LMAO Reenacting Moments

[amweiner]

In my short time here, I've already read some great stories from people here about their reenacting. What are some of the funniest experiences you've had as a reenactor? Are there moments you've been doubled over laughing instead of moving by company into line? Please share!

 

[KansasFreestater]

I'm not a reenactor, and have not even had the good fortune yet to attend any reenactments. But I'm bumping this thread since it evidently fell through the cracks earlier. I, like @amweiner, would love to hear responses!
James N. has been sharing some great stuff lately. Anyone else care to contribute?

 

[9th tn dancyville grays]

Oh there's many stories out thete

 

[Malingerer]

This one is not exactly reenacting but close - my buddy John and I were extras on the set of North and South (part 2) which they filmed outside of Natchez, Miss. I'll mention here that John is a neat freak of the highest order and would regularly get his reenacting uniforms dry cleaned immediately after an event. For the battle of Manassas scene, they had a mini Cub Run retreat moment with wagons exploding/ people running in panic etc.... . The director said he wanted some guys running over the bridge and some guys running thru the creek. We were assured that the creek (which was created for the scene) was only a few inches deep. John said he thought running across the bridge with all the horses, cannons, caissons, wagons, etc.., all moving at mach ten was just too risky and he was going thru the creek. Well, I didn't like the looks of that muddy creek so I chose the bridge. Turns out that the creek was actually about eight feet deep and when I was half way across the bridge I looked down and to my right instead of John, I saw only his cap floating on the surface. He emerged several seconds later looking like the proverbial drowned rat pouring the water from his rifle barrel. Turned out that the director told a bald-faced lie in order to get a shot of guys swimming the creek. John was not amused.

 

[James N.]

I'm not a reenactor, and have not even had the good fortune yet to attend any reenactments. But I'm bumping this thread since it evidently fell through the cracks earlier. I, like @amweiner, would love to hear responses!
James N. has been sharing some great stuff lately. Anyone else care to contribute?

The moment that best qualifies is one I've told before, in this particular thread concerning the 125th anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh: https://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/with-u-s-grant-at-shilohs-125th-april-1987.111839/ But for inclusion here I think it bears repeating.

"As usual in large events like this there is a scripted scenario, and just as usual once the shooting starts it's likely to be forgotten. In this case the number of Confederate assaults against the Sunken Road had been determined and so all we could do was wait for them to play out; as noted before, Grant and his un-mounted staff were unable to get around the battlefield, so we planted ourselves conveniently near the center of the line beside Hickenlooper's Battery.

Naturally the overwrought Rebs just couldn't adhere to the agreed-upon timetable, and made their final assault at least one charge too soon. We of the staff had somehow become slightly separated when out from nowhere there appeared a Rebel wearing a brand-new uniform and kit and a slightly confused look on his face as he moved directly toward Marty [Brazil, portraying General Grant]! When we saw this Rebel who seemed to have quite literally sprung from the ground, we rushed to the defense of our Chief: Mark put his pistol to the startled man's head; I pointed my sword directly at his Adam's apple; someone else grabbed him; and Marty gently relieved him of his rifle. ( In the few seconds all this happened fortunately there were NO other Confederate troops around, though they were coming up fast from our front. ) Once subdued, Marty shook the startled fellow's hand, saying 'Congratulations, son - You have just been captured by U.S. Grant.' "

Then we returned to him his rifle, sans its percussion cap, turned, and RAN LIKE H*LL!

Left to right, Marty Brazil as Grant, smoking his inevitable cigar; Yours Truly as Capt. John Rawlins looking through my field glasses; and aide-de-camp Capt. Mark Cadigan.

 

[James N.]

Here's another I haven't shared before that also concerns an event from the 125th anniversary reenactments, this time First Manassas. Also, this time it doesn't directly concern me, but rather the rest of the unit that I belonged to; when I found out what had happened I found it hilarious. They had decided to attend as a section of Federal artillery (armed with two full-scale reproduction Parrott rifles like at Shiloh above) representing part of the batteries of Ricketts and Griffin in the attack on Henry House Hill. I wasn't involved because I'd decided I didn't want to go all the way to Virginia to be a Yankee, so instead served on the Confederate artillery staff. It turned out my knowledge of the battle would be sorely missed!

The battle was very well scripted, and unlike Shiloh it seemed to be followed as precisely as possible. My friend (who shall remain nameless to protect the ignorant - oops, I mean the innocent!) who was serving as our unit's commanding officer unfortunately knew little about the actual course of events, but according to the script was correctly kept out of the action until relatively late in the scenario when the teams of horses finally showed up to pull them onto the field. Once there, they went into battery with each man following the well-drilled routine. Unfortunately, they were so intent on what they were doing they failed to notice the unit clad in dark blue frock coats that was approaching them at an oblique angle. Before the cannon got off a single shot the regiment, portraying the 33d Virginia of the Stonewall Brigade leveled their muskets and fired a volley at point-blank range, then charged with the bayonet!

