Post by shiloh on Mar 22, 2007 7:33:39 GMT 12.75
I have a querry for those of us in the re-enacting hobby/lifestyle. I have only been active in the hobby for 7 years, and have seen some years that seem to have lots of strong participation and other years that seem to be rather "ho-hum". I have heard from older re-enactors that the hobby was much stronger about 15 years ago. My own unit, the 9th KY US Inf seems to be growing, but at the same time I have noticed some other units that were pretty active and seemed strong 5-7 years ago have all but ceased to exist in the last year. My question I guess is this, is the hobby holding its own well enough that it will grow again or even survive for another generation?
WE NEED FEDERALS! My sympathies lie with the Confederates, and were TN to secede again today I would happily wear gray for real. My own Gr-gr grandfather Gibbs is the only direct relation I know of to the war, and he was a devoted Confederate that served honorably in the 7th TN Inf under the leadership of Archer, A.P.Hill, Jackson and Lee. He was wounded yet remained in service as best as he could until his capture at Petersburg. He was imprissoned for 2 months, part of which was at the terrible POW camp at Point Lookout, MD. I honor him by remembering ALL those that served in that era, and always "die" in battle so that I, while representing the Federals, never suceed in victory. The reason I re-enact Federal is essentially 2-fold. First is quite simple - SOMEBODY'S got to do it! Secondly, the 9th KY unit I am with is based at Stones River battlefield where I volunteer and so I naturally work with them more often and have come to like the guys and they like me, so I enjoy their company. I commonly hear from the CS re-enactors "why, my gr-great grandpappy would roll over in his grave if he knew I was wearing blue!" Alright, mine might as well, but I think he'd be more ashamed that at the event 250 Federals have to kill off and defeat 2,000 Rebels in front of spectators! Folks, gr-gr grandparents are DEAD and do not know nor care what color uniform we wear! In fact, to read many later writings of these fine people, I think it shows that they forgave and were cordial and friendly toward their one-time enemies. They enjoyed retelling the war-stories, and the many "friendship" monuments at various places show that they went so far as to pay lots of money to show they held no grudges after time went on.
We Federals have been noticing for a long time that the numbers of Federals has at best held steady while the Confederate participation grows. We complain about how many volleys we must make to finally break through the tough Kevlar grays and see a few Rebs take hits. We Federals do take hits as well as we can, but when we are outnumbered 3-5 or even 10 to 1 and we are supposed to win how on earth can we legitimately take hits? At Mosheim this past year, there were only perhaps 50 Federal infantry to oppose a few hundred Rebs. So bad were the numbers that we were handed red or yellow tags. If you had a yellow you could get wounded, hobble back out of sight, but then had to run back to the line as a "reinforcement." Only the red tags allowed you to "die" and only a couple of guys got these. This kind of lopsided numbers game does a dis-service to the hobby, to the memory of both sides, and to the paying public.
Federal camps are routinely placed a very long way away from the sutlery and spectators' normal areas. At Shiloh last week, the Federal camp was at least a quarter mile from the sutlers and spectator areas. It may have been closer to a half mile across 2 large dirt and scrub cotton fields, past 2 lines of trees and hidden over a gentle slope. The CS camps by contrast were right next to the sutlery. This also was the case at Resaca, and at the huge Franklin 140th event. The "Lost Cause" syndrome makes people naturally more interested in the Confederates. We all agree on that point, but when Federal participants must work very hard to get to the sutlery, or their family and friends cannot easily get to or even locate the Federal camps to visit, is it any wonder Federal ranks are not greater?
I know of a few small events that our unit and some other Federal units have been to that we will not return to simply because the numbers were so lopsided that it was embarrassing, or that we were so far away that we were essentially inaccessible to the public. We are not embarrassed for ourselves, but to the hobby. I can just imagine what the paying spectators must think. "Man! This is stupid looking!"
There is talk in our camps that event sponsors need to make registration cheaper or even free for Federals just to lure some Confederates to galvanize, or lure more Federals to participate. We have discussed maybe having a cash bounty on Federals or a powder bounty for the Federals, essentially PAYING to have more Federals. But, if this starts happening I think we will start seeing reduced participation in the Rebel ranks out of anger and the hobby may be in danger from that action as well.
