On the occasions I've seen them the horse moves off a half dozen steps or so and stops... one of their horses is even taught to take a hit! It will rear up and then lay down and start the most obnoxious caterwauling you've ever heard. Scared the hell out of me as I thought the horse had actually been hurt.
At Danbury this year the Union Cav hanged a man... after the Confederate civilians had demanded it as he was a murderer attempting to hide from justice. Decent enough skit.
We had another later in the day w/ Union Picketts being captured... while it was a good idea it wasn't particularly well thought out as noone told the picketts they were going to be involved in a skit (they were welcoming the public) they also had fixed bayonets. Safety concerns weren't considered... a boondoggle where luckily noone was hurt.
At the Cleremont GRC a group of La troops took a full dose of Canister and died quite well. I commend their performance, did a good job I think. Did a good job of conveying the poower of arty to the crowd.
Neil, as to "handicapped" people reenacting it is a cheering site. I'd love to meet your friend Laura. I've seen a fella who does Cav from out Kansas or Nebraska way missing his left arm... rides a horse better than most and can handle a sharps carbine w/ no problem. He does an excellent role as a member of the 7th US Cav.
__________________ Shane Christen
American Legion Post 352
SUVCW Camp Abernethy# 48
Lifetime NRA member
3rd MN VI
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Eccl 1:18
Speaking of "handicapped" people reenacting, there is a young man down in Iowa who uses a walker. They usually position him out on the field before the battle starts and he acts as a sharpshooter. He is one very independent young man, do not even consider offering to help him.
It's like I said, there are a lot of people out their with physical challenges who have a lot to contribute to the hobby of Civil War reenacting. They are not 'crippled' and should NEVER be treated as such.
But I am very sure that I am preaching to the converted in this case. Thanks for you examples and your stories and keep up the good thoughts and acts.
YMOS,
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
I'd forgotten about that young man... he was at Mason City this years wasn't he? I didn't realize that his walker was permenant, I had assumed he was recovering from something and was continuing the hobby health be ****ed. Shows what I know!
__________________ Shane Christen
American Legion Post 352
SUVCW Camp Abernethy# 48
Lifetime NRA member
3rd MN VI
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Eccl 1:18
This young man I spoke of is from Mason City, back in 1996 my husband saw him filling about 6 canteens. Bob offered to help him and was told in no uncertain terms that filling those was his job and he did not need any help. He is one very independent person. I do not know his name or even what unit he is with, just that he is confederate.
I was at the 140th Antietam event in Virginia, but not as a soldier this time due to my suffering with diabetes. A doctor friend and his wife had been recruited by me and had went wild with reenacting fever. He had committed himself totally to a medical impression to the point of buying almost $10,000 worth of antique medical tools, insturments, period bottles and did extensive research on Civil War era cures and medicines. He and his wife also bought tents, period stretchers, tables, wooden boxes, cooking gear, the whole schmear!
But 'Doc' wanted an assistant surgeon, so guess who got the job! I had to study like a madman, memorizing the insturments and what they were used for, as Doc like to lay them out for the spectators to see. I got to learn what the horrible effect mine balls had when they struck parts of the human body and why amputation was the only way to go in most cases. I got physically ill reading most of the information on this particular 'job.'
Well, anyway, we got to the reenactment site and set-up all of our tents on what was called 'surgeon's row' where anyone who was doing a medical impression was placed. We had Union and Confederate surgeons, we had period wagon ambulances, severed body part in mounds or overflowing buckets, real hospital tents where we could lay our wounded on period cots while nurses tended to them. It was great!
But the one unique set-up was a fellow who played the part of undertaker. He set up right next to our tents and he had a very unique set-up that was hard to ignore. He had a period horse drawn hearse. Beautiful thing, black and glass, so you could see the loved one's casket on the way to the cemetary. He had caskets on display and even an embalming set-up! I wandered over after our camp was set-up and offered to help him set-up and pump him for information on his particular take on the hobby.
The next day, Saturday, the crowds began showing up. At first people are reluctant to get too close to you or are afraid to ask questions, but Doc and I have a routine to bring them in. I bring out my Springfield rifle and show the folks how its loaded, let them hold it and feel the weight of it, and then I tell them how the bullets it fires does damage to the body. Then I direct them to Doc and he tells them the other side of the story by displaying the insturments and medicines and how they remove bullets or limbs to cure the damage.
After I had done this several times with large groups of spectators, I noticed my undertaker friend with a rather small crowd at his display trying to explain his job. I was hit with an inspiration and ducked back into my tent to retrieve my period wallet with Yankee Greenbacks in it.