Had my friend - and the other members of our battery - known the least thing about how the actual battle transpired they might've avoided having the exact same thing happen to them as happened to Ricketts and Griffin; as it was, they had traveled all the way from Texas to Virginia and the first important event of the 125th and didn't get to fire a single shot!

What happened to Ricketts and Griffin in the real battle as portrayed by artist Sidney King for the National Park Service.

 

[MaryDee]

I attended the 150th Cedar Creek in October, 2014. I was in the audience, rather than the field, during the first day's reenactment of 3rd Winchester, and Iwondered why my eldest son's Union cavalry outfit was sitting way over in a corner, blocking audience view, and right next to the Confederate High Command. It turned out that the previously written scenario was ignored by a few higher up people issuing orders and the cavalry group (among others) was sent to the wrong place. In fact, the "battle" became so confused that all the narrator could do was keep repeating, "General Early is concerned" and "General Sheridan is concerned." They should have been! I told my son and his captain afterwards that as long as the scenario was being ignored anyway, they should have captured "General Early" and his staff who were right next to them! Finally the Union cavalry broke loose and did their charge which ended the battle.

During the same scenario, my son's Union cavalry outfit met a Confederate outfit, one of whose officers was a good friend of my son. They stopped, shook hands, talked a bit and then decided they'd better get out their sabers and do what they were supposed to be doing, which was fighting each other. I wonder if any actual Civil War encounters went that way?

 

[MissREP]

I haven't been reenacting as long as most of the reenactors on here so I probably don't have as many funny stories--but my funniest one to date was at the 2013 Brooksville Raid. We were sitting around camp talking...and I had no idea that my skirts were in the dog's water bowl. When I got up, I had this huge wet patch right at the back of my dress--and that is how I managed to head down to watch the battle looking like I had had an "accident"...

 

[amweiner]

I had so many funny, memorable moments with my outfit (which prompted this thread), but two of my favorites include the following:

During one battle, we got the order to charge the Confederate line, only to be halted after about 50 yards. My friend and I didn't hear the order, and kept charging - alone. My buddy took one guy prisoner while I took another, and it was only when we came trotting back with our "prizes" and saw our entire brigade line yelling at us that we realized what happened. It was a classic moment.

Our unit was usually in trouble for one reason or another, and almost always drew guard duty at night for one of our many offenses. During one event, my friend and I decided to see how much straw we could toss into the campfire and how high the fire column would go. Dumping an entire bale into the fire, we got an impressive display. Not only did the fire patrol come to chew us out, our pards wondered aloud why they saw an orange glow....and had singed hair.

 

[captaindrew]

Our captain started a funny ritual when we are marching out of camp to the battlefield. If along the way we pass the row of porta-johns he marches us over and forms a line in front of the johns and calls a halt for a potty break. Funny thing is there is always one or two takers that get quite a ribbing from the ranks and a good laugh from anyone watching. A bonus is any unsuspecting civilians that may be inside opening their stall door to a line of troops. Has made for some pretty funny moments.

 

[James N.]

Here's another, but please bear with me because it's somewhat involved...

Around 1978 when our unit was associated with a larger group of authentics known as The Confederate Guard, several of us accompanied them to Vicksburg National Military Park for what I believe was the very first Living History event to be staged there. We attended with them as infantry, and as I recall our camp was on Confederate Avenue within walking distance of the main entrance to the park. We set up a tent camp, performed drill, and interacted with park visitors until around 5 pm or so; after that, we continued our routine of camp life and settled down for the night in the park.

The authenticity of the event even extended to our rations, so we were put on a diet consisting of a little rice, half an ear of corn, and some nauseating gooey pea bread made from mashed-then-baked field peas. (It was sort of like cornbread, only sticky and tasted like peas.) The leader of our little contingent was a no-nonsense thirty-five year-old former navy pilot and then pilot for American Airlines named Glen Smith with whom I messed. I was issued the ear of corn to divide with Glen when I lost my balance sitting down and dropped it on the ground; he said he was terrified I might throw it away! I didn't and we divided it and ate it greedily.

Another member of our group was now-Dr. Richard Bruce Winders, currently Curator of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas - but way back then he was just Bruce. He was then a fairly new member of our unit and very dedicated to authenticity and doing things right. A little after our sumptuous repast, he sidled up to me; although Bruce is normally very soft-spoken and unassuming, this time he was especially so when he asked, "Do you think we should go to the Pizza Hut?" Of course at Vicksburg, like many other parks and battlefields, there are many visitor facilities such as motels and restaurants nearby, and temptations abound. After Bruce uttered the forbidden words, of course those of us who heard them at first feigned shock and dismay ("Bruce!"), then quickly decamped for the Promised Land!

The funniest part of the whole business, however, was that we didn't bother to inform poor Glen because we weren't sure how he would react - so four or five of us, including I think Glen's own son Colin, left him to his slumbers, he having turned in early on a nearly-empty stomach. Eventually, much later he found out; this was also something we never let Bruce forget either!

