Bentonville - Page 3

#21 11-21-2004, 02:24 AM

Josh,

Follow Dawna's and Neil's advice. I'm sure you'll be a valuable asset to the community if you learn to post less often and read more. If you do have any questions any of us on the civilwartalk forum will be happy to help. And welcome aboard Josh.

thea_447 · #22 11-21-2004, 06:46 AM

I've been following this Bentonville thread with great interest since it seemed to be floundering between newcomers, some oldsters, and the in-betweeners.

I am so happy that everyone has come to a meeting of the minds about the reenacting. I can certainly understand, even though I am unable to reenact due to health problems, how it would be so discouraging, especially to a very young impressionable young man, how some people, young AND old alike, would just show up and not "get into the moment".

Those that come to these events with as much historical accuracy in their costume certainly are to be commended for taking the time to research, research, research. And I think they get the most out of the experience and that's what will keep them coming back. Those others are just day trippers and don't care if they spoil the fun for the rest of the group. There are always people like that in every facet of life.

Showing by example has always proved the better part of valor. And if you can convince even one person to try to be more authenticate the ripple effect will take place and you'll see more people trying for authenticity.

Again, I commend all of you for bringing this thread back to a harmonious level.

Josh, as soon, as you get back from Bentonvillle, I do hope you will write and tell us all your experiences because those of us who can't participate live vicariously through your trials and tribulations. And for a brief moment, we too, can be a part of something so glorious.

Till we meet again, I remain, YMOS,

muddycreekmess1 · #23 11-21-2004, 02:10 PM

Hey......I second what Josh is saying.....we'rein the same unit, and made a mess[muddy creek mess] which is a very very small contingent of hardcores within a mainstream unit....what I really wanna say is that it is often seen that hardcores 'make fun' of ••••••••••••••• the deal on that....if any ••••••••• questions,and genuinly cares about their impression and is trying to get better..I classify them as a progressive[1 step down from hardcore]. Also in our mainstream unit it is totally the opposite...Josh and I have been constantly riducled,put down,and stepped upon, we are forced to sleep in the worst possible areas,it seems like they want to 'break'us from our hardcore attitude. I think Josh got a taste of that at his first event,Mespotamia ,Ohio. Also....I want to agree with Dawna.. Josh's dedication is awesome. At his first event, he had the oppurtunity to sleep in a tent, eat modern food, not go barefoot,and basically concede to mainstream practices.....if anyone has ever experienced trying to stay in first person while spooning by a free-way[thats where we were forced to camp, it is very very difficult.....I went progressive around the gettysburg 140th....ever since then, I have been riducled, put down, and sometimes shunned within my unit .....people ask me why I am still in the unit.....it's because I generally like the guys , I dont hate •••••• I just hate their attitude about authenticity.....I am trying to do exactly what Thea said and create a ripple effect. In about a year, we have gotten about 4 people in our unit interested in authentic reenacting. Heck...I didnt expect one. Hope I got my points across in that sermon, sorry, this has been bottled up inside me for about a year.Oh also I have more vendors for you Dawna-
www.bentart.com
www.crchilds.com
http://members.aol/theqmstores/
www.missouribootandshoe.com
www.cottoncitytailors.com
www.skilletlicker.com
www.tripod.com/dirtybackboys/1
www.cornerclothiers.com

Your obedient servant,

Ian Broadhead
Musician ,Liberty Rifles
Musician, 5th Tex. co. A
Founder -muddy creek mess

www.libertyrifles.org

dawna · #24 11-21-2004, 07:44 PM

Ian:

Thank you for the information on Civil War vendors and I really appreciate your willingess to help me in this way. I did check out the weblinks that you provided and they are all full of great information. I also enjoyed reading the history of the Liberty Rifles, along with the wonderful event pictures on your site...I couldn't help but notice that your unit also has a mounted division!

I don't profess to know what you experience at your events Ian but it sounds to me as if, like Josh, you try very hard to remain authentic, despite the circumstances, and this speaks volumes to me. Since this will be my first year as a re-enactor, I count on experienced and knowledgable people like you to teach me the ropes, long before my first event.

As re-enactors we all have to start somewhere, but with the proper guidance to newcomers such as myself, the transition to dedicated impressionist should be a smooth one.

Dawna

johan_steele · #25 11-21-2004, 08:40 PM

Josh, you've hit on something and I have a suggestion for your first post in the re-enactors forum. You mentioned contempt/disgust for the man standing next to you carrying a blued weapon.

Start a thread about it and explain why you view that as ••••••• unacceptable. A little research will find that blued weapons were not only not uncommon they were not an uncommon site to the Civil War soldier. My own research on the subject propeled me a long way into the firearms of the period. To the point of concluding that striking bright an Enfield was not done in mass. I came to this conclusion through a lot of reading, study of quite a few original pieces, a look at the British Arms trade and the documentable paths of these weapons when they arrived in the US.

Just as a note the 5th TX is documented to have carried both the 2 & 3 band Enfield rifle muskets with either the standard or saber bayonet. They also carried the 1861 Springfield. Only the 1861 Springfield left the factory struck bright. No Enfield arrived in the US struck bright. However, many individual officers ordered their men to strike their Enfields bright... many did not.

Good Luck to your research
The more I learn about the Civil War the more I realize I don't know.

#26 11-22-2004, 08:43 PM

true there were a few blued weapons but it wasnt wide spread but i have been to an event with like nothing but blued

johan_steele · #27 11-22-2004, 10:29 PM

Most if not all of the Enfields in the US were blued, the Merril, Sharps, Spencer, Ballard almost all Carbines etc... certainly not just a few. Most if not al of the long arms to leave US factories were struck bright, the same was true in Europe w/ the English leading the way in blued weapons.

I have seen only one original Enfield struck bright and upon actually looking at the underside of the barrel it was almost certainly a field alteration. Upon looking at photos I've seen only about 20-25% of the Enfields having been struck bright.

As I said, start a thread w/ documentation for your theory. There is enough info out there to fill several books and provide a world of research.

Good Luck

#28 11-23-2004, 08:47 PM

The reason for the blued rifles was to counter act against the elements of salt water. The Enfield Rifle Co. did this so no rifle would be rusted away during shipping across the Atlantic. After arrival to the U.S. the soldiers would either strip off the bluing or leave it on. I found a site that explains and has pictures of 2 Enfields and has personal accounts written in their diaries:

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Qu...nf/enfblue.htm

Hope this helps out with the bluing debate.

hardtack61 · #29 03-07-2005, 10:14 PM

hello mods.,

THis thread i think should be deleted off this fourum!!! My friend was in the wrong totally and yes you corrected him and threw him off. I think its distastefull to the campaigner/progressive family. If you thinkother wise please PM me. Also I do admit to be in the wrong for maybe fueling my friends ignorance, and im sorry if i have done so. I dont see these problems anymore so that pleases me! Thankyou for your time!

muddycreekmess1 · #30 03-08-2005, 05:01 PM

I am going to have to agree...this thread was more or less **** bashing[excuse the language]/ conversation between pards to begin with. Agin- PLEASE delete this thread it is unecessary to keep it on.....

Regards, Ian