Persona

[Union_Buff]

Hey all.

Just curious about the members on here who reenact. What does your character think of the war? Do they survive, and what CSA/Union unit (AoNVA, AoP, AoT, etc) do they serve?

[unionblue]

Union_Buff,

I'll give this one a whirl.

My Civil War reenacting first-person is Private Jeremiah T. Hamilton, Company H, 76th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment, from Newark, Ohio, when I am in a Union infantry impression. Jeremiah makes his living as a whiskey distiller and warehouse owner on the Erie Canal in the town of Lockbourne, Ohio, just about 10 miles south of Columbus, Ohio, the State Capitol.

He sells barrels of whiskey to the many saloons there, just across from the newly completed State capitol building, and ships them there by canal boat, since the Erie Canal passes right through Lockbourne.

He makes a pretty good living selling his wares, but he has his eyes on a pretty widow woman who lives in town who owns a two-story frame house and owns much of the surrounding farm land around the town. She is know as the Widow Bloomfield.

Now, Jeremiah was a Constitutional Union man and voted for Breckingridge in the 1860 election, but when Ft. Sumter was fired upon, joined up with the 76th Ohio when a friend convinced him to join with him. Jeremiah was 39 years old when he signed on for three years in April of 1861.

Now, when I reenact Confederate with the Company D, 17th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, I play the first-person of Jeremiah's brother, Sergeant Taylor J. Hamilton, who was a carpenter in Columbus, Ohio, before the war. I base this person on an actual person from the time who was a carpenter in Columbus, Ohio, but who went South to join the Confederacy.

Jeremiah swears that if he ever finds his brother on the other side of the battlefield he is on, he will show no mercy, and considers his brother a traitor to the Union. Taylor holds similar feelings towards his brother. But so far, they have yet to meet at the same place at the same time.

I have also played an assistant Union surgeon, a civilian bartender and telegraph operator.

I have held the ranks of Captain, First Sergeant, Sergeant and Corporal in the Union Army, and Lt. and Sergeant in the Confederate Army.

It makes for a nice and varied reenacting career and I have enjoyed it very much. I have gotten used to answering at the name Jeremiah and Taylor so much that when folks use my real first name, I don't know who they are calling.

Anyway, that's how it works for me.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

[Union_Buff]

Well, here's my first-person impression in return Blue.

My Civil War impression is Private Benjamin Franklin Green, Company D, 3rd Iowa Cavalry Regiment. Benjamin moves to America with his family from New Zealand in 1858, so his father, who is a surveyor, can help his brother, Irwin, with a construction business in the state of Oklahoma.

Before enlisting, Ben helps his father and Uncle Irwin in the construction trade, making lots of money as an apprentice and moving to Fort Bend, Texas, starting his own construction company. But, when war breaks out in 1861, Ben has a decision to make; stay in Fort Bend and join with the CSA, or flee to the North with his family. He chooses the latter, and they arrived in Iowa several months later, minus Ben's twin sister, Eliza.

Benjamin enlists with the 3rd Iowa Cavalry, while his brother, Vernon, enlists with the 6th Illinois Cavalry. His two younger sisters, Louisa and Indiana, take on male personas, and enlist with two New York infantry regiments that are to become a part of the Union's famous Irish Brigade.

On the other hand, Eliza flees to Texas, also taking on a male persona, and is soon made adjutant of a newly created unit; the 22nd Independent Cavalry, becoming "Captain Francis Xavier Green, CSA". With the Green family literally divided, Ben often wishes that Eliza hadn't strayed and he is hopeful that she might defect to the Union and rejoin her family.

And for some reason, Ben has become the target of a certain soldier in the 26th Texas Cavalry (DeBray's), who is determined to take him down and make sure he becomes another number in the growing casualty rate, or, if that doesn't work, take him prisoner and make him suffer.

And that's how it works for me.

[RebelCaptainDave]

Hi Buff,

These days I just protray myself, a Confederate Captain from South Carolina. I have been a lot of different folks over the years. Reguardless of who I protray, all the reenactors that I know just see me as myself.

