Scenario Ideas

[2rivcob73]

Hello All,
I am helping in coming up with some non battle scenarios to augment a smaller reenactment up here in RI. We wanted to create more items on the docket and was hoping to crowd source some ideas. This is what we have below:
Townball/Baseball Game
Court Martial & Sentence
Mail Call
Pay Roll
Ration Distribution

Any ideas are good ideas thanks guys!

 

[AndyHall]

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[AndyHall]

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[AndyHall]

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[AndyHall]

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[2rivcob73]

Soldiers' fist fight/altercation over cards.

We were thinking of linking the court martial to a card game gone wrong...the barrel shirt idea is a good one though I havent seen that one. Normally I see someone gets "killed" over the card game and the result of the court martial is execution by firing squad. Although we could work the execution in by having a deserter from the battle being brought up in front of the same court martial as the card game gone wrong...hmmmmmmm

 

[AndyHall]

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[2rivcob73]

I've been to a number of events where there's an execution, but I personally dislike making that sort of thing into entertainment. That's my own bias.

I can see your point with that, but it is also showing how things were back then...that consequences were different for soldiers than they were for civilians...i can see both arguments

 

[captaindrew]

We were just discussing this not long ago. Somebody mentioned they do drilling with the spectator kids giving them toy wood muskets to use that goes over real well. Anything interactive with the crowd especially the kids is a great idea and good for recruiting.

 

[sammyba83]

I've always wanted to see some prisoners captured during the battle. You could then have them marched back to the victor's camp, held under guard by the "provost marshal." You could then stage a formal parole ceremony complete with allegiance oaths, signed paroles issued by the appropriate officer, etc. The paroled prisoners could then be releaseed back to their camp. With a little research and cooperation from both commanders, I think this would be an authentic, engaging, entertaining and unique spectacle for the public.

 

[captaindrew]

Medical scenarios are always a big hit if done well.

 

[major bill]

At the Jackson Michigan reenactment they had "working women" demonstrations. Being a family venue it was kept PG -13.

 

[major bill]

I only visited the reenactment for an hour and I am not sure what the public thought of the scenario.

 

[Tom Elmore]

You could highlight one or more of the support services that rely on detailed men, like two stretcher bearers from the ambulance corps (wearing red badges in their hats) with the wounded "man" being a spectator; or a pioneer (armed with a shovel, pick and/or axe):

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/support-services-pioneers.112655/#post-1105211

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

I agree about not staging an execution.....I've seen a few, and they were never done well enough to be impressive.

Come up with something to engage the public. I like the idea of incorporating the public into a drill for them.
A Dance is a good way to get the public involved, if you have a caller and someone to help teach.....
Cooking demonstrations are good, as is a Camp Cooking Contest, wherein the public goes from participating camp to camp, being shown how the food was prepared and cooked, and then tasting it so they can judge the winner.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

Personally I like the baseball game idea, but playing the way it was played then might be difficult. I saw an old time baseball game reenactment once (nothing to do with the Civil War) and it was pretty cool.

 

[2rivcob73]

Medical scenarios are always a big hit if done well.

I just don't know if a medical unit will be there that's the only reason we're staying away from it right now

 

[2rivcob73]

Personally I like the baseball game idea, but playing the way it was played then might be difficult. I saw an old time baseball game reenactment once (nothing to do with the Civil War) and it was pretty cool.

We usually have it be a pick up game between units and not actually old time teams that way you have a little more leeway with rules and space etc

 

[Old Breck]

At the Jackson Michigan reenactment they had "working women" demonstrations. Being a family venue it was kept PG -13.

Anything done at the Jackson event should be avoided. That event ran its course 10-15 years ago. High school students portraying a bordello is neither funny or accurate.

I think most reenactors can be intimidated doing a lot of events focused for the public. I understand that reenacting is one's own thing, and many feel the general public is intruding on "their time with the fellas", but if the focus of the event is public interaction, talk about what you know.

Instead of putting on performances, just talk about the gear/uniforms/solider life. Share your knowledge of this stuff.

First person is confusing and lame. And it turns the public off.

If you're looking to do something interactive, a Mustering In Program always works. Every Memorial Day, we have hundreds of participants join the Army of the Potomac for about 45 minutes. Have them muster in, put the through a few basic formations, let them play with wooden rifles, and they'll have a new appreciation of the Civil War

 

[2rivcob73]

Anything done at the Jackson event should be avoided. That event ran its course 10-15 years ago. High school students portraying a bordello is neither funny or accurate.

I think most reenactors can be intimidated doing a lot of events focused for the public. I understand that reenacting is one's own thing, and many feel the general public is intruding on "their time with the fellas", but if the focus of the event is public interaction, talk about what you know.

Instead of putting on performances, just talk about the gear/uniforms/solider life. Share your knowledge of this stuff.

First person is confusing and lame. And it turns the public off.

If you're looking to do something interactive, a Mustering In Program always works. Every Memorial Day, we have hundreds of participants join the Army of the Potomac for about 45 minutes. Have them muster in, put the through a few basic formations, let them play with wooden rifles, and they'll have a new appreciation of the Civil War

One of the ideas was to have members of the public be "witnesses" to the court martial that way they are engaged in the scenario. I am not sure if any units going have the wooden rifles to try to "enlist" but that is something i've seen in the past. All great suggestions thank you