Part of our unit on another excursion to Mississippi, this time as Federal infantry visiting the National Cemetery at Port Hudson, Louisiana. Left to right, David Cjecka; Glen's long-suffering son Colin Smith, who last I heard had retired from his position as a Marine officer and instructor; Mike Hubbard; Yours Truly; Glen Hargis; Glen Smith; and Bruce Winders.

 

[Championhilz]

Back in the 90's I reenacted with Cleburne's, which consisted of some of the finest reenactors I have ever known. We had a number of musically inclined members, and I remember one song that we often sang on Sunday's after the final battle had ended and we were marching back to camp:
(It was sung to the closing tune of the Mickey Mouse Club)

Who's the leader in the West drove Sherman to the Sea?
JOH - NNY - H DOUBLE O D

Johnny Hood! Johnny Hood! Johnny Hood! Johnny Hood!
Forever will he lead his men to Die! (Die, Die, Die)

Cleburne, Adams, States Rights Gist, Dead as they can be!
JOH - NNY - H DOUBLE O D

And now its time to say goodbye to the Army of Tennessee!
JOH (See you in Franklin!) NNY (On to Nashville) H DOUBLE O DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!

Good times, I remember them fondly.

 

[James N.]

Back in the 90's I reenacted with Cleburne's, which consisted of some of the finest reenactors I have ever known. We had a number of musically inclined members, and I remember one song that we often sang on Sunday's after the final battle had ended and we were marching back to camp:
(It was sung to the closing tune of the Mickey Mouse Club)

Who's the leader in the West drove Sherman to the Sea?
JOH - NNY - H DOUBLE O D

Johnny Hood! Johnny Hood! Johnny Hood! Johnny Hood!
Forever will he lead his men to Die! (Die, Die, Die)

Cleburne, Adams, States Rights Gist, Dead as they can be!
JOH - NNY - H DOUBLE O D

And now its time to say goodbye to the Army of Tennessee!
JOH (See you in Franklin!) NNY (On to Nashville) H DOUBLE O DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!

Good times, I remember them fondly.

It's probably "before your time" but back in the late 70's the Confederate Guard, Cleburne's Command, and a Kentucky-based Breckinridge's Brigade were competitors as Western Confederate authentics, along with the Union Thomas's Mudsills which I have posted about here before.

 

[amweiner]

One of our other misadventures that makes me smile is the time we decided to switch sides in the middle of the battle. The other units in the Union line were confused, to say the least.

Aaaaannnnddd......you guessed it - we drew guard duty that night. Again.

 

[Nathanb1]

Here's another, but please bear with me because it's somewhat involved...

Around 1978 when our unit was associated with a larger group of authentics known as The Confederate Guard, several of us accompanied them to Vicksburg National Military Park for what I believe was the very first Living History event to be staged there. We attended with them as infantry, and as I recall our camp was on Confederate Avenue within walking distance of the main entrance to the park. We set up a tent camp, performed drill, and interacted with park visitors until around 5 pm or so; after that, we continued our routine of camp life and settled down for the night in the park.

The authenticity of the event even extended to our rations, so we were put on a diet consisting of a little rice, half an ear of corn, and some nauseating gooey pea bread made from mashed-then-baked field peas. (It was sort of like cornbread, only sticky and tasted like peas.) The leader of our little contingent was a no-nonsense thirty-five year-old former navy pilot and then pilot for American Airlines named Glen Smith with whom I messed. I was issued the ear of corn to divide with Glen when I lost my balance sitting down and dropped it on the ground; he said he was terrified I might throw it away! I didn't and we divided it and ate it greedily.

Another member of our group was now-Dr. Richard Bruce Winders, currently Curator of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas - but way back then he was just Bruce. He was then a fairly new member of our unit and very dedicated to authenticity and doing things right. A little after our sumptuous repast, he sidled up to me; although Bruce is normally very soft-spoken and unassuming, this time he was especially so when he asked, "Do you think we should go to the Pizza Hut?" Of course at Vicksburg, like many other parks and battlefields, there are many visitor facilities such as motels and restaurants nearby, and temptations abound. After Bruce uttered the forbidden words, of course those of us who heard them at first feigned shock and dismay ("Bruce!"), then quickly decamped for the Promised Land!

The funniest part of the whole business, however, was that we didn't bother to inform poor Glen because we weren't sure how he would react - so four or five of us, including I think Glen's own son Colin, left him to his slumbers, he having turned in early on a nearly-empty stomach. Eventually, much later he found out; this was also something we never let Bruce forget either!

View attachment 135397
Part of our unit on another excursion to Mississippi, this time as Federal infantry visiting the National Cemetery at Port Hudson, Louisiana. Left to right, David Cjecka; Glen's long-suffering son Colin Smith, who last I heard had retired from his position as a Marine officer and instructor; Mike Hubbard; Yours Truly; Glen Hargis; Glen Smith; and Bruce Winders.

No wonder Dr. W looks so happy to be there.

 

[James N.]

No wonder Dr. W looks so happy to be there.

Maybe he's happier here! This one also taken at Port Hudson shows him at right with me in the center and Glen at left. (Actually, Bruce always looks about the same as he does in these.)

 

[Nathanb1]

Maybe he likes his big Alamo hat better