It finally happened...

[PrivateBrooke]

I marched in the parade this weekend with a Union company, along with some of my normal pards. We've decided we're all doing both sides now as a company.

I've been borrowing gear, but we're going to Bentonville in March as Federals, so I needed to start getting my gear for it. While in Gettysburg I grabbed one of the Wambaugh & White JT Martin contract blouses from Regimental(marked up like $30 but I got it immediately so it was worth the extra for the convenience). Now I'll just need trousers, and some pards are working on a haversack and belt for me.

The coat is awesome. I even wore it to work this morning since it was jacket weather. My coworkers think I'm weird now. lol

So I'm a true reenactor now. with no side affiliation.

 

[peacefulanimalguy7]

I'm currently with a Confederate company, though I do wish to go Union at reenactment

 

[Doc_Ralph]

I have galvanized for artillery … 150 1st Manassas and Endview come to mind. It is kinda cool to have both set of clothes with you and be ready for suprised. Like I was when I didn't get the memo and came out of my tent in my Rebel attire and facing my unit as Union. They had the rope around my neck literally before the Colonel intervened and gave me a tongue lashing for my faux pas.

Doc Ralph

 

[PrivateBrooke]

It is kinda cool to have both set of clothes with you and be ready for suprised.

This is one of the reasons we're doing it that and we've had a lot of fun at the past couple of events, the handful of us who've done them were Federal. We so often have to end up galvanizing at smaller events, despite not having uniforms for it. It's confusing for everyone, especially the public to have Confederate on Confederate combat. People aren't dumb, but the scenario is, and it's a level of historical inaccuracy we've collectively decided we're no longer going to tolerate.

Honestly I'm excited. I'd do Federal all the time, but It'll probably end up being an even split.

 

[infomanpa]

I marched in the parade this weekend with a Union company, along with some of my normal pards. We've decided we're all doing both sides now as a company.

I've been borrowing gear, but we're going to Bentonville in March as Federals, so I needed to start getting my gear for it. While in Gettysburg I grabbed one of the Wambaugh & White JT Martin contract blouses from Regimental(marked up like $30 but I got it immediately so it was worth the extra for the convenience). Now I'll just need trousers, and some pards are working on a haversack and belt for me.

The coat is awesome. I even wore it to work this morning since it was jacket weather. My coworkers think I'm weird now. lol

So I'm a true reenactor now. with no side affiliation.

We were at the parade. I didn't see you, but it looked good.

 

[A. Roy]

I've been borrowing gear, but we're going to Bentonville in March as Federals, so I needed to start getting my gear for it.

Glad to hear you will be here at Bentonville!
AR

 

[Doc_Ralph]

This is one of the reasons we're doing it that and we've had a lot of fun at the past couple of events,

Honestly I'm excited. I'd do Federal all the time, but It'll probably end up being an even split.

Yeah, it's very useful for artillery as some batteries fall short and need to pick up one or more. Not sure about y'all in infantry but when the galvanized situation happens for us; we run through the loading drill and misfire to make sure its all kosher.
Sometimes several times as FUBARs can be deadly. Even tho certified artillery units can have variations: Misfires come to mind.

 

[Doc_Ralph]

You may not know Joe Smooa a Union cannoneer who has galvanized to help you out as your number 4 had to leave suddenly. You want that "karmic" flow to be present. Harder when you don't know the loaned guy or gal.

We did not galvanize much during my first tour of "duty" (2011-4) and when we did it was known in advance. But we often loaned out people and we were ready at a moments notice (much like the minute men) to change side. We did not galvanize at all this year.

 

[SgtDarby8OVI]

Somewhere back in the very early 90s our commander had a beef with the Union commander at Perryville. To twist his crank, we all bought Confederate jackets and fell in with the Rebs at that event. We used the Confederate stuff a year later to film Pickett's Charge for the Gettysburg movie and never wore them to an event again. I used to do school talks where I switched sides by donning the shell jacket, blanket roll, and goofy hat, but nowadays I stick to Union (though I still use the goofy hat as a slouch at some events).

