- Joined
- Mar 22, 2009
- Location
- Collierville, TN
Describe your experience of the first time you saw a Civil War reenactor.
I don't intend to compete with the current Posts that recalls early reenactments of earlier times. I want to hear from people who can remember the first time they saw a reenactor who depicted a Civil War soldier in accurate period uniform. What impressed you? What were your feelings?
For me, my first encounter wasn't a battle reenactment but one single soldier.
I've tried to rack my brains to recall my first experience and this is the only one I can recall. The event was during the Bicentennial of the American Revolution sometime around 1975-76. I was milling around the town Green of Lexington, Massachusetts so it may have been on the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Lexington. Among the crowd of spectators, I saw a lone Union Officer dressed in simple uniform of possibly a mid-Western regiment. He only carried a sword but his interpretation gave me the impression of an officer with battle experience.
I took a photo of him but I can find it.
I wanted to post a photo so I found this one.
This is about 10 years later and I was living in Texas where there weren't many Civil War events. This is probably the first time I witnessed an artillery firing demonstration. I pulled into the Chickamauga Battlefield Park while passing through and they told me where to go to see the firing demonstration. Afterwards, I asked the gunner if he would pose for a photo. This simple event was pretty impressive to see and hear but this photo was a reminder of what I should expect from someone who know to give an impression of the soldier from that period.
This thread may not apply to some of the young guys. I'm sure they saw many examples of reenactors on TV and local news. It was probably easy to go out and find a anniversary event. Some of you may have lived too far away from such events and so your first experience left an lasting impression.
For some of you, the first experience may have started you on a similar path.
I don't intend to compete with the current Posts that recalls early reenactments of earlier times. I want to hear from people who can remember the first time they saw a reenactor who depicted a Civil War soldier in accurate period uniform. What impressed you? What were your feelings?
For me, my first encounter wasn't a battle reenactment but one single soldier.
I've tried to rack my brains to recall my first experience and this is the only one I can recall. The event was during the Bicentennial of the American Revolution sometime around 1975-76. I was milling around the town Green of Lexington, Massachusetts so it may have been on the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Lexington. Among the crowd of spectators, I saw a lone Union Officer dressed in simple uniform of possibly a mid-Western regiment. He only carried a sword but his interpretation gave me the impression of an officer with battle experience.
I took a photo of him but I can find it.
I wanted to post a photo so I found this one.
This is about 10 years later and I was living in Texas where there weren't many Civil War events. This is probably the first time I witnessed an artillery firing demonstration. I pulled into the Chickamauga Battlefield Park while passing through and they told me where to go to see the firing demonstration. Afterwards, I asked the gunner if he would pose for a photo. This simple event was pretty impressive to see and hear but this photo was a reminder of what I should expect from someone who know to give an impression of the soldier from that period.
This thread may not apply to some of the young guys. I'm sure they saw many examples of reenactors on TV and local news. It was probably easy to go out and find a anniversary event. Some of you may have lived too far away from such events and so your first experience left an lasting impression.
For some of you, the first experience may have started you on a similar path.