Impressions The Predicted "Mass Exodus" of Reenactors after The Appomattox 150th

Bryan_C

First Sergeant
Joined
Jul 21, 2012
Location
North of Fort Stevens, DC
Just saw this article over on Civil War Memory yesterday. I've heard about the possibility of many people getting out of the hobby next year, that the reenactment community is dying, and so on. I know this has been discussed on CivilWarTalk before but I was just wondering what people here are feeling about this right now. Do you know if many are planning to call it quits next year? In any case, I've enjoyed my experiences in the hobby, as I commented in the blog.

http://cwmemory.com/2014/11/02/will-civil-war-reenactors-surrender-at-appomattox-in-2015/
 
This is difficult to know. One question that needs to be answered is how many young people are joining Civil War reenactment units. The graying of the Civil War reenactors is an issue and if new young members can not be recruited then yes the Civil War reenacting community will shrink.

I have seen two reenacting units recently. The Civil War company had an average age of upper 40s to mid 50s with a top of of pushing 70. The World War Two company had an average age of perhaps the mid 30s with a top age of mid 40s.It is not that young people will not reenact, but many are going to other eras. I do understand that looking at just two units is not much of a sample, but the age difference was pronounced. When I was 25 years old I would have believed that hanging out with 60 year old people would have been a lot like hanging out with my grandparents, hanging out with 30 year old people would have sounded like a lot more fun.
 
I will be 50 in a few months and 2015 will be my 11th year Civil War reenacting.....I am also one of the youngest guys in my unit, some of them have been reenacting 25 or 30 years or more. No one in my unit is even considering the possibility of leaving the hobby. We have a lot of "local" events that we do each year, and we greatly enjoy the comraderie of "Pards".
For me, personally, I don't think I will ever quit, unless health concerns should ever become an issue.
By the way, we have always, and still do, go "campaign style".....Not bad for a bunch of "old" guys! :smile:
 
I personally dislike the 'rumor mill' that there will be a mass exodus in re-enacting.

Sure, there will be some who leave the re-enactment community on the field but, may still be active in impersonations and living history.

It really is an individual decision to get in, stay in and or get out.

For me -- health is the governing factor.

Just my thoughts and opinions,
M. E. Wolf
 
I don't see a mass exodus after the Appomattox 150th. These guys reenact because they enjoy reenacting. That Appomattox is considered to be the end of the war is not going to stop them from next year or the next or the next. They'll stop when they feel like it -- not before.
 
Not sure what the final impact will be but if the number of rifles, sack coats, trousers, leathers, blankets and caps are any indication, there has already been a flood of folks getting out of the hobby. I have been watching numerous venues where gear is sold and have seen the number of items sky rocket since Gettysburg. Each month there seems to be more and more gear up for sale. Unfortunately, it appears that the only fellas getting out of the hobby are the size 38-42 jacket sized guys. I picked up two rifles this past year, a 42 and a 55. Days after purchasing these rifles, for what had been a steal, 42's and 55's hit the various boards, in defarbed state, for $1-200 less than I paid. A great deal for the fellows who were able to add them to their collection.

I recently spent a weekend on the set of the upcoming mini series Point of Honor and used my acting salary to purchase a greatcoat, as a total of one 48 long had hit the sites in three years. The day after I returned home with my Sekela GC, three hit the boards. I am pleased with the quality and managed to catch it while on sale from Nick, but had they become available last year or the year before, I probably would have picked up another item of kit that I might use once or twice a year.

I have seen this trend in both Civil War reenacting as well as 1812 era reenacting. While the Napoleonic war era reenacting community is much smaller than the ACW community, the 200th anniversary seems to have had the same impact as the 150th is having on the Civil War community.

A number of my friends have moved on to either WWI or WWII, while popping back in for a big Civil War event every now and then. I can see the appeal, it is a lot more fun to burn through a few hundred rounds a day and be able to clean your weapon to factory finish in less than a half an hour.

At the 150th Cedar Creek, I was relegated to the sick call roster, having a level 3 calf muscle tear. Even though I could barely walk, I went and spent the day hanging out with my wife, another friend who was in a similar state of disrepair and generally enjoying the time spent in camp as an old fart. The weekend was just as enjoyable to me as if I had been on the field, with the bonus of having no weapons to clean. One of these days I am going to follow through on my threat to start a Veteran Corps unit. I know the 3rd USV as I have discussed the possibility with our Commander Col Dave Childs a number of times. Maybe when I get a few more grey hairs which cannot be eliminated by getting a short hair cut.
 
Unfortunately, it appears that the only fellas getting out of the hobby are the size 38-42 jacket sized guys... I recently spent a weekend on the set of the upcoming mini series Point of Honor and used my acting salary to purchase a greatcoat, as a total of one 48 long had hit the sites in three years.

Well, I guess this makes me feel pretty good about the Jarnigan Federal sack coat I just got for $50. The guy was asking $100 for it (it's $145 on their website). I didn't really need it but I really like their federal trousers and the jacket is an improvement for me over the mainstream jacket I already had.

