“I Would Have Followed Them Into Battle”

AndyHall

Colonel
Joined
Dec 13, 2011
Female Civil War re-enactors march proudly onto the battlefields where their forerunners disguised themselves to fight.

Kim Hopfer, a mother of two, lives on a farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. She works as a truck driver, and each year spends her one week of vacation re-enacting the Civil War—not in a hoop skirt and bonnet, knitting socks, but in a pair of Union blue trousers, among the ranks of the 138th Pennsylvania. The re-enacting community often derides wannabe re-enactors whose personas are historically inaccurate as “farbish,” but in fact Kim is far from farbish. She represents one of as many as a thousand women who served in the Union and Confederate armies during the war, cross-dressed as men.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_..._women_who_passed_as_men_to_fight.single.html
 
The commander of my N-SSA team refuses to allow women on our team and is constantly carping about lack of members. I've told him that I thought it silly. He says that they just don't look like soldiers and I've reminded him that he is 73 and grey haired and doesn't look like a soldier either.

That commander needs to be sacked. :redcarded:
 
Worry more about the pointy end of the lance than the rider behind it.

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I saw a few females in disguise at Mariposa, but couldn't tell until I was right up close. And if they want to take part in reenacting, just let them! I will always support women who want to take on an active role in the community.
 
The commander of my N-SSA team refuses to allow women on our team and is constantly carping about lack of members. I've told him that I thought it silly. He says that they just don't look like soldiers and I've reminded him that he is 73 and grey haired and doesn't look like a soldier either.
BillO, I got a kick out of your response to the commander. I've noticed that quite a few of the people who have the time and resources to reenact seem a little old for the character types they often portray. But this is not really a criticism--just an observation. I see no reason to prevent women from reenacting as soldiers. Nor mature men, for that matter.
 
I've heard of some people threaten not to take their wives and/or daughters to the reenactment because one of them wanted to dress up as a boy.

If someone's going to be that picky then what's next? Throwing out people who are overweight? Used the wrong type of fabric for their costumes? Have poor costumes? Too old? Too young?

Reenacting is a hobby and is about having fun.

If someone wants to be that strict then they need to join a group that strict or start up their own. It does no good to spoil the fun for everyone else.
 
I've heard of some people threaten not to take their wives and/or daughters to the reenactment because one of them wanted to dress up as a boy.

If someone's going to be that picky then what's next? Throwing out people who are overweight? Used the wrong type of fabric for their costumes? Have poor costumes? Too old? Too young?

Reenacting is a hobby and is about having fun.

If someone wants to be that strict then they need to join a group that strict or start up their own. It does no good to spoil the fun for everyone else.

I wonder how many manly men have tried this? Come on.... I know you're out there... step forward to be recognized.

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Female Civil War re-enactors march proudly onto the battlefields where their forerunners disguised themselves to fight.

Kim Hopfer, a mother of two, lives on a farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. She works as a truck driver, and each year spends her one week of vacation re-enacting the Civil War—not in a hoop skirt and bonnet, knitting socks, but in a pair of Union blue trousers, among the ranks of the 138th Pennsylvania. The re-enacting community often derides wannabe re-enactors whose personas are historically inaccurate as “farbish,” but in fact Kim is far from farbish. She represents one of as many as a thousand women who served in the Union and Confederate armies during the war, cross-dressed as men.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_..._women_who_passed_as_men_to_fight.single.html

Not only did they fight in uniform and put their lives on the line as spies. Just think of the Blood, Guts, and Gore of the dying and wounded they tended to.
 
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The commander of my N-SSA team refuses to allow women on our team and is constantly carping about lack of members. I've told him that I thought it silly. He says that they just don't look like soldiers and I've reminded him that he is 73 and grey haired and doesn't look like a soldier either.

Lol, I came to the same conclusion Billo.

I always like watching historically accurate reenactments but one day I was at a reenactment and saw a Confederate Colonel leading his Regiment into Battle....he was 75 if a day....

I remember thinking to myself......"Not really historically accurate is it?"

At the same token, part of me says that if a women is to reenact, she should have to attempt to look male...but then the Union or Confederate Army wasn't full of Regiments where the majority are in their 50's or older, and led by even older men....

So in the name of fairness I think if the older men are allowed to still reenact, then women should be allowed to as well.
 
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