How many reenactors participate in reenacting other periods?

Seems not much different than playing war with toy guns as a kid. ā€œBam, I got you!ā€ ā€œNo you didnā€™t!ā€
Well, I honestly donĀ“t think youĀ“re too far from the truth there. ItĀ“s an honor system, the same as airsoft. I think thereĀ“s something honorable in taking your hits, though, especially if there are new reenactors around. ItĀ“s a personal thing with me that I will never say the equivalent of ĀØBang! I got you first!" ItĀ“s childish. :smile: IĀ“ll take a hit if the situation is unredeemable in my opinion. Yeah, that means the undeserving SoB in the kevlar shelljacket wins and I donĀ“t but... pssst.... I know the secret: (ItĀ“s not real anyway.)
 
During a battle where I was a battalion commander, my second in command remarked that he didn't see how the current scenario was going to end. I replied that it was going to end sooner for some than others - and immediately went down with a "chest wound". The last words I heard before he followed the remains of the "skedaddling" battalion were "You son of a b____!"
 
Speaking as the forum host this isn't the place for a debate on the ethics of the SS. Please take that somewhere else. I don't think that was the intention or spirit of the OP. It was a simple question of who here portrays other periods than the Civil War with some very interesting post. Please don't derail the thread into something else. Thank you.
So, this weekend, I did WWI. I've mentioned the subject matter but won't go into detail other than the general headings of what was covered and samples of the material used. I never discuss the role of political leaders, causes, etc.

This is essentially my AAR for my volunteer position (minus the photos since the program director already has those).

Veterans Day on Amtrak with the National Park Service Trails & Rails program.


We talked about the major military facilities in NY as the US entered WWI, recruiting & Liberty bond drives, actions in regard to German assets in the US, significant NY State National Guard units that were activated as well as noteworthy people from those units, 1921 being significant as a closure point for many families of soldiers lost in WWI, etc. I also talked about the various roles the railroad, the river and the NY State Barge Canal (the Erie Canal) played in the movement of men and materiel to embarkation ports.

I did some WWI Trivia with some statistical things like the percentage of troops from NY going to war, the percentage of CMoHs awarded to troops from NY, the amount of men/material leaving the Port of Embarkation, NY, etc. as well as WWI music/composers, #1 songs, and movies about WWI.

My mask is made from an actual 1918 Spanish flu pandemic mask pattern and my eyeglasses are original frames from 1907 with my prescription in the frames.

Some of the material I use.

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World War I Victory Medal w/Submarine Clasp awarded to my grandmother's uncle. Folks got to see this in real life. That is the medal in the case on the table.
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My grandmother's uncle Frank R Dannenfelser (son of my CSA veteran ancestor Martin Dannenfelser) is the first sailor in the front row, far left. He was a Gunners Mate 2c at the time. (Torpedoman split off later in the 1920s). This was the 1917 crew.
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These are the specifications for the submarine on which he served during WWI: Displacement, Surfaced 360 t., Submerged 457 t.; Length 157' 6"; Beam 17' 6"; Draft 10' 11"; Speed, surfaced 14 kts, submerged 9.5 kts; Depth Limit 200'; Complement 1 Officer 23 Enlisted; Armament, four 18" torpedo tubes, eight torpedoes; Propulsion, gasoline electric, Fiat Co, gasoline engines, 1,000 hp, Fuel Capacity 7,650 gals., Diehl Manufacture Co. electric motors, 440 hp, Battery Cells 164, twin propellers.

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During a battle where I was a battalion commander, my second in command remarked that he didn't see how the current scenario was going to end. I replied that it was going to end sooner for some than others - and immediately went down with a "chest wound". The last words I heard before he followed the remains of the "skedaddling" battalion were "You son of a b____!"
I was the cause of a similar incident at the 125th Gettysburg. I was commanding the smallest Federal company in our battalion and had given instructions for none of the sergeants to take hits in order that the commands would be relayed correctly. However, I knew my lieutenant, a captain in the REAL U.S. Army but in the artillery, was itching to command infantry, so I immediately took a hit and went down, surprising him and causing a bit of confusion!
 