Captain Dave

[Union_Buff]

Hi Buff,

These days I just protray myself, a Confederate Captain from South Carolina. I have been a lot of different folks over the years. Reguardless of who I protray, all the reenactors that I know just see me as myself.

Captain Dave

Thanks Dave. I think everyone who reenacts agrees with you - we are being ourselves and having fun!! And I hope to see you at a reenactment in 2012, where I'll be a Union cavalryman.

[johan_steele]

Below are a the personas of some of the men and women in my unit.

Persona Name: Seth Barnaby
Physical appearance: 5'8", 140 lbs lithe and strong
Clothing & Style preffered: cravat and a homespun shirt
hairstyle: simple
hair color: dark blond to brown
eye color: brown
Ethnic origins: Family is from US as far as the Revolution, first ancestor was a Hessian soldier captured by Washigton at Valley Forge
Native language: English
Literate: Yes, hopes to be a school teacher after the War
Educational level: well learned and well read, he would like to attend university
Political leanings: Staunch Republican
Religion: Methodist Episcipol
Profession: school boy and farmer before the war was to be apprenticed to a harness maker but the war interfered

Personality type: quiet and shy
Who is valued most: his family and friends, in particular his little sister Carlie
What is valued most: friendship and honesty
Most valued possesion: a worn copy of Plutarch
What is felt about most people: People are inherently good
Loves: his family

Early backround: average farming family w/ the father dieing of palsey in the spring of 1860.
Family: Cousins Alicia 11, Celia 21 and Sarah 17. Sister Carlie 19 & Mother Ann 38. Father deceased Aunt Rosemary 40 & her husband Hanz 56
Family Status: hard working farmers
DOB: April 3, 1844
Loaction of Birth: Dane County Wisconsin
Economic history: hit and miss horse trading family as well as raising dairy cattle
Social History: everything that comes w/ being a farmer w/ higher aspirations

[johan_steele]

Persona Name: Emaline
Physical appearance: 5’2”, slim almost scrawny
Clothing & Style preffered:
hairstyle: shoulder length curly
hair color: strawberry blonde
eye color: hazel wears glasses
Ethnic origins: Born in Illinois
Native language: English
Literate: Yes
Educational level: One room school house until 16
Political leanings: Hates politics
Religion: Methodist Christian
Profession: Young girl trying to survive and find a life

Personality type: Center of attention getter
Who is valued most: friends
What is valued most: Memories of her family
Most valued possesion: A ring from her grandmother
What is felt about most people: Comfortable
Loves: Art and reading

Early background: Parents and siblings killed in 1862 Sioux War; brother died of disease while in the Army
Family: all deceased
Family Status: Refugee
DOB: 9 June 16 1847
Loaction of Birth: Springfield, Illinois
Economic history: average plains farming family
Social History: lower middle class


If a civilian: Lost her entire family and most of her friends due to the Sioux Uprising. Her friends are soldier and their families.

[johan_steele]

Persona Name: Johan Steele
Physical appearance: 5'9" 140 lbs,
Clothing & Style preffered: simple soldiers clothing, though he has a preference to red shirts.
hairstyle: simple and careless
hair color: blonde to brown
eye color: gray to hazel
Ethnic origins: Dutch, but usually thought of as French
Native language: Dutch, Provincial French and English... some Turkish & Russian
Literate: No, he can read a map and figure some
Educational level: hahahahaha life and conflict wisdom gained from a hard life and the life of a soldier.
Political leanings: Liquor
Religion: raised to know Catholicism as well as Protestant... non-denominational Christian
Profession: Soldier... alcoholic

Personality type:
Who is valued most: his wife and daughter, then his men
What is valued most: the friendship and lives of the men he is placed over
Most valued possesion: a simple meerscham pipe given him by his Colonel in the Crimea

What is felt about most people: People; good ones, bad ones... judge them as individuals
Loves: His wife & daughter... Liquor

Early backround: orphan after the rest of his family died of fever, he was raised on the docks & later in a brothel as a boy of all works
Family: wife & daughter
Family Status: poor man at best
DOB: 1830 +/-
Loaction of Birth: Amsterdam
Economic history: oh that is choice... poor boy, servant then soldier in the Foreign Legion... quirk of fate or bad luck landed him w/ enough monies to reach the US.
Social History: Low class/soldier

