "...and we don't carry around guns from the Spanish-American War and 
     say this is what they used."

     But the Civil War Quigley of today is decked out from head-to-toe in 
     original-style clothes with original accoutrements, so authentic it 
     makes you wonder how any army could fight with such supplies.

     His standard dark-blue wool uniform for Union infantry isn't 
     particularly comfortable when Quigley marches under hot Southern 
     sunshine. The sky-blue pants feature suspender snaps--but no 
     suspenders. Since uniforms of the day were issued in just four sizes, 
     a good fit was rare. Quigley explains that the word "shoddy" 
     originated in part from a description of soldiers dressed in such 
     ill-fitting garb.

     His cap is a squashed-down version of French headgear that 
     inconveniently allows rain to run right down Quigley's neck, while 
     his shoes are flimsy at best. The uniforms did feature a handsome 
     brass breastplate buckle, which had one flaw.  "They were very 
     attractive," said Quigley. "They also made a very good target, 
     unfortunately."

     Other essentials Quigley the soldier must lug around include a 
     canteen, a catch-all pouch for everything from letters from home to 
     rations--usually consisting of bacon, hardtack and coffee--blankets, 
     a knapsack and half-shelters for tents.

     Weight was often the soldier's primary concern in determining what 
     to carry. Some, when receiving three days ration of food, would 
     simply eat them all immediately, reasoning that it was better to 
     carry it in their stomachs than on their back.

     As deeply absorbed in Civil War history as he is, Quigley can only 
     imagine what it was like for the real Civil War veterans. And he 
     doesn't like what he sees. "The last thing we want to do is glorify 
     war," he said. "The more we read about it, the more we find how 
     despicable it is."

     When 25,000 Americans fall in a day, as they did at Antietam, it's 
     difficult to reach another conclusion. And if Quigley actually had 
     been that 32nd blue dot from the left, chances are he would never 
     have escaped that battlefield scene.

    
    	Funny ya'll should mention Re-enactors and Schools. I have the
    pleasure of going to the Middle School of Townsend/Pepperell Ma. on
    Thursday, the 30th 0f April.
    	The grade level is 5th and 6th graders. I'll be talking to about
    150 students. This is not the first school I've been too. I have done
    a school in Lancaster and one small college history class in Hyde Park.
    	My presentation is based on the Southern soldiers view and life
    style in camp during the 1861 - 1865 struggle. (That should be of no
    surprise!  :^) ).
    	I portray my alter ego, Sgt. Noah Little, of the 5th Alabama Batt.,
    North Sumter Rifles. I give a brief history of my character, i.e. where
    he was raised, how old he was when enlisted, how many times wounded,
    etc.
    	I use a lot of hands on stuff in my presentation. I have a lot of
    photographs of my reenacting group in all types of situations of a
    daily routine of camplife, etc. (not just battle scenes). I also use a
    lot of camp and personal gear of a soldier of that period. I also bring
    samples of hardtack for them to munch on, now that's where ya'll will
    get some interesting comments!! 
    	The easiest way I found to handle hecklers (you will always have 
    one in the crowd) is to volunteer him to help you. I always bring a 
    spare shell jacket and kepi, I have the heckler come forward and I
    dress him in the spare jacket/hat throw on some of the web gear and use
    him as a living mannequin. Nothing quiets down a heckler than to have
    him stand in front of a group of his peers..
    	I really enjoy talking to school kids. Because the scary part is,
    the Civil War is really being glossed over by history books. Or
    sometimes is being misrepresented. I try to give an evenhanded view
    of both sides of the struggle. I try to deal with the soldiers life
    more than the politics involved, though I won't shy down from any
    questions concerning the subject if asked....
    
    	Just my $.02 worth......
    
    						The Alabama Slammer
    	

    
    	Re: 67.4
    
    		I did a little digging in answer to your question in how
    reenactors get organized.....
    
