Second thoughts by Confederate reenactors?

[Georgia Sixth]

It seems the current popular culture moment is to equate any presentation of anything Confederate with advocacy of ****. So I was wondering what effect this might have on reenactors who portray a Confederate persona. I am not a reenactor, but one of my best friends in St. Louis was, so I know what passion this hobby can produce and what commitment is required to do it well.

I'd like to know from those of you who do put on grey or butternut:
Do you plan to continue to reenact a Confederate?
Will your group fly the battle flag? Some other flag? No flag?
Are there any changes you'll make?
How will you respond to possible protesters who feel hurt or offended by your presence?

This query is a genuine one. Please, I ask that no one argue about whether the politically correct view of things Confederate is correct or not. I just was wondering how all this might impact this past time.

 

[BillO]

I don't reenact but I do shoot in the N-SSA and I do occasionally perform publicly in uniform (confederate artillery). I have never seen or felt any hostility from the public but a lot of curiosity. I don't feel any need to change and I probably won't.

 

[Tin cup]

All the years I reenacted, or did Living history as a Confederate, discussions with the public mostly dealt with the uniform, equipage, tactics, differences of same between the Reb's and Yanks...I hardly remember talking much about the causes of the war. I do mostly Yank right now, but will be doing Confederate in October. Most of the time in the Confederate ranks, we usually had a great, detailed reproduction CBF, and could talk to the public about it, and the unit's history we were portraying.

The only fighting the public wants to see at reenactments, is out on the field!

Kevin Dally

 

[Stony]

I am starting to think seriously about doing reenacting anymore. My unit does federal and confederate.

 

[Poor Sharecropper's Son]

Obviously you have to do what's best for yourself, but I would hope not

 

[unionblue]

I have reenacted both and would not stop doing either, if I still reenacted as a soldier.

As for the Confederate flag, it still has a place in reenactments and living history, so I would feel no need to get rid of it in those situations.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

 

[kevikens]

When I did CW reenacting my unit, a Northern regiment, could double as a Southern one, something sometimes necessary for a Northern reenactment. Most of us had the Reb. gear. It never bothered me one bit to be a Butternut for the day. Part of it was that any battlefield reenactment was enjoyable and, what the heck, they were Americans too. I would not have wanted to do an SS impersonation for WW II reenacting but I could have done a Wehrmacht impersonation without too many scruples.

 

[Mild53]

I'm not feeling too good about reenacting either. Not sure why. I problaby won't do more than local living history.

 

[nrogers]

I'd hope re-enactors would keep on with their work. What they do is about history, not contemporary politics. I personally dislike the use of Confederate flags as official government symbols, but to ban them completely or restrict their private use would be going waaaaaay too far and getting into all kinds of dodgy territory around free speech rights.

 

[ole]

Not much chance I'll get down there to see your unit reenacting, texas, but reenacting units don't pushnany buttons. Just guys out having fun.

 

[AndrewJacksonMiller]

Confederate, Union, US Airborne, or Waffen SS. It is a chance to be someone who you are not for a weekend and possibly see what it was like to wear that uniform and feel like you are stepping back in time. Hearing the gun fire and seeing the history up close is why I have been a re-enactor for over 20 years and I have no qualms or reservations about how someone else perceives what I do. Most people these days couldn't tell you when the wars were fought, so it can be very educational for all who get to be spectators. What would the re-enactment be without the opposing side? Answer: a parade.

 

[Silverfox]

My GG Grandfather was captured and sent to Elmira serving in the below unit---His Son-in-Law in a different Company though wounded made it home. The 7th Georgia had many German immigrants in it--- in and around Savannah. The Unit in Germany pictured below has shown great interest in their history. I assume it will continue.

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

I will continue reenacting Confederate, with no guilt and no reservations......I, as well as my unit, teach HISTORY and NOT modern politics!!!!

 

[ole]

What fools we mortals be.

Kinda fun though.

 

[ole]

Albert, DITTO!!!!

Albert is one of the most level-headed members. All his energy is in his Tennessee Battery. Don't bother to argue the plusses and minuses or reenacting, he has it nailed.

 

[airlinkdiva]

I just start going to reenactments last year for the first time. Making a point to visit both Union and Confederate camps. My main reason for going is to gain knowledge of how the battles were fought and how the men who fought daily lives before and after battle.
To only have battles with just Union reenactment will only give a one side view.

 

[AndrewJacksonMiller]

I have re-enacted WW1 WW2 been on the History Channel twice and in two major motion pictures. It is expensive, physically tough, and extremely time consuming to portray the past correctly. If you just want to wave an old flag you will not be accepted by others who love history.

 

[Pvt.Shattuck]

Confederate, Union, US Airborne, or Waffen SS. It is a chance to be someone who you are not for a weekend and possibly see what it was like to wear that uniform and feel like you are stepping back in time. Hearing the gun fire and seeing the history up close is why I have been a re-enactor for over 20 years and I have no qualms or reservations about how someone else perceives what I do. Most people these days couldn't tell you when the wars were fought, so it can be very educational for all who get to be spectators. What would the re-enactment be without the opposing side? Answer: a parade.

Waffen SS were war criminals who committed unspeakable atrocities on civilian populations. My father fought those unspeakable b******* in the Battle of the Bulge, so it wasn't all that long ago.
I'm sorry, but re-enacting them is crazy. How would like to have a photo of yourself in SS gear plastered all over the Internet? Maybe for your employer to see. You could explain how harmless it is to your Jewish friends.
Poor judgement and a poor choice.
If you want a WWII battle, then do regular Wehrmacht.

 

[AndrewJacksonMiller]

Waffen SS were war criminals who committed unspeakable atrocities on civilian populations. My father fought those unspeakable b******* in the Battle of the Bulge, so it wasn't all that long ago.
I'm sorry, but re-enacting them is crazy. How would like to have a photo of yourself in SS gear plastered all over the Internet? Maybe for your employer to see. You could explain how harmless it is to your Jewish friends.
Poor judgement and a poor choice.
If you want a WWII battle, then do regular Wehrmacht.

I see your point but I stongly disagree. The Confederates, Japanese, Germans (SS included), Viet Cong all should be represented as the horrifying enemy they all were to American soldiers. I want to see them out there so that the good guys can get a sense of what a tough enemy was like. A good rebel yell and furious charge is good for the Union re-enactors.

 

[kevikens]

This is why in my posting above I excluded reenacting the Waffen SS, and also why, although I have a nice militaria collection, I refuse to have NAZI stuff in it. Collecting and reenacting are ways of keeping alive a memory that deserves to be kept alive. In a sense we honor these people when we recreate them. I don't mean we should forget Hitler and Stalin, far from it, but let's not give them an honor of remembrance they do not deserve. I understand that reenacting a historical event requires somebody to be the other side but can we not do WW II with regular Wehrmacht troops, most of whom were draftees, not ideological supermen bent on genocide? Would anyone doing Civil War reenactment really want to recreate Major Wirz and Andersonville? There are some things better left undone.