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So, this weekend, I did WWI. I've mentioned the subject matter but won't go into detail other than the general headings of what was covered and samples of the material used. I never discuss the role of political leaders,

This is essentially my AAR for my volunteer position (minus the photos since the program director already has those).

Veterans Day on Amtrak with the National Park Service Trails & Rails program.


We talked about the major military facilities in NY as the US entered WWI, recruiting & Liberty bond drives, actions in regard to German assets in the US, significant NY State National Guard units that were activated as well as noteworthy people from those units, 1921 being significant as a closure point for many families of soldiers lost in WWI, etc. I also talked about the various roles the railroad, the river and the NY State Barge Canal (the Erie Canal) played in the movement of men and materiel to embarkation ports.

I did some WWI Trivia with some statistical things like the percentage of troops from NY going to war, the percentage of CMoHs awarded to troops from NY, the amount of men/material leaving the Port of Embarkation, NY, etc. as well as WWI music/composers, #1 songs, and movies about WWI.

My mask is made from an actual 1918 Spanish flu pandemic mask pattern and my eyeglasses are original frames from 1907 with my prescription in the frames.

Some of the material I use.

View attachment 421210 View attachment 421211


World War I Victory Medal w/Submarine Clasp awarded to my grandmother's uncle. Folks got to see this in rea life. That is the medal in the case on the table.
View attachment 421214

My grandmother's uncle Frank R Dannenfelser (son of my CSA veteran ancestor Martin Dannenfelser) is the first sailor in the front row, far left. He was a Gunners Mate 2c at the time. (Torpedoman split off later in the 1920s). This was the 1917 crew.
View attachment 421215

These are the specifications for the submarine one which he served during WWI: Displacement, Surfaced 360 t., Submerged 457 t.; Length 157' 6"; Beam 17' 6"; Draft 10' 11"; Speed, surfaced 14 kts, submerged 9.5 kts; Depth Limit 200'; Complement 1 Officer 23 Enlisted; Armament, four 18" torpedo tubes, eight torpedoes; Propulsion, gasoline electric, Fiat Co, gasoline engines, 1,000 hp, Fuel Capacity 7,650 gals., Diehl Manufacture Co. electric motors, 440 hp, Battery Cells 164, twin propellers.

View attachment 421216

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Very impressive . I can't imagine how difficult it was to be an early submariner .
Great job on your impression and interpretation .
 
Very impressive . I can't imagine how difficult it was to be an early submariner .
Great job on your impression and interpretation .
Thank you! My granddad was on that same submarine, along with his uncle by marriage, Frank, in 1915. I'm sure my grandmother was just thrilled at that scenario! Frank was on the G-4 from 1915-1919. Granddad was on her all of 1915 and a little bit on 1916.
 
So, this weekend, I did WWI. I've mentioned the subject matter but won't go into detail other than the general headings of what was covered and samples of the material used. I never discuss the role of political leaders, causes, etc.

This is essentially my AAR for my volunteer position (minus the photos since the program director already has those).

Veterans Day on Amtrak with the National Park Service Trails & Rails program.


We talked about the major military facilities in NY as the US entered WWI, recruiting & Liberty bond drives, actions in regard to German assets in the US, significant NY State National Guard units that were activated as well as noteworthy people from those units, 1921 being significant as a closure point for many families of soldiers lost in WWI, etc. I also talked about the various roles the railroad, the river and the NY State Barge Canal (the Erie Canal) played in the movement of men and materiel to embarkation ports.

I did some WWI Trivia with some statistical things like the percentage of troops from NY going to war, the percentage of CMoHs awarded to troops from NY, the amount of men/material leaving the Port of Embarkation, NY, etc. as well as WWI music/composers, #1 songs, and movies about WWI.

