Federal Troops

Hondo · #1 10-10-2006, 10:16 PM

Ok boys here is the question. What does it take to get Federal troops at a small re-enactment below the Mason-Dixon Line?

Yes I am serious about this so please be gentle.

Hondo

unionblue · #2 10-10-2006, 10:56 PM

Hondo,

The willingness of some of the many Confederate reenacting companies to switch for the day and wear blue coats.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

johan_steele · #3 10-10-2006, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hondo

Ok boys here is the question. What does it take to get Federal troops at a small re-enactment below the Mason-Dixon Line?

Yes I am serious about this so please be gentle.

Hondo

An act of God? Hondo, Neil pretty much gave the answer. There is a general shortage of Union troops everywhere... guess you rebs have more fun.

texascavcadet · #4 10-10-2006, 11:45 PM

Hondo,

Yah what they said, my unit (11th Texas Cavalry) goes both blue or grey, alot of units do that but some of the "hardcore" cs units who mumble "my grandpa would turn in his grave" Makes you wonder why they are doing this? Its to keep history alive!

I know at some events they offer a bounty for the first 3 federal units to register.

Good luck!! ...

-garrett

blue_zouave · #5 10-11-2006, 12:56 AM

Oh gosh, I gotta go reenact in the South! (Actually, am not up for the abuse that I fear I would get in my Zouave Blue.)

The only place I know where Feds outnumber Confeds is Oregon.

Guess all those Rebs who are allergic to blue will have to just reenact camp life!!

Zou

Hondo · #6 10-11-2006, 06:00 PM

Yeah I know about the "crossdressers" (just kidding yall). No seriously, I know that many units do that. I have also strated working on the event organizers to up the bounty. This year they paid one and it was a bit less than I had hoped for.

This is a work in progress and there are many changes being made to improve this. I asked for bounties for the Federals and limit Confederates. As for walk-ons and dismounted make them go blue. One of the organizers said but what if they outnumber you? I just rolled my eyes and said ever read any accounts of the battles?

Anyway if yall have any brainstorms just let me know.

Hondo, in occupied Virginia.

Mark Wadsworth · #7 10-11-2006, 07:00 PM

What I am going to say is what feel and I think are a few way to get Federal troops to go to an event.
First of all let my give you some of my background. My unit is “DUEL IMPRESSION” we don’t galvanize. We put the same amount of time and effort in to our Union impression as we do our Confederate one. We don’t gripe and moan about putting on the blue one bit.
We fight more in blue then we do in grey. I have never been held in reserve while in blue in the south. So that makes for being in the thick of it for the whole battle. A few Rebs whining after the Battle of Bentonville saying that they only were allowed to fire off one shot. While as for my unit we were firing in the trenches the whole time. My musket was so hot I had a cook off that day. I remember telling them that if they wanted to fight and not be held back then to put on the blue.

One way to try to get more folks in blue to an event is to not charge them for the event. If letting them in for free is out then have a lower price for the Union troops.
Have the local host unit wear blue. I have learned that if the hosts are not even willing to wear blue then it is not and event to go to.
Make them feel welcome and let them know that your glad that they are here
Keep the name-calling and the Yankee hating politics out of it.
Contact as many Units that can be found who will do blue. Try to find more then double of what you need and you may get some
Make returning unit wear blue.

I have a few more suggestions that I could bring up but I know for sure that they are flame bait. So I will not bring them up.
A few events I have gone to the hosts treated the Federals like crap and made us feel like they didn’t want us there. So we packed up and started to head out. We told the host to try to have the battle without Federals. That next year they couldn’t get union troops to go.
To Sum it all up the best way to get folks in blue to go to an event it to be respectful, don’t charge them and contact more then what you need.

These are a few of my suggestions to increase the ranks in blue at an event.

ole · #8 10-11-2006, 09:14 PM

Now you guys have revealed a sectional "thing" of which I, being a non-enactor, was totally unaware. I'd think that the basic subject -- THE F'N WAR GUYS -- would have shown that petty resentments sometimes lead to major casualty lists. There is a lesson in history.

We're all involved in this thing called learning. From the above posts, I've not seen that any of that learning has been accomplished. Can't get bluebellies to show because you treat them like crap? Go back to the books. It's written in there. Everyone just go back to the playground. Burn the books. Forget what happened. Close your eyes. Turn off your brain.

Hondo: I hope you find your Yanks. The reenactments I've observed (above that north/south division have been most amicable -- no problem getting cross-dressers. I was unaware that things were different south of that line.

I'd have to fall in with Mark. Although I wouldn't bribe a blue unit to come, I'd certainly go out of my way to make them feel welcome. If your event can't do at least that, hang up any hopes of participation.

Hondo · #9 10-12-2006, 05:59 AM

Mark, thanks for your input. You have some good ideas. I know how careful we have to be about what we say, 'cause the flamers just love a chance to get started.

Ole I don't know how hard it is to get both armies at an event but when you get into Virginia the blue is hard to come by. For the record at Guyandotte (Huntington, WV) they have Feds wearing gray to even things up a bit. Go figure.

Hondo

Mark Wadsworth · #10 10-12-2006, 03:23 PM

Hondo,
What event are you trying to get union troops to go to?