Impressions Authenticity within American Revolution Units

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Granted, this not ACW ... but I came across this video and thought of you guys.

A young man that reenacts with an AWI British Unit, discusses how authenticity
has become a very important part of their impression.

If I posted this in the wrong forum, please ask a Moderator to
move into whatever forum they consider appropriate.

I thought some of you may enjoy his presentation.

 

[DixieRifles]

A young man that reenacts with an AWI British Unit, discusses how authenticity
has become a very important part of their impression.

Interesting.
But how authentic is his Black polka-dotted tie?

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Interesting.
But how authentic is his Black polka-dotted tie?

As authentic as your CSA kepi .

 

[captaindrew]

I know guys that do both Rev War and CW reenacting. From what I gather it's very similar to the CW hobby, some units take it more seriously and have higher standards than others. I'd like to give Rev War a try sometime but I can only afford one war (both sides)

 

[Lincoln56]

Enjoyed the video - thanks for posting!

As with many things, there is an evolution if there is enough interest to warrant the manufacture of more accurate uniforms and equipment. Similar evolutionary curve in uniforms and equipment in the ARW community to what happened in the ACW community.

Wearing bathrobes and paper mache hats to represent uniforms and equipment is interesting and creative - work with what you've got until an more realistic option is available. Have read that at some ACW reenactments in the 1950's and 60's men wore gas station attendant / mechanic attire to represent either the blue or the gray, and carried 1903 Springfields and M1 Garands. Whether true or apocryphal I'm not sure.

As an aside, I recall two members of our unit deciding to try ARW. They got up in the morning, built a fire, and were cooking breakfast as per the ACW experience. Other members of the group questioned what they were doing and why as they were heading to Dennys for their breakfast after leaving their coolers and cots.

 

[captaindrew]

After watching the video I could make similar comparisons to some of my old CW stuff from when I first started to the better quality things I acquired as I learned more and getting good quality reproduction stuff got much more accessible than it was when I started many moons ago.

 

[bayonet]

I did both ARW & ACW. ACW gets thousands at battles but ARW only hundreds. If you want to do a ARW British unit you will spend a small fortune. The Grenadiers with the bear fur hat outfits I remember the cost over $4000 (maybe less). There are Farbs in both ACW & ARW. My first ARW unit the Commander loved doing Parades (I loved battles) and small events we got paid to show up at. The money went to support his horse. The unit split in two after a dispute. 1 event no one showed and I was left to represent the Unit, I quit after that. Next Unit I joined was a Militia Unit and my first battle I discovered a small tent filled 3 feet high with cookies, cupcakes, etc. then I looked at them and they were mostly very overweight. So I quit ARW. ACW gets bigger numbers and costs less to outfit yourself (depending on the Unit your in).

 

[James N.]

... Wearing bathrobes and paper mache hats to represent uniforms and equipment is interesting and creative - work with what you've got until an more realistic option is available. Have read that at some ACW reenactments in the 1950's and 60's men wore gas station attendant / mechanic attire to represent either the blue or the gray, and carried 1903 Springfields and M1 Garands. Whether true or apocryphal I'm not sure.

Unfortunately it was all too true, as photographs of the 1961 Manassas event attest. At an event I atended in the later 1970's members of one Confederate unit were bragging about the great deal they had found - a large supply of cast-off trousers from the U.S. Postal Service!

 

[James N.]

From what I've seen and heard about Rev War events and reenactors their uniforms and equipment, especially among the British, are SO costly that they have built-in aversions to taking hits or performing any sort of activities that might muss them up. Also, there are so relatively few of them their "battles" look more like scaled-down dioramas than any sort of actual happening, as in this photo of the only actual Rev War reenactment I ever saw at Cliveden/Germantown in Philadelphia in October, 1997:

Also, there can be a problem when reenactors attempt to do BOTH Rev War and Civil War impressions, as in the case of two idiots I saw who were working for the State of New York at Stony Point in their very authentic Continental light infantry uniforms and FULL BEARDS they kept for Civil War events!

 

[pag7]

On a last minute tip, I went to this Revolutionary War re-enactment at Rock Ford in Lancaster County Park PA . I was expecting to see a handful of participants, instead there where >1000. I was blown away by the re-enactment event details, battles, camps, etc.

https://lancasteronline.com/feature...cle_94ba9e23-0ac9-50bf-9451-bb6c09336ccf.html

 

[DixieRifles]

As authentic as your CSA kepi .

My kepi is 100% authentic replica.