I recently spent a weekend on the set of the upcoming mini series Point of Honor and used my acting salary to purchase a greatcoat, as a total of one 48 long had hit the sites in three years.

Funny, I'm also a 48L. I would love to get a Jarnigan greatcoat at some point to match the pants I've got. But I just lucked out on explaining my $50 purchase to my wife, so it sure as hell won't be anytime soon...
 
Ya got to be careful though-- I started out with 1 Enfield and now have 4 long guns. The deals I couldn't pass up. I have enough ****( sorry material), to outfit 4-6 guys combining from both sides. The tuff stuff to find locally is caps, and true Black.
 
The sky is falling, the sky is falling! Havn't we heard this before? You get enough people spouting "Gloom and Doom" and thats what your going to get people believing. At our year end event 2 weeks ago. WE got 5 new people and all under 20 so you that spout it "Shut UP"!! to put it bluntly. Just because your quitting don't mean that others are!! Go back to being a cyber reenactor, and historian. Get off you lazy bottoms and get out there. Sendentary puts you in the cemetery!
 
Just saw this article over on Civil War Memory yesterday. I've heard about the possibility of many people getting out of the hobby next year, that the reenactment community is dying, and so on. I know this has been discussed on CivilWarTalk before but I was just wondering what people here are feeling about this right now. Do you know if many are planning to call it quits next year? In any case, I've enjoyed my experiences in the hobby, as I commented in the blog.

http://cwmemory.com/2014/11/02/will-civil-war-reenactors-surrender-at-appomattox-in-2015/
The American Civil War itself is not a major point of concern being taught in our educational system today. History has a myriad of competition for younger generations, & without significant new, younger, recruits to the hobby, it will continue to dwindle in scope and participation. Some will drop out for financial concerns, some for health restrictions, and some simply can no longer endure the physical hardships. I believe we are witnessing more uniforms and gear for sale than ever before as a result. And, like everything else except wages, there are significant price increases. To me it's not a difficult math equation,..but sadly just writing on the wall.
 
Just because you or I are interested in the Civil War does not mean that all Americans are interested in the Civil War. Is it possible that the American people in general are losing interest in the Civil War? Why should a person be more interested in a war fought by their great great great grandfather than a war fought by their grandfather or great grandfather? I am not judging a person's preferences, but perhaps others are finding other areas of history more relevant to them.
 
Just because you or I are interested in the Civil War does not mean that all Americans are interested in the Civil War. Is it possible that the American people in general are losing interest in the Civil War? Why should a person be more interested in a war fought by their great great great grandfather than a war fought by their grandfather or great grandfather? I am not judging a person's preferences, but perhaps others are finding other areas of history more relevant to them.

if present generations are not introduced to the Civil War through an educational process, have no extended interest
in family history/heritage, and spend large amounts of free time emersed in video gaming,...why would they have any
interest in any actual war ? Your point is well taken, but if you omit the words "of history" from your last sentence it has a much truer ring for me.
 
2 things: Civil War reenacting benefitted from a very long run of loosely related trends that helped form and boost it: the westerns that baby boomers grew up on, the Bicentennial, the 125th cycle, Ken Burns, "Glory" and "Gettysburg." That accounts for 30 years of publicity. I've actually seen interest waning since the early 2000s. That wane is related to a lot of other things, too. Fighting 2 all too real wars, the recession, the aging out of those same baby boomers and educational emphases have meant that the pool of potential recruits really is smaller. I don't really think that's a bad thing. I've seen a lot of guys reenact for 3-5 years then leave the hobby. That tells me it wasn't really that important to them from the start. So our real numbers have been inflated with a large casual audience. I'm hoping that a smaller Civil War reenacting will learn more lessons about authenticity, and will rediscover that it's really a hobby you do for yourselves, not necessarily for a watching public.
2nd thing: the Civil War isn't everyones interest, and the culture is changing. I asked my family last night the following question: "If you saw the name 'Dr. Lee' written down, what do you think he looks like?" They all said "Asian." I asked "Not a distinquished southerner with a slight Virginia accent?" To which they all replied "No. Not until you said that."
 
mall-foodcourt.jpg


Sometimes, when I'm at the food court at the mall, I look out at the people around me and I think, I wonder how many of these people care a drop about the Civil War.
 
Here is an interesting article, unfortunately censored by Project Muse, but you can get a bit of the gist from the sample. It is by John Shelton Reed, published in "Southern Cultures" 13 years ago. I'm sure his figures are even lower after all this time.

Lay My Burden Of Southern History Down

John Shelton Reed
very well thought out questionaire. As a southerner I am disturbed, yet not surprised at the percentages shown. It does seem surreal that the numbers are so similar to the question "would you be proud to know you had a relative that served in the Confederate Army ?" in both South and non=south,..especially after considering the percentages in previous questions.
 
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