I walked over to him, in 19th century character and asked if he was the undertaker. I was in my uniform as a Union LT. assistant surgeon and so he addressed me in a very formal manner and stated he was. I then started to dicker with him on the price of embalming and shipping my body home in case I was killed in the upcoming battle and the price of a casket. The crowd began to grow at this exchange of him and I haggeling back and forth. They just could not believe this sort of thing went on and were surprised to find out just how often it really did!
After about 10 minutes, my Yankee soul and pocketbook finally reached an agreement for an amount I cannot remember now. But the price included embalming, a good wooden casket, and that the undertaker would find my body on the field or claim it at the hospital tent and ship it home also. I gave him the money, made out some instructions on paper and took his card.
As I walked away the man was bombarded by questions! We did this little act for the rest of the day quite effectively and the man said he had never had such crowds or interest before our little act.
There's one more thing I like to tell about this man. When the time came for the days first big battle, thousands of troops were marching by our camp on the way to the battlefield. Seeing his most marvolus opportunity, the undertaker ducked into his tent, came back out with his hands full of his calling cards! He went up to the vast column of men in blue and began handing out his cards to anyone and everyone who would take them.
A lot of the boys at first just took them without realizing what they had, until one lad read his and yelled out, "HEY!" Then the others read theirs and either made grim jokes or bawled out the undertaker for trying to drum up business! Officers on horseback came up and told the 'dam vulture' to leave their men alone and find his business elsewhere! It was a great 'Magic Moment' for the man.
Just goes to show, you don't have to do a soldier impression to do a Civil War reenactment!
YMOS,
Unionblue
(Message edited by Unionblue on November 18, 2003)
(Message edited by Unionblue on November 18, 2003)
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
Undertaker handing out cards. The early worm gets the bird eh?
I seem to recall that during Gettysburg, the union surgeon’s setup the hospital in a small depression in the middle of the army. The tents were set up with basically the bulk of the army having ringside seats. The easily visible growing pile of bloody limbs did little to boost morale. Am I recalling it right?
Here is some statistical info for ya’ll
Federal Casualties
Federal Army
Killed in Action or mortally wounded 110,100 67,088 KIA
43,012 MW
Died of disease 224,580
Died as prisoners of war 30,192
Nonbattle deaths:
Accident 4,114
Drowned 4,944
Murdered 520
Killed after Capture 104
Suicide 391
Executed by Federal Authorities 267
Executed by the Enemy 64
Sunstroke 313
Other Causes 2,043
Causes Not Stated 12,121
Total nonbattle deaths 24,881
Wounded in action 275,175
Federal Navy
Killed in action or mortally wounded 1,804
Died of disease or accident 3,000
Wounded in action 2,226
Total Federal Casualties 1861 to 1865 642,427
Confederate Casualties
Confederate Army
Killed in action or mortally wounded 94,000
Died of disease 164,000
Died as prisoners of war 31,000Wounded in action 194,026
Total Confederate Casualties 1861 to 1865 483,026
Confederate Navy
No statistics available
Battlefield Injuries
Cause Percentage of Injuries
Bullets 93%
Artillery Projectiles 6%
Sabers and Bayonets less than 1%
Fatality Rates For Battlefield Injuries
Type of Wound Percentage Fatal
Abdominal 87%
Chest 63%
Head 60%
Shoulder 33%
Disease
I have read so many stories and seen so many films concerning the subject of troops on their way to battle either shaking hands with the surgeons or seeing fellow soldiers undergoing amputations just before a fight. In no way could that be a morale booster!
That is why the men of this period fascinate me! They were what we would call 'common men' not trained soldiers with a military history or tradition to sustain them in the hard times. Yet these ordinary men did so many extraordinary things during that terrible time.
They are all my heroes and deserved to be remembered.
Sincerely,
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
I cannot even imagine just how much suffering the men endured on a daily basis. The endurance and just plain raw courage to keep going still leaves me in awe.
I know my saying this is a bit cloying but I think of my grandfather serving as a 16 year old soldier under General Thomas. When I try to envision all the marching, all the major battles, skirmishes, camps etc I just am overwhelmed.
That's it! That's the feeling that I get when I contemplate what those men did. I am truly overwhelmed with AWE. And that you are related by blood to those men in the form of your grandfather, what an honor and a birthright to have!
Here is where I truly envy you. You have a touch to the past, a thread that goes back all those years to one of the most trying and triumphant times in our history.
And I do not allude to a Northern triumph, but the triumph of the common man, North or South, who fought and died for what he believed was right and not by a gun pointed at his head. All of those men are giants to me.
Sincerely,
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
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