Biggest reenacting units?

[drezac]

with artillery , just as @captaindrew mentioned, we are members of the Western Artillery Reserve and the Artillery Reserve. under these organizations, we combine individual units to create full batteries. a few years ago at Gettysburg, we took 2 of the State of Ohio's original bronze guns, and were combined with another battery that had original guns to make a full 6 gun battery of original bronze guns. Our battery ( if we have full participation) can field 2 guns. Most units are much smaller now. During the 135th cycle of events, we were large enough to field 4 guns. With numbers declining ( and aging) its getting much harder to have large units on the field.

 

[Doc_Ralph]

I think it varies from region to region. Our organization has close to 20 "companies" but only three or four could truly field a reasonable company. We also have a similar organization in a neighboring state that we "brigade" with. It comes up to 2 battalions.

I know a lot of groups are under umbrella organizations (divisions, battalions, brigades, departments, etc.) across the country. Most of them probably end up with the aforementioned mini-battalions. I agree though that the campaign events with true to size regiments and batteries are the pinnacle of events. Maybe mainstream can improve back to that level one day.

That sounds right …when we were active (2011-4) it was either Army of Northern Virginia (ANV) or Longstreet Corp.
When we were Union I can't recall what umbrella we were under. Abe Lincoln?
I guess our officers knew and it really didn't matter anyway. We knew what to do.

We had a small group but could field two guns. With each gun having a 1 & 4 (position on the left) 2 & 3 on the right plus one gunner & one powder monkey and if possible a box guard person. We also did caisson (gun trailer ) and "horse/pickup" driver duty.

Extra folks could be "Shanghaied" ordered to help other batteries. Other times our officers would pitch in and work the tube. It can be done with as few as four with #4 being gunner/primer/puller/powder monkey; but really slows it down.

I have heard that during the war undermanned pieces were used as it was what it as which was brutal.

OTC
SCH

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

Are there units that can field a full company by themselves? A full battery? Both would historically be around 100 men. Though assume reenacting batteries don't include much support personal besides gun crews. Correct?

Are there any larger units that exist? Was curious the largest our reenactors have seen as an individual reenactment unit.

A large unit for an event takes years of planning and is no simple matter. Take for example the 15th Iowa and 16th Iowa at the 150th Anniversary of Shiloh. These reenactors arrived via paddle-wheeler just like the regiments did in 1862.

 

[Mrs. V]

Here's some artillery action for you

@Western Reserve Volunteer so many horses and field pieces!