Everything You Wanted to Know About Reenactors,

but Were Afraid to Ask

part one

by

Jim Butler

This article is really a type of useful reenactor reference guide. It does not claim to be politically correct, so don’t read further if spilled milk upsets you. I don’t claim to be an expert or an uber-hardcore. I merely make observations at reenactments and also read and listen to what other reenactors say about their perceptions of this unusual hobby of Civil War reenacting.

The Cook: This is always a colorful character at quality events. He may or may not have a reputation at the start of the event, but he WILL have one by the end of one. As in real, soldier accounts, the best part of the cook for me is hearing the reenactors bitch just like the real soldiers did. If the food is bad, the men give each dish creative names like Cartridge Box Stew, Maggot Pie or Heath Soup. When in a mess, there always seems to be one fella that can cook (if you are lucky). This fella also tends to be a guy who also eats a lot (note that isn’t always the fat guys). This guy may also not like carrying a rifle and cleaning a rifle. I have found that simple recipes are more appetizing. (see Mess Cooking).

Comraderie: I have always had various reasons why I reenact. But, the main reason has always been comraderie. Being with my friends at reenactments is as important as cigars and beer at a poker game. Each of my comrades have a wide variety of personalities or personas. A stint on a wood detail can turn into a hilarious memory when your pard comes up with a one-liner, stunt, etc. These are the inside jokes that only you and your pards will understand. At Perryville in 2002, my pard “Kurly” was knocking debris from his mucket by hutting with his spoon. The whole camp became quite as the men thought it was someone demanding their attention by clanging a cup. Kurly was caught off-guard by the sudden silence and stares. Thinking quickly, he clanged on the mucket more and yelled, “Line UP!…Line UP!….Everyone line up to kiss my ass!.” It was hilarious and an inside joke among the SRR till this day. Also, I have found in more authentic, campaign events that you earn each other’s trust thru the hardships you face. I realize we only are out for a weekend, but I find that campaigners tend to help each other and “share the load” on campaign. Bonds are truly built thru hardship (even if for a weekend).

Egos: Everyone has an ego. Don’t let anyone fool you when they say they don’t like egos, or they don’t have an ego…that’s bullshit! Because an ego is part of everyone’s psychology/brain. The problem arises when the ego grows too big. When you’re pards are riding in the backseat because your ego rides shotgun…then you know you have an ego problem. Egos in reenacting don’t bother me all that much if a guy has a great attitude. Moderation in all things is key, including egos. I appreciate a group of people or a person who organizes a good event for others and if they have a moderated ego then good for them. In this world, we should be happy for others a bit more often and not so petty or envious over a hobby that should be primarily fun.

Field craft: To paraphrase Napoleon Dynamite, you need, “SKILLS”. “Cooking skills, musket skills, fire-building skills”. You can have a great kit, but that doesn’t mean you have mastered the art of field craft. I don’t claim to be ‘Johnny Boy scout’…these are just observations of mine with fellow reenactors. There always seems to be a few pyromaniacs in the company who can get a fire going fast. It is almost a contest between messes as to who can get their fire started first! Even little acts of field craft like finding fat lighter, cutting wood can be ritualistic and valuable skills. These skills can be repetitive and not conducive to pleasing the RADD reenactor (see RADD).

There also always seems to be a few guys who like tinkering with putting up some sort of shelter and finding a good spot to sleep, etc. Rope skills help in this department.

Cooking is a learned skill. You can’t just throw all your crap into a frying pan and expect something edible. Different ingredients cook at different rates (i.e. add the onions to cook up last or they get burned). The thickness of corn mush is critical to the quality of the “Johnny cake”. Anyways, this isn’t a friggin’ cooking article, so there is plenty of advise out there on cooking.

There have been many articles written about how to sleep, the elements, cooking, shelter, carrying items, etc., etc. (look to the Authentic Campaigner site, OTB site or nearly any good, campaigner group’s website.)

