What is Re-enacting?
If you would have asked me this question a year ago, I probably would have told you to ask someone else. I, too, just recently found out what re-enacting was all about. I am very new to all of it, but I will do my best to explain what I know. I guess we'll both learn about it together. Either way, I am glad you are interested in finding out more about it.
Re-enacting is basically self-explanatory, but it can be a little bit more than that. Yes, re-enactors do their best to act out what historians have documented as what happened. Keep in mind that during the time periods most re-enacting is done (whether it be Civil War, any other war or Renaissance) that most "historians" were caucasian males. It is just more recently that we are beginning to see history from other perspectives.

Of course, it is impossible to completely and accurately replay an even that happened so long ago when modern technology from today was not around. I would like to say that we do our best to replay what we think might have happened and what life might have been like in the time period we are acting out.

Civil War re-enactments usually occur on the weekend from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. Most spectators watch the re-enactments on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, however, we do other re-enactments while there are not spectators there to watch. These re-enactments that are not spectated are portrayed in how we live while we are there. Most of us camp out there on the grounds where the re-enactment is. We have authentic tents made of canvas, we cook with untensils like those used in the time we protray, we sit around the campfire at night singing songs, and we even attend a small church service by the chaplain. Just because the spectators are not there does not mean that we aren't "living" in the past.

At the re-enactments there are soldiers and civilians. The soldiers are there to display what battles and skirmishes were like and somtimes show what the drills were like. The civilians are the wives, mothers, girl friends, sisters, father, uncles, sons, brothers, town folk, or even the followers.

During the real war, many of the civilians would actually go out and follow or watch the battles, depending on where they were. Some of the battles were fought in the fields or backyards of the plantations and towns right there with the town folk. Many women and men followed the soldiers to offer help where it was needed, whether it be helping the doctor out with the wounded, being there with ice or water on those hot summer days or even there with a blanket when the men came in on those cold winter afternoons.

Many people criticize re-enacting for many different reasons. I respect their opinions and will not criticize them for not agreeing with me. If you have a problem with re-enacting, please keep your comments to yourself. It's easier to just accept other people's opinions as their own than to argue over them.

I have done my best to explain what re-enacting is like, but the best way to find out is to attend a re-enactment yourself. Please check out my schedule of events. I only have the events that the 27th TN will be attending, but I hope to have links to other company's
pages so maybe you can find one near you.
 Sign My Guestbook  View My Guestbook