    		FEDERAL: National Regiment  (Eastern)
    			 Excelsior Mess     (Eastern)
    			 Vincent's Brigade (Battalion, Eastern)
    			 The Western Brigade - National Division, Inc.
    				(Is made up of 15 independent units with an
    				  aggregate membership of 1,800 individual
    				  Federal soldiers.)
    			 The Union Army District of Florida (Eastern)
    
    		Confederate: First Confederate Division (Eastern)
    			     The Georgia Division  (Eastern?)
    			     The Florida Division  (Eastern?)
    			     Jackson's Division
    			     Don Patterson's four battalion Army of
    			     Northern Virginia (Eastern)
    			     
    			     Chuck Hillsman's battalion size Longstreet's
    			     Corps. (Eastern)
    
    	I can honestly say that I don't know that much about the units
    beyond the Appalachians.... I did do one reenactment in Gainsville,
    Ala. last April...Our unit the 5th Alabama Battalion, orginally was
    mustered and departed from Gainesville, so it was sort of a homecoming
    for us...
    	In the New England states, there is not to much of an established
    battalion or otherwise sized groups. Most of your larger outfits are
    from either Virginia and/or Midwestern States. There are many
    independent units throughout the United States that mostly fall in line
    when going to a large event with the above named regiments/battalions.
    	I'll try to answer some of the other questions you had when I have
    a little more time....
    
    				I hope this helped....
    
    					The Alabama Slammer
    			     

         Just came across a monthly newspaper which lists Battle 
         Re-enactments, Rendezvous, Medieval Gatherings, Pow-wows and 
         Historical Museum Exhibits all over the U.S.  It is called Smoke 
         and Fire News, subscription is $15.00 for one year, and $28.00 for 
         two years.
         
         The address is:
         
         Smoke and Fire News
         P.O. Box 166 
         Grand Rapids, OH 43522

Civil War reenactments and living history

1)      3 - 4 July, Gettysburg, PA:  130th anniversary reenactment of
the Battle of Gettysburg, Gettysburg National Military Park, U.S. Rte.
15. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.   Pickett's Charge at 2 p.m. Sunday.
717-337-2191

2)      3 - 4 July, Vicksburg, MS:  "Vicksburg:  The Final Days"
Vicksburg National Military Part, U.S. Rte. 61.  Living history, Surrender
reenactment at 11 a.m. Sunday.  800-221-3536

3)      10 - 11 July, Leesbury, VA:  "Hoofbeats in History"  Oatlands
Plantation, U.S. Rte. 15.  Living history; tactical demonstration of
part of the Battle of Brandy Station with more than 300 cavalrymen, 100
infantrymen and several horse artillery batteries.  Actor Sam Elliot will
portray Union Major General John Buford, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sat; 7 a.m. -
4 p.m. Sund.  $5 for adults; $3 for children 7-12; Children 6 and under
free.  Part of the proceeds benefits Brandy Stations battlefield
preservation.  703-777-3174

4)      10 - 11 July, Lowell, IN:  8th annual Civil War Weekend, Buckley
Homestead Living History Farm, Hendrick and Belshaw Roads.  Reenactments;
artillery, infantry and cavalry drills; fashion show, ball.  10 a.m. to
5 p.m. both days. $3 for adults; $2 for senior citizens and children 12
and under.  219-755-3685

5)      17 - 18 July, Atlanta, GA:  Civil War Encampment 1993, Atlanta
History Center, 3101 Andrews Drive Northwest.  Encampment; living history;
infantry and calvary maneuvers; military bands; "Atlanta and the War,
1861-65 exhibit; fashion show; films.  10 a.m - 5 p.m. both days. $7 for
adults; $5.50 for students with ID and senior citizens; $4 for youths
6 - 17; children under 6 free.  404-814-4000

6)      6 - 8 August, Boston, MA  20th annual Fort Warren Civil War
Encampment, Fort Warren, Boston Harbor.  Reenactments, competitions,
memorial service, fashion show.  508-774-4359

7)      7 August, San Francisco, CA:  Garrison at Fort Point, beneath
the Golden Gate Bridge.  SASE to Major A. Henrick, Paymaster, 346
Roosevelt Ave., Sunnyvale, CA  94086-4438.

8)      28 - 29 August, Jackson, MI:  "Cascades '93" Civil War muster.
Reenactments, encampment, brigade drills, military ball.  517-723-
3762

Just to let y'all know that the Alabama Slammer is still out there fightin'.
Ken appeared in uniform today at my son's grammar school to give an hour 
and a half presentation to 160 5th and 6th graders.  Thanks to this notes
file and Tom Reilley for helping me track him down.  He sends his regards
to all you CW notes file readers.

    Tell Ken hi from his fans in the ACW note.
    
    Ron

RE -.1

	I certainly will.