I really appreciate a reenactor who is more skilled with field craft and soldiering than he is with his kit.

Hyper reenactor: If these fellas rode bikes for a hobby, they would be doing Xtreme, downhill, mountain racing! This is the guy at a reenactment who is the first one to rush to cut wood. He may do it without even being asked. He may be the guy who rushes forward at the slightest prompting, ready to kill some unseen enemy. He really does add some spunk and energy to his mess. I was once on a march to a battlefield along a row of dense briars and vines. On a rest stop, one of my comrades then rushes up to the Colonel with an armful of tools and cries, “Kernal, would ya like me to clear ya path thru them thickets fer ya?!” In less than a half hour this fella had cleared a 4 file wide path thru the thicket. It was hilarious. However, these guys expend all their energy quickly and are blown by Sat afternoon. Many times they may even bug out of the event Saturday night. Your mileage may vary with your particular hyper reenactor model.

Mess Cooking: After that field craft, pyromaniac in your mess gets the fire going, it is time to cook. Cooking in a mess can take various forms, but they all seem to have certain interesting similarities. A good mess works together and shares gear, food, etc when cooking. On cold mornings you may have to battle the fellas who are warming their bones…just squeeze in and grab some fire to cook on. Hopefully, you have at least one good cook in your mess (see The Cook). Some folks are boilin, fryin, cooking off a stick all at the same time. F*&K, the Jonah just spilled all your food into the fire! Oh well… 5 second rule… it didn’t get too much ash on it. Simple cooking seems to work best. Everyone also seems to have their own recipe for making coffee.

The best time I had at an event regarding food was with the Salt River Rifles at Bentonville in 2002. The Bully Boys were with us and they put together a forage detail on Friday evening. By Saturday morning, the men were grumbling with hunger and wondered when and if our forage detail would return. Later that morning, Sherman’s Bummers had returned to camp with some of the South’s finest booty. Cornbread loaves, fresh churned butter, eggs (many broken), a canteen of milk and one of O-B-Joyful and two live chickens (which we ate). We ate like kings and all felt very authentic and different.

Types of Reenactors:

I hate pigeon-holing folks and there are no true absolutes in this hobby. There are so many variables and personalities that effect these labels that they can be difficult to define and/or agree upon. But, since definitions can be helpful to many folks, I will indulge myself in this topic. Again, these are my interpretations and yours may vary.

Uber Farb (also known as Clueless Farb or Poor ignorant Farb, etc): These birds are still very rare these days, but they do exist. An Uber Farb at least is truly ignorant that he is a farb. Thus, he can’t be fully blamed as he may be new, unread or truly clueless as to how CW soldiers actually lived. The good thing is that many of these folks may be open to hearing the facts about progressive reenacting. I’d say approach these fellas and at least see if they plan to be an Unrepentant Farb before you give up on them.

Unrepentant Farb (also known as Militant Farb): This is the worst type of reenactor. This is a reenactor who has been reenacting for some time and knows what he is doing is wrong, yet just doesn’t care if he/she misrepresents history to the public.

Mainstreamer: These are the large masses of mainstream reenacting. Many may be well versed in one or more areas of the Civil War (i.e. history, drill, material culture, etc). Many attend both progressive events and mainstream events. Many guys like maintaining their old list of comrades from their mainstream days that they still enjoy. And thus attend some mainstream events. But, most of these reenactors have found a comfort zone in their reenacting hobby. I don’t fault them for that, but they usually aren’t interesting in raising the bar in their reenacting hobby.

Progressive: These reenactors can fill the ranks of the various groups of reenactors, even mainstream reenactors. A Progressive is someone who is constantly trying to improve his impressions thru better equipment and uniformage, fieldcraft skills, bearing as a soldier, material culture as well as historical research on the life of a common soldier. No one ever truly reaches perfection or nirvana and everyone can constantly progress. People should feel challenged to keep progressing. I know folks who tend to be Authentic, but no longer are Progressive.

