Sponsoring a Re-enactment

[Barrycdog]

This is more of a what if scenario but I thought I would ask. For 20 years I lived in Bartow County and very active with Cassville, Kingston, Allatoona Pass, etc but there has never been a re-enactment in this area. Bartow County was very active during the war and because the way the railroad ran through the county it covered the entire area from the Octagon House in Adairsville to Allatoona Pass in what was then the Town of Allatoona and everything in between Cassville, Kingston, Cartersville, Etowah and not to mention the Great Locomotive Chase.

At any rate we thought it would be great to have a re-enactment near Cassville, Georgia. One day do the Battle of Cassville and the next do the Battle of Kingston. I imagined having a wagon train pass the crowd and an announcer describe how the trains and ambulances went to Kingston and set up for the battle that way. I guest the question is how would you set up a re-enactment? Would you offer a powder bounty? How much hay and would do you think you would have to have on hand? What other incentives would you offer? It would take a lot of planning and being aware of not conflicting with other events. As far as camping considerations, what would you as a re-enactor be looking for. You want to have modern camping out of the way. Where to put sutlers? Confederate, Union, registration? What are your thoughts?

 

[johan_steele]

It takes a LOT of planning & organizing. It's pretty much impossible for one person to create an event worth anything. You will need potable water, firewood, (straw is over rated IMO) a powder bounty is a good idea, porto johns, if you're going to have a battle bleechers for the public aren't bad, organizers to keep the public out of the battlefield, a decent campsite, people organizing the vendors for the public...

A lot of stuff, some of it minor but if forgotten...

 

[M E Wolf]

I would connect with one of the major umbrella groups that have experience in putting on a huge event. There are so many needed volunteers on the staff level to 'go for' this and that, leadership to have a clear plan, research the battle as to mirror it as close as possible and not skew it to 'rewrite' history, port-a-johns for handicap people (which is handy for women in hoop skirts and soldiers loaded with their full marching kit, e.g. knapsacks, etc.); insurance, licenses, police permits, fire marshal, police/sheriff department, occupancy permits, land owner grants/leases/rentals, grooming it properly before and after the use --such as take down modern fence and put it back up afterwards, inspect the ground for holes as to fill in, etc. That is just some of it--not all of it.

Chris Anders did "Maryland My Maryland," Longstreet's Corps, et.al., is doing 150th Gettysburg BGA with assistance of the Cleburne's Division. I think the Cleburne's Division is closest to Georgia but, I'd wait until after Gettysburg as they are focused on getting this big event 'stick the fork in it done.' Staff officer I know is going to be on the grounds on the 21st of June, volunteers have been working there since last year, a huge push on the 15th making the stone wall for the Pickett-Pettigrew Charge.

I am of the belief, that General Jack King (Texas/Hood's Division), has the largest collection of horse drawn Civil War replica wagons. He'll be at the BGA Gettysburg with a few of his wagons that conceal a water bladder in addition to functioning as military wagons/transporting troops, supplies, etc.

Just some thoughts.

M. E. Wolf