How old is too old?

[glenhunter]

Please tell me how old is too old for reenacting? Before I make a spectacle of myself, I'd like to know the answer to this question. I have an opportunity to join a Union regiment for the upcoming year but am doubting how authentic I'd be at 59 in reasonable shape, little gray around the sides and most of my hair! I do not want to be the old guy running around getting fun poked at him. Tell me of some experiences of reenactors and their possible advanced ages. Thank you

 

[Stony]

Never too old to reenact. We have quite a few 60 some year olds in our unit. Infantry not artillery.

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

Never too old!!.....In our unit, we had a 93 year old!!.....I am 49....one of the youngest in my unit.....

 

[E_just_E]

Four words:

37th IA Volunteer Infantry

 

[ole]

You'll be in good company.

 

[unionblue]

Please tell me how old is too old for reenacting? Before I make a spectacle of myself, I'd like to know the answer to this question. I have an opportunity to join a Union regiment for the upcoming year but am doubting how authentic I'd be at 59 in reasonable shape, little gray around the sides and most of my hair! I do not want to be the old guy running around getting fun poked at him. Tell me of some experiences of reenactors and their possible advanced ages. Thank you

Glenhunter,

59? You're pretty much a young whippersnapper compared to some.

And remember, you don't always have to reenact as a soldier, unless you want to. I gave my musket and Union army uniform to my grandson and now reenact as a civil war era newspaper man. There are a lot of impressions you can do, if you have a mind to do so.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Please tell me how old is too old for reenacting? Before I make a spectacle of myself, I'd like to know the answer to this question. I have an opportunity to join a Union regiment for the upcoming year but am doubting how authentic I'd be at 59 in reasonable shape, little gray around the sides and most of my hair! I do not want to be the old guy running around getting fun poked at him. Tell me of some experiences of reenactors and their possible advanced ages. Thank you

To spectators, the circumference of one's belly draws more attention and comments than does wrinkles or hair color . . . especially when portraying infantry.

 

[Caswell Ranger]

Innocent bystander? But seriously as an old buzzard myself I would be concerned about falls. Soldiers are expected to get shot and do a face plant. I don't how many trips to the chiropractor I could deal with.

A sutler sounds intriguing.

 

[ole]

Innocent bystander? But seriously as an old buzzard myself I would be concerned about falls. Soldiers are expected to get shot and do a face plant. I don't how many trips to the chiropractor I could deal with.

A sutler sounds intriguing.

Ought to what Unionblue did ... take a hit when safely in the shade. Urk! Fall down under a nice shady tree.

 

[unionblue]

Ought to what Unionblue did ... take a hit when safely in the shade. Urk! Fall down under a nice shady tree.

ole,

Doggone right!

ALWAYS look for a shady place to take a "hit." When you "die" or are "wounded" in the open, you BAKE on a hot summer day.

Smart, older, reenactors always die in the shade and in the arms (hopefully) of a good looking lady spectator.

Sincerely,
"In the shade" Unionblue

 

[reading48]

To spectators, the circumference of one's belly draws more attention and comments than does wrinkles or hair color . . . especially when portraying infantry.

I agree 100%....All ages fought. After a few weeks of marching and poor food supplies heavyset men lost their weight.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Is it ok to leave a comment if I'm not a reenactor? Just wanted to say I always think the range of age makes it seem more realistic- you look at the muster roles, they're all the heck all over the place! Our family had a few men go well past when they could easily have excused themselves. Pretty cool. 150 years ago, probably older farmers were in better shape than some 25 year olds today.

 

[Tin cup]

We old guys here in Texas make sure we don't die in a bed of Fire ants!

You ought to check out the ages of the boys fighting in the 44th Missouri At Franklin! Eric Jacobson's book: Baptism of Fire http://www.amazon.com/dp/0984624457/?tag=civilwartalkc-20 shows a lot of those boys were in their 30's, 40's, and 50's!

Kevin Dally

 

[Poor Private]

Go for it. Our unit is composed of mosly oldsters. All the younger guys have started lives of their own and don't have the time or income anymore. We have one feller thats 83 in our unit. He just made corporal the first part of this month and he;s tickled pink. He can now order his 60 year old son around again.

 

[major bill]

Glenhunter as I am not a reenactor so maybe I should not add anything , but... You should do this if you want to. Try not to be too concerned with what others feel about you and concentrate on how reenacting makes you feel. Yes I can show the average age of a particular company was 24 years old and the average age of those reenacting the company is 54 years old. Try to remember that the visitors are well aware that the reenactors are too old, too over weight wear glasses too much and so on, but they still want to go watch.

I will give you an example. When I went out for a run through the neighborhood when I was 25 many young women would come out and watch me run by. Now when I run, young women cover their eyes and draw the binds. If running makes me feel good should I stop running or just deal with the fact I am old?

 

[UKMarkw]

Glenhunter,

59? You're pretty much a young whippersnapper compared to some.

And remember, you don't always have to reenact as a soldier, unless you want to. I gave my musket and Union army uniform to my grandson and now reenact as a civil war era newspaper man. There are a lot of impressions you can do, if you have a mind to do so.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

You know I had never even considered that there were opportunities to be a reenactor outside of soldiering/medical.

Newspaper man eh! get your facts right UB

 

[Caswell Ranger]

Ought to what Unionblue did ... take a hit when safely in the shade. Urk! Fall down under a nice shady tree.

Next to a barrel of nice cold lemonade, lol

 

[CWNurse]

Life is too short...grab experiences while you can life would be boring without the opportunity to do so

Head'n back for the hills now

 

[screnshaw]

To spectators, the circumference of one's belly draws more attention and comments than does wrinkles or hair color . . . especially when portraying infantry.

lol, this is specifically why I don't re-enact. Can't find any period photos depicting big fat Confederates on which to base my gear. Well, unless I wanted to be Howell Cobb or Bob Toombs.

 

[Sawrocker249]

Next to a barrel of nice cold lemonade, lol

Not all reenactors look for a shade tree. Some of us have a deep respect for the hard life of our kinsmen before us. Some of us skip the shade tree and lemonade stand hits and choose to instead , carry and eat period rations, sleep in the same manner as did our ancestors and we forego the canvas cabin with 100 pound lathe turned poles. Anachronism's, better yet reenactorism's , we have got to as a community of civil war historians, more deeply educate ourselves.
In the early events of 2010 , I volunteered to put on my usual kick butt presentation for school days. I was told that i offended wives and husbands but letting the children in every group know, that a soldier saw static camps a hand full if times in his life, and it was not the norm. In fact, they were very upset. I have not reenacted since.
Please realize folks, that the younger generation of reenactors are hughly turned away by statement's like the ones about shade trees and lemonade. Not to mention how foolish it makes one look.