Campaigner: This is a reenactor who has proved he can survive outside the comforts of a garrison camp or farbfest encampment. Each campaigner does have different limits on how much he will endure. Some will duck out at the first rumble of thunder, while others will pull Guard Mount in a monsoon. Here are two examples. At Perryville in 2001 the campaigner battalion was ordered to camp on a distant hill. We endured rain and high winds with no wood, water or tentage. Fact is that only HALF the battalion was there. The other half was snug under a modern group shelter a ½ mile away. Rich Mountain 2006 has also become infamous for having the men drop packs, march up the mountain and encamp without packs for the evening. Although, the night was no hardship at all, several men could not fathom the thought of an evening without their knapsacks and departed the event early (none of these being associated with my comrades in SCAR or the SRR).

You see, everyone has their limits!

Authentic: When most people hear this label, they think of gear first. However, I have more respect for a guy who has better reenacting skills Reenactors with skills related to soldiering and fieldcraft are more “authentic” than the guy who has the “most” authentic kit, but lacks the qualities to play the part. Don’t get me wrong. Your gear needs to at least meet the minimum standards set forth by your group or event you attend. But as someone once stated, “It is time to get past the gear.” However this is sometimes easier said than done. Again, there are varying degrees folks will go to being “Authentic” (see Campaigner). To me, being an Authentic means being a well rounded reenactor in gear, fieldcraft and soldiering.

Hardcore: I hate this term. The only TRUE hardcore men were the actual soldiers who actually endured the war. This is due to the deep honor and reverence I have for all war veterans. It is a name that can be thrown about in envy or anger, but I don’t believe it applies to anyone in the hobby. The best you might do is to be the toughest Campaigner (see Campaigner above).

Poser: These folks are more rare, but still exist. Typically, they are progressive, but go to events (usually mainstream) to pose on sutler row or the funnel cake stand. Their goal is to be seen, I am guessing in hopes that folks will swoon at their impressions. They spend large chunks of the event weekend chatting with buddies. They usually bring little to the event.

Regressive: These are reenactors who started as mainstream, progressed to campaigners (C/P/H) and then regressed back to the mainstream. They may maintain quality kits, but now are attending the wrong events. Many times they give up being authentic, so they can go to mainstream events with their wives in camp. This is a cop out. Why not attend those events with your wife and continue to support authentic events as well. If you can’t get a few weekends a year without your wife or sweetie, you need to regain control of your cockrel stones. Aren’t relationships about compromise?

Cyber Reenactors: These are people who don’t attend reenactments, yet still feel qualified to comment as if they had. These folks will quote “Well, back in 1999, at the reenactment of __________…” They are Internet pimps of the purest form. These folks can also tend to be some of the biggest critics on the Internet. Don’t get me wrong, the Internet is fun and a great source of information, but it is still NOT field reenacting. I believe the hobby of reenacting should not be overshadowed by the hobby of the Internet. As Charles Heath and Phil Campbell have stated…”We are Us”.

It seems only a small percentage of on-line reenactors, actually REENACT in the field! I believe there are over 5,000 regsitered users on the Authentic Campaigner. Yet, I doubt there are even 2000 ACTIVE campaigner/authentic reenactors who attend better, more-authentic venues or even adjuncts. When I say ACTIVE, I mean attending at least one or two better events a year.

RADD (Reenactor Attention Deficit Disorder): These are reenactors who cannot stick and stay focused on any one war, theater, side or reenacting group. They grow quickly bored with reenacting the life of a common soldier. Cutting wood, getting water gets old to them quickly (see Field craft). They expect event organizers to entertain them with new campaigns or common soldier experiences. Yet, they usually add nothing to the event to help achieve this goal. What ever happened to enjoying your comrades and the life of a soldier? These fellas cannot be counted on sticking with a group for more then a year. They tend to be unreliable on commitments. They are the guys who always pre-pay and register for an event, but rarely show up. RADD folks tend to be trendy…”Gee the Pole Cat Mess sure is cool!”