Quote and Picture

[Bryan_C]

I saw this quote the other day on the CWReenactors website and thought it was pretty good:

"Don't tell people you do things "exactly like they did" while standing in front of a wall tent you share with your wife with the four poster bed, cooler, camp stove, and heater, etc."

But then, I remembered this picture:

 

[James B White]

Is there a plastic cooler and propane heater in there?

But heck, if one wants to use that as a defense, why pick that photo? It's no more relevant to what other soldiers had in other historic situations, than any photo from the period.

If anything goes, as long as it existed at some time and place in the 1860s, one could just show an image of a wealthy person and cover everything. A plantation owner, New York city investor, high-ranking politician, etc., would expect to have a feather bed, upholstered furniture, servants to cook and serve his meals and stoke his fire, his wife and children nearby, etc. I portrayed a former governor once, and complained a hotel-keeper didn't stay to put my bags away or have a servant do it, after he showed me to my room.

I think the larger point is: If a reenactor has chosen a particular time and place to portray, then there will be certain luxuries available and certain things not available. If he knows his history, he should be aware of the difference between what he's doing and what the person he's portraying was doing. In some situations, he may inaccurately be missing luxuries--such as the Abe Lincolns who wander around events with no entourage or privates to see to their needs, despite being president. In other situations, a reenactor may choose to have more than would have been available. To say he's living just as they did is wrong in either case, because the implication is he's living as the person he's portraying would have lived, and not the way some others in the period would have lived.

 

[donna]

I think it very interesting photo, showing soldier, his wife and family. I thought it was old. Thanks for posting.

 

[101combatvet]

Bottom line up front.... there are very few reenactors that could stand up to a real soldier of the period.

 

[TinCan]

I have always like the description of Confederate soldiers given by a lady as they marched thru her town. They were said to be ragged, dirty, and smelled awful, but, "they had the look of lean, hungry, wolves". Never have forgotten that, never seen a reenactor look like that either.

 

[James B White]

I think it very interesting photo, showing soldier, his wife and family. I thought it was old. Thanks for posting.

It's a well-known photo and yes of course it's "old," in the sense of being taken in the 1860s. It shows the 31st PA camped near Fort Slocum, Washington DC, and would be excellent for documenting that time and place.

There's a large segment of the hobby that defines "authentic" as anything that existed anywhere in the 1860s, whether out of context or not. It's great if a group or event wants to use those rules, but that doesn't mean everyone must agree that the result produces an accurate recreation of the past.

While I think there's great enjoyment in pretending the past is real at a reenactment--that's the whole purpose, in my opinion--I also think it's important for reenactors to recognize the difference between what they do and the actual past, else the modern hobby becomes more important than the past which it's supposedly remembering, and choices due to modern practicality become taught as actual history.

I have always like the description of Confederate soldiers given by a lady as they marched thru her town. They were said to be ragged, dirty, and smelled awful, but, "they had the look of lean, hungry, wolves". Never have forgotten that, never seen a reenactor look like that either.

I've seen some good impressions that would fit that, but generally at events which require several days on the march.

 

[Pvt.Shattuck]

I once attended a very "farby" weekend "reenactment" for the benefit of the American Legion Post where it was held. A reporter for the local TV news asked me if visitors would be experiencing an "authentic Civil War camp."
"Absolutely" I lied right into the camera , because:
a. I didn't have time to think of a good politician's answer
b. The important thing was to get a crowd. Once there we could educate 'em.
c. It was for a good cause, raising funds to fix the decrepit, and historic, American Legion building.