Folks, I must ask any Confederate re-enactors to please carry some blue with them and be available to galvanize for the sake of the hobby. I would encourage some of you normal Rebs to please go ahead and sign up to some events as Federal and start to reverse this numbers game. And, for anyone thinking about joing in the hobby as a first timer, please look for a Federal outfit to join. There is no harm in galvanizing to blue or gray depending on the numbers needed. And, anyone that has an event that they have contacts with the coordinators, please lobby to treat Federals better so the Federals will come back.
Response?
WE NEED FEDERALS! My sympathies lie with the Confederates, and were TN to secede again today I would happily wear gray for real. My own Gr-gr grandfather Gibbs is the only direct relation I know of to the war, and he was a devoted Confederate that served honorably in the 7th TN Inf under the leadership of Archer, A.P.Hill, Jackson and Lee. He was wounded yet remained in service as best as he could until his capture at Petersburg. He was imprissoned for 2 months, part of which was at the terrible POW camp at Point Lookout, MD. I honor him by remembering ALL those that served in that era, and always "die" in battle so that I, while representing the Federals, never suceed in victory. The reason I re-enact Federal is essentially 2-fold. First is quite simple - SOMEBODY'S got to do it! Secondly, the 9th KY unit I am with is based at Stones River battlefield where I volunteer and so I naturally work with them more often and have come to like the guys and they like me, so I enjoy their company. I commonly hear from the CS re-enactors "why, my gr-great grandpappy would roll over in his grave if he knew I was wearing blue!" Alright, mine might as well, but I think he'd be more ashamed that at the event 250 Federals have to kill off and defeat 2,000 Rebels in front of spectators! Folks, gr-gr grandparents are DEAD and do not know nor care what color uniform we wear! In fact, to read many later writings of these fine people, I think it shows that they forgave and were cordial and friendly toward their one-time enemies. They enjoyed retelling the war-stories, and the many "friendship" monuments at various places show that they went so far as to pay lots of money to show they held no grudges after time went on.
We Federals have been noticing for a long time that the numbers of Federals has at best held steady while the Confederate participation grows. We complain about how many volleys we must make to finally break through the tough Kevlar grays and see a few Rebs take hits. We Federals do take hits as well as we can, but when we are outnumbered 3-5 or even 10 to 1 and we are supposed to win how on earth can we legitimately take hits? At Mosheim this past year, there were only perhaps 50 Federal infantry to oppose a few hundred Rebs. So bad were the numbers that we were handed red or yellow tags. If you had a yellow you could get wounded, hobble back out of sight, but then had to run back to the line as a "reinforcement." Only the red tags allowed you to "die" and only a couple of guys got these. This kind of lopsided numbers game does a dis-service to the hobby, to the memory of both sides, and to the paying public.
Federal camps are routinely placed a very long way away from the sutlery and spectators' normal areas. At Shiloh last week, the Federal camp was at least a quarter mile from the sutlers and spectator areas. It may have been closer to a half mile across 2 large dirt and scrub cotton fields, past 2 lines of trees and hidden over a gentle slope. The CS camps by contrast were right next to the sutlery. This also was the case at Resaca, and at the huge Franklin 140th event. The "Lost Cause" syndrome makes people naturally more interested in the Confederates. We all agree on that point, but when Federal participants must work very hard to get to the sutlery, or their family and friends cannot easily get to or even locate the Federal camps to visit, is it any wonder Federal ranks are not greater?
I know of a few small events that our unit and some other Federal units have been to that we will not return to simply because the numbers were so lopsided that it was embarrassing, or that we were so far away that we were essentially inaccessible to the public. We are not embarrassed for ourselves, but to the hobby. I can just imagine what the paying spectators must think. "Man! This is stupid looking!"
There is talk in our camps that event sponsors need to make registration cheaper or even free for Federals just to lure some Confederates to galvanize, or lure more Federals to participate. We have discussed maybe having a cash bounty on Federals or a powder bounty for the Federals, essentially PAYING to have more Federals. But, if this starts happening I think we will start seeing reduced participation in the Rebel ranks out of anger and the hobby may be in danger from that action as well.
Folks, I must ask any Confederate re-enactors to please carry some blue with them and be available to galvanize for the sake of the hobby. I would encourage some of you normal Rebs to please go ahead and sign up to some events as Federal and start to reverse this numbers game. And, for anyone thinking about joing in the hobby as a first timer, please look for a Federal outfit to join. There is no harm in galvanizing to blue or gray depending on the numbers needed. And, anyone that has an event that they have contacts with the coordinators, please lobby to treat Federals better so the Federals will come back.
Response?