My mask is made from an actual 1918 Spanish flu pandemic mask pattern and my eyeglasses are original frames from 1907 with my prescription in the frames.

Some of the material I use.

View attachment 421210 View attachment 421211


World War I Victory Medal w/Submarine Clasp awarded to my grandmother's uncle. Folks got to see this in real life. That is the medal in the case on the table.
View attachment 421214

My grandmother's uncle Frank R Dannenfelser (son of my CSA veteran ancestor Martin Dannenfelser) is the first sailor in the front row, far left. He was a Gunners Mate 2c at the time. (Torpedoman split off later in the 1920s). This was the 1917 crew.
View attachment 421215

These are the specifications for the submarine on which he served during WWI: Displacement, Surfaced 360 t., Submerged 457 t.; Length 157' 6"; Beam 17' 6"; Draft 10' 11"; Speed, surfaced 14 kts, submerged 9.5 kts; Depth Limit 200'; Complement 1 Officer 23 Enlisted; Armament, four 18" torpedo tubes, eight torpedoes; Propulsion, gasoline electric, Fiat Co, gasoline engines, 1,000 hp, Fuel Capacity 7,650 gals., Diehl Manufacture Co. electric motors, 440 hp, Battery Cells 164, twin propellers.

View attachment 421216

View attachment 421217
Interesting stuff and good on your presentation
 
Some people believe that, as a group, younger people are drifting away from reenacting the Civil War and moving to reenacting WWII. Is this true or just an excuse to cover other reasons that the number of people reenacting the Civil War is declining
 
Some people believe that, as a group, younger people are drifting away from reenacting the Civil War and moving to reenacting WWII. Is this true or just an excuse to cover other reasons that the number of people reenacting the Civil War is declining
I'm seeing WWII, some WWI, Korea, Vietnam. One friend does a USMC timeline from the Rev War to WWII. Uniforms for all eras.
 
Some people believe that, as a group, younger people are drifting away from reenacting the Civil War and moving to reenacting WWII. Is this true or just an excuse to cover other reasons that the number of people reenacting the Civil War is declining
The traditional mainstream Civil War reenactors are aging out and declining. On the flip side the campaigner only CW emersive events are growing. It seems like many of the younger guys are getting into that side of the hobby. And yes a lot of young guys are getting into WWI and II reenacting. Those choices weren't around when I got into the hobby.
 
The old Bethpage Village Restoration is trying to revive the Hempstead Light Guards - a sponsored group recreating N.Y. militia in the 1840s. I was with them for about ten years in the 1980s and early 1990s. they supplied the shakos, accoutrements and jackets. if anyone in the Long Island, N.Y. area is interested, contact OBVR.

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Iā€™ve only re-enacted a couple of times. I tend towards the Heritage events more so. I did have a random offer to also become a Redcoat in a Revolutionary War battle. Still deciding on that one although the Brits did supply us during the Second Revolution.
 
Iā€™ve only re-enacted a couple of times. I tend towards the Heritage events more so. I did have a random offer to also become a Redcoat in a Revolutionary War battle. Still deciding on that one although the Brits did supply us during the Second Revolution.
Remember, you need both sides! Many of the time-periods I reenact in are lopsided with one side or the other vastly outnumbering the other. I wish reenactors would look at this and voluntarily level it out without event organizers having to cap registrations or enforce ratios.
 
Remember, you need both sides! Many of the time-periods I reenact in are lopsided with one side or the other vastly outnumbering the other. I wish reenactors would look at this and voluntarily level it out without event organizers having to cap registrations or enforce ratios.
Our unit being from Houston area defaulted to Confederate though the expectation of joining the unit was that we needed a Federal impression as well, since at a few events we were designated as the Federal component in the early planning of our yearly schedule. Otherwise, prior to an event unit leadership would communicate with the organizers and attempt to identify the likely mix and if necessary we would go as Federal. But of course sometimes it was not possible to gather this information as stuff happens so the unfortunate imbalances occurred to the detriment of the event.
 
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