[johan_steele]

Persona Name: William Young
Physical appearance: thin & spare… Women think him handsome
Clothing & Style proffered: simple
hairstyle: don’t ask
hair color: dirty blond
eye color: blue/gray
Ethnic origins: Norwegian & German
Native language: English
Literate: Yes
Educational level: all the way through town school
Political leanings: Kill them all… they started this god**** mess
Religion: Christian
Profession: Carpenter

Personality type: Quiet and composed… though w/ a short temper when provoked.
Who is valued most: Youngest Sister
What is valued most: self respect
Most valued possession: Grandfathers Copy of Shakespeare works
What is felt about most people: Judge each person as an individual
Loves: life

Family: 2 younger sisters
Family Status: average
DOB: 31 Dec 1840
Location of Birth: Wisconsin
Economic history: average…
Social History: middle class

[johan_steele]

Persona Name: Kevin Jaeger
Physical appearance: Spare but muscular
Clothing & Style preferred: simple or flamboyant… sometimes both
hairstyle: simple
hair color: brown
eye color: hazel
Ethnic origins: 2nd Generation German
Native language: English
Literate: yes
Educational level: town school
Political leanings: Democrat
Religion: Christian
Profession: Soldier

Personality type: fiery temper when provoked
Who is valued most: women
What is valued most: respect
Most valued possesion: pipe
What is felt about most people: trust people until they prove otherwise
Loves: women in general

Early backround: to include childhood triumphs and tragedies
Family: siblings & their relative ages as well as feeling towards them
Family Status: ie social, economic etc
DOB: 1845
Loaction of Birth: (to include state or country) Wisconsin
Economic history: from a dirt farm
Social History: hardscrabble dirt farm

[johan_steele]

Persona Name: Bryce Svenson
Physical appearance: tall & spare
Clothing & Style preferred: simple sailors garb
hairstyle: short
hair color: black
eye color: dark
Ethnic origins: Norwegian
Native language: Norwegian & English
Literate: Yes
Educational level: some school
Political leanings: Doesn’t speak of it aka shut up about it.
Religion: lapsed Christian
Profession: sailor

Personality type: friendly but needs to feel in charge of situation
Who is valued most: self
What is valued most: his hide
Most valued possesion: Nudie CDV
What is felt about most people: people are victims
Loves: women… lots & lots of women

Early backround: grew up by the sea
Family: 22 brothers & sisters by three mother. Father twice widowed
Family Status: 22 kids… money?
DOB: 1835
Loaction of Birth: Norway; came over in 1842
Economic history: 22 kids in the family… nuff said
Social History: 22 kids in the family… nuff said

[johan_steele]

Persona Name: Joshua Swanson
Physical appearance: big boned
Clothing & Style preferred: simple
hairstyle: short & simple
hair color: Blond
eye color: blue/gray
Ethnic origins: Norwegian 2nd Generation
Native language: English
Literate: Yes
Educational level: All the way through the town school
Political leanings: Democrat
Religion: lapsed Protestant
Profession: son of a shopkeeper

Personality type: quiet and careful
Who is valued most: himself
What is valued most:
Most valued possesion: a copy of Three Musketeers
What is felt about most people: Leave me the hell alone
Loves: hasn’t met his woman yet

Early backround: three older sisters and two younger brothers
Family: siblings &
Family Status: father is a shopkeeper
DOB: 1843
Loaction of Birth: Illinois
Economic history: middle class
Social History: middle class

[johan_steele]

Persona Name: Emmanuel Lentsch
Physical appearance: small and spare but strong
Clothing & Style preferred: Simple
hairstyle: short cut
hair color: dirty blond
eye color: Hazel
Ethnic origins: True American, a mix
Native language: English
Literate: Yes
Educational level: One Room School… and life
Political leanings: Democrat
Religion: Pagan
Profession: Farmer

Personality type: Quit but friendly; dislikes being the center of conversation or attention.
Who is valued most: Family
What is valued most: farm
Most valued possesion: the farm
What is felt about most people: trust them only so as you can throw them
Loves: Family, the land

Early backround: very sheltered life away from town…
Family: siblings &their relative ages as well as feeling towards them: 2 older brothers and a sister
Family Status: average farmer
DOB: 1835
Loaction of Birth: Wisconsin
Economic history: A farmer from a family of farmers
Social History: the hard scrabble life of a farmer

Joined the Army to stop the Treason of Secession.