 

[Trooper "D"]

I'm currently with a Confederate company, though I do wish to go Union at reenactment

It only takes about a week to scrub the 'Yankee' off.

 

[PrivateBrooke]

We were at the parade. I didn't see you, but it looked good.

I was in the very last company of Union. Second platoon, 11th PVI. I was in the middle of the back row, only slouch hat because I don't own a forage cap. Behind us was the civilian ladies.

 

[PrivateBrooke]

Yeah, it's very useful for artillery as some batteries fall short and need to pick up one or more. Not sure about y'all in infantry but when the galvanized situation happens for us; we run through the loading drill and misfire to make sure its all kosher.
Sometimes several times as FUBARs can be deadly. Even tho certified artillery units can have variations: Misfires come to mind.

Usually we stick together as a company, or if not a lot of us are there we end up finding another small company and combining together to make an okay one. Usually we'll do drill as a company like normal. The universal "misfire" scenario for infantry is "switch guns with the first sergeant and then switch back when he fixes it." That's usually only after trying three caps, just to make sure. Often it'll actually go off on the second cap and yo're good to go. A lot less at stake than you guys though, nothing catastrophic tends to happen.

 

[Doc_Ralph]

Usually we stick together as a company, or if not a lot of us are there we end up finding another small company and combining together to make an okay one. Usually we'll do drill as a company like normal. The universal "misfire" scenario for infantry is "switch guns with the first sergeant and then switch back when he fixes it." That's usually only after trying three caps, just to make sure. Often it'll actually go off on the second cap and yo're good to go. A lot less at stake than you guys though, nothing catastrophic tends to happen.

We filled in where needed. Even if we did not galvanize we would help out a battery that was short. My wife filled in as Number 4 - first day of G'burg 150 with Knibbs Battery.

 

[9th US Regulars]

I mean, somebody has to play the bad guy. Otherwise you can't portray the conflict.

 

[Doc_Ralph]

I mean, somebody has to play the bad guy. Otherwise you can't portray the conflict.

Yeah … ya'll are great at "playing the bad guy" after all you started it!

 

[gary]

I mean, somebody has to play the bad guy. Otherwise you can't portray the conflict.

There are some units that bring both blue 'n gray and if needed, they switch to the undermanned side. Kudos to them.

There are not "bad guys" either. They're all Americans engaged in the mightiest of family squabbles or family feuds.

 

[Doc_Ralph]

There are some units that bring both blue 'n gray and if needed, they switch to the undermanned side. Kudos to them.

There are not "bad guys" either. They're all Americans engaged in the mightiest of family squabbles or family feuds.

It's just settling down here in Spotsy. I haven't seen the Stars and Bars in years.

Yes there are no bad guys and that's why I put it in quotes.

I am out of that line of work now after four years. As a surgeon I will be unarmed, a total pacifist and have an oath (Hippocratic) to uphold. I will treat anyone without hate or malice.

 

[gary]

It's just settling down here in Spotsy. I haven't seen the Stars and Bars in years.

Yes there are no bad guys and that's why I put it in quotes.

I am out of that line of work now after four years. As a surgeon I will be unarmed, a total pacifist and have an oath (Hippocratic) to uphold. I will treat anyone without hate or malice.

Makes me wonder if civilian doctors ever volunteered to help out? I know a lot of local women were pressed into service (voluntary). Alexander Hunter's The Blue and the Gray mentions how he, as a patient recovering from illness, saw how exhausted the surgeons were from their twenty-four hour long work and offered to try performing an amputation. They let him and then he did another, and another and another.

 

[Doc_Ralph]

Makes me wonder if civilian doctors ever volunteered to help out? I know a lot of local women were pressed into service (voluntary). Alexander Hunter's The Blue and the Gray mentions how he, as a patient recovering from illness, saw how exhausted the surgeons were from their twenty-four hour long work and offered to try performing an amputation. They let him and then he did another, and another and another.

Yes sir. They did as contracted Army surgeons early in the war. Standards tightened up as the war wore on. Some of the early civilian surgeons were "winnowed" out.

YHS,
Doc Ralph

 

[Manassas 1861]

@PrivateBrooke ill be at Bentonville as well. What unit will you be with?