Hi.
I'm the sergeant in the above. They interviewed me as well, but it ended up on the editing room floor, I guess.
I think there may be a little confusion here, so let me clear a few things up.
For those of you who don't know, Greenfield Village is one of the premier Living History museums in the world. Each Memorial Day, they put on a program called Civil War Remembrance, which is a little more focus on public education/interaction than the typical mainstream event.
Part of the event is a program called Mustering In. Visitors to the village will get a chance to experience a little of military life of the 1860s if they choose to participate. While the program is geared towards children, adults often participate too. I'd say the average age is between 10-12 and each group size is around 30-40.
Participants can "enlist" at the recruiting office located in the village post office, receive their enlistment bonus, and be sworn into Mr. Lincoln's army at the court house.
From there, myself and a few others teach them a little about military maneuvers, forming them up as if they are company of new recruits. Myself and Jay, in the above both worked at the museum in college, and are contracted by the park for this program. We portray Regulars sent to Detroit to train the new recruits. I don't know if regulars training the Michigan volunteers is historical or not.
We ham it up in first person, quoting a lot of dialogue from Glory, and citing obscure historical events. Personally, I was at San Juan Island with Captain George Pickett during the Pig War, while others were out with Albert Sydney in Utah. People don't really get the references, but they love the over-the-top saltiness of two veterans training new recruits.
Each session of the program lasts about an hour, and the participants are formed in a company, taught dresses, facings, marching, a few wheels, turns, and finally issued wooden muskets and we go through Casey's Manual of Arms.
It's a very popular program and one we've developed quite nicely over the years.
It's not like the participants are actually participating in the drills/battles with the other reenactors. Though, I will say, often times the kids are better drilled the most of the Confederates at the even It's a special program for participants at the event, and one that proves popular year after year. A lot of people say it's the highlight of the weekend.
Attached are some pictures from various years of doing it. There is footage of an entire program. If I find it, I will share