30 June 2008
Some American History Lovers Live It on the Weekends
Civil War reenactors examine, relive a turning point in U.S. history
Washington -- For some folks, it is not enough to read about American history. They have to live it.
During the week, these people live normal 21st-century lives. On the weekends, they wear the cumbersome clothing made for lives in centuries long past. They lug water and cook over open fires. They sleep in tents. They brave insects, mud, heat or cold to “fight” historic battles. Most of all, they love to talk about history.
Meet the American reenactor.
The re-creation of historic battles for commemorative purposes has had a long history, writes Philipp J.C. Elliot-Wright in his book Living History, which explores reenacting of various eras.
“There are accounts of ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans re-creating, for mass public entertainment, various great military victories,” he writes. However, he says, modern reenacting only became popular in the 1960s.
Today, there are reenactors for just about every period of history. But it is the U.S. Civil War (1861-1865) that seems to attract the most reenactors, not just in the United States, but also in the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and even Australia. Many of these overseas “Yankees” and “Rebels” sometimes travel to the United States to participate in reenacting events.
FASCINATION WITH THE U.S. CIVIL WAR
Most historians agree that no other war in U.S. history had as far-reaching an effect on every level of American society as the U.S. Civil War.
The U.S. Civil War, also known as the War Between the States, occurred when 11 Southern states claimed the right to secede and formed their own Confederacy. The U.S. government, headed by President Abraham Lincoln, used military force to stop the secession and preserve the Union. Approximately 3 million Americans fought on both sides; 600,000 died.
In his book The Civil War in Popular Culture, Jim Cullen -- the author of several books on popular culture -- writes that the war “wrought enormous changes in society, changes that can still help explain who we [Americans] are: black or white, rich or poor, man or woman.”
Today, 143 years after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, movies and documentaries have been filmed, songs composed and multitudes of books written about this turning point in U.S. history. The U.S. Army War College still takes officers to Civil War battlegrounds to better understand the era’s war-fighting strategy and tactics, some of which are relevant for today’s military.
In 1950, the North-South Skirmish Association (N-SSA) was formed to commemorate the heroism of soldiers on both sides of the Civil War. The group, still going strong, conducts shooting competitions using Civil War firearms and artillery and encourages the preservation of artifacts. The N-SSA also conducts competitions for the most authentic reproductions of period dress for men, women and children.
According to R. Lee Hadden, author of the book Reliving the Civil War, reenacting got a big boost during the 1961 centennial activities commemorating the 1861 Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in South Carolina, the event that launched the war.
An even bigger boost to the hobby came with the U.S. bicentennial in 1976. During this time, Hadden writes, antiques of the period still were affordable and manufacturers were beginning to make faithful reproductions of the weapons and everyday paraphernalia of the era -- all of which made reenacting easier.
Today, there are many reenacting units that are nonprofit organizations, earning their tax-exempt status by giving talks and demonstrations at schools and at educational events. By reading extensively, visiting museums, and attending lectures, conferences and round tables, many reenactors become quite knowledgeable about their slice of history.
WHAT MOTIVATES REENACTORS?
Much has been written about reenactors and why they are so engaged in the hobby, but most just enjoy the fun of bringing history to life.
“The camaraderie is probably the most important thing,” says Rod Burford, who has been reenacting 12 years with the 8th Virginia Volunteer Infantry. “We have so much fun with the guys in the unit that it keeps you wanting to go back,” he told America.gov.
Burford, a native of Virginia, comes from a family that had members fighting on both sides in the Civil War, so he always had an interest in that era. But it was not until he and his son Zack attended a Battle of Gettysburg event that he became interested in reenacting.
“We thought that it was fantastic and we were taking pictures right and left,” Burford recalled. Soon after, Zack became a member of the 8th Virginia, a Confederate unit, and Rod followed.
According to Rod, one of his most rewarding experiences was a 68-mile [109-kilometer] march from Shepherdstown, West Virginia, to the battlegrounds in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It took three days. He and a band of six reenactors, dressed in their uniforms, followed as best they could the actual route taken by the Confederate army. Blistered feet aside, Rod reported: “We enjoyed the time and experience of it -- the whole challenge of mind over matter.”
“There’s always something new you learn,” Rod said about the reenacting hobby, “and it’s always interesting.”