[johan_steele]

Persona Name: Nathanial Johnston
Physical appearance: very small of stature, thin
Clothing & Style preffered: Baggy but simple
hairstyle: likes to let it grow long
hair color: brown
eye color: Brown
Ethnic origins: American, Ohio roots
Native language: English
Literate: Yes
Educational level: Some school, a lot at home
Political leanings: Doesn’t really know, but a real issue w/ Copperheads
Religion: Methodist
Profession: farmer

Personality type: An outgoing but shy person
Who is valued most: friends
What is valued most: friends
Most valued possesion: a gold watch
What is felt about most people: everyone is good, just a few bad apples ruin it for all
Loves: Being a soldier

Early backround: to include childhood triumphs and tragedies: VERY close mouthed, a troubled childhood… the war allowed an escape from home.
Family: siblings; Only surviving child
Family Status: dirt poor
DOB: 1846
Location of Birth: Wisconsin
Economic history: Farm family… ravaged by bad luck
Social History: from a family that always just kind of scrapped by.

Believed all of the romance of a soldier could be his… War changed that.

[johan_steele]

Persona Name: Andrew Halverson
Physical appearance: young man
Clothing & Style prefered: simple “Function over form.”
hairstyle: mop
hair color: brown
eye color: hazel
Ethnic origins: Scandinavian mutt
Native language: English
Literate: Yes
Educational level: Through primary school
Political leanings: Democrat
Religion: Lutheran
Profession: Clerk

Personality type: easy going
Who is valued most: family
What is valued most: home
Most valued possession:
What is felt about most people: friends & potential friends
Loves: art, outdoors

Early background: saved brother from drowning, losing great grandfather
Family: siblings; Jeff 30+ older brother
Family Status: lower middle class
DOB: 11 Oct 1839
Loaction of Birth: Minnesota
Economic history: lower middle class
Social History: lower middle class

[johan_steele]

Persona Name: Brian Hovland
Physical appearance: young man
Clothing & Style prefered: Comfortable, style be ****ed
hairstyle: long & comfortable
hair color: blond
eye color: gray blue
Ethnic origins: Norwegian
Native language: English
Literate: Yes
Educational level: Through primary school
Political leanings: Political Mercenary
Religion:
Profession: Apprentice Smithy

Personality type: easy going
Who is valued most:
What is valued most:
Most valued possession:
What is felt about most people:
Loves:

Early background:
Family: siblings; Kelly younger sister, Kari much younger sister
Family Status: lower middle class
DOB: 1844
Loaction of Birth: Minnesota
Economic history: lower middle class
Social History: lower middle class

[MadViking1861]

Well, here's my first-person impression in return Blue.

My Civil War impression is Private Benjamin Franklin Green, Company D, 3rd Iowa Cavalry Regiment. Benjamin moves to America with his family from New Zealand in 1858, so his father, who is a surveyor, can help his brother, Irwin, with a construction business in the state of Oklahoma.


And that's how it works for me.

It wasn't Oklahoma then. It was Indian Territory.

[ole]

Bing!

Oklahoma became a state in what? 1908 or something thereabout? Or am I thinking about Arizona?

Ole

[MadViking1861]

Bing!

Oklahoma became a state in what? 1908 or something thereabout? Or am I thinking about Arizona?

Ole

Oklahoma became a state in 1907.

[bushwacker]

I portray a poor farmer who joined up with Gen. Shelby's Iron Brigade to help protect/defend the great state of Missouri from invasion by the forces of the North.
I was trying to stay out of the conflict, but with the Union forces invading and destroying my state, I had to do something. So I fell in with the calvary as they rode thru my little town of Independence. I didn't have much in the way of gear, but some nice Yankee was kind enough to loan me his gear. I don't think he had any more use for it anyway.