When Did Your War Start?

[oldreb1343]

When was your first reenacment where was it and what was suttin that you'll never forget

 

[Republican Blues]

When DId I start reenacting?? oh that was back in 1987 at Fort Point Ca. The only Civil War fort on the Pacific Coast.

My War started in March, 2003...and nope I'll never forget it.

 

[unionblue]

1993, Guyandotte, West Virginia.

We reenacted an actual event that took place in the town, a Confederate raid on a Union recruiting station in the town jail, the actual building which still stands. After a sharp fight, me and my fellow Union soldiers were captured and placed on the second floor of the jail, while a crowd of secesh civilians chanted, "Yankee go home!" over and over again.

Finally, I had enough of it, leaned out an open window, and shouted to the nosiy crowd below, "I can't go home! You won't let me!"

Got a big laugh from the spectators and an exciting Civil War reenactment career was launched.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

 

[carson_reb]

My "war" started in March 2009 at my first ACW reenactment: Our club's Spring Tactical at Ft. Churchill, Nevada.

Something I will never forget will be getting shot down by low-down dirty Pinkertons at the Virginia City Civil War Days in September 2009. What made it memorable was that I was my regiment's chaplain, and I was unarmed. I was the last one standing in my regiment. I held my arms our wide with Bible in my right hand and implored the Pinkertons to stop. But they leveled their Spencers at me anyway, took aim and sent me to my Maker.
They got a lot of boos from the crowd, so my "death" was vindicated. It's an unwritten rule: You don't shoot the padre...kind of like not hitting the kid with glasses on.

 

[Oxkern]

My first event was in May 2008 at a mid-19th Century fort overlooking Portsmouth, England. I had no idea what to expect, having never been to a re-enactment before, but loved every minute.

Just remembered that I posted a piece I wrote shortly after that first time here.

 

[oldreb1343]

well i never told yall mine might as well my first event that i was infantry in was in setember 2008 (first event ever was in 1999 when i was 6 years old), it was at brattonsville south carolina they were hosting a living history there and the one thing that i will never forget is my captain turing toward me to tell us to advanced forward but before he got the words out of his mouth he took a hit. Kinda morbid but it was an awsome death.

 

[johan_steele]

Son; there is no such things as an awesome death; until you understand that you are honoring noone. War is ugly, brutal and outright terrifying; those who say otherwise have never been on the Sharp End, have never even conceived of it. If all you are doing is burning powder and playing war who are you honoring and how? Then you have to ask yourself why are you really doing it, because others older & wiser already are.

WW2 Re-enactors today have managed to give themselves a rough reputation among WW2 veterans who don't take kindly to what many see as ignorant wannabe's mocking better men than they. I can't help but wonder if the spirits of those men of 61-65 don't feel the same. When I see a pathetic impression... I know I do.

I don't play war anymore because I don't like the mockery too many give to the Angel of Death, I will not irritate that one. Volleys exchanged at 40 yards w/ no casualties, wonder wad flying across the field , dead animal parts, bad galtroops, a host of pistols w/ no horses, blatant ignorance of the actual history...

 

[Republican Blues]

well i never told yall mine might as well my first event that i was infantry in was in setember 2008 (first event ever was in 1999 when i was 6 years old), it was at brattonsville south carolina they were hosting a living history there and the one thing that i will never forget is my captain turing toward me to tell us to advanced forward but before he got the words out of his mouth he took a hit. Kinda morbid but it was an awsome death.

Young man, I am going to echo some of what Shane has said. There is no such thing as an awesome death. Death is death. It stinks, its nasty and its ugly. The same goes for War. When you have seen bodies blown apart, bleeding, and burned, when you see a human being burn behind the wheel of an 18 wheeler that was hit by two 155mm artillery shells rigged as an IED, only then will you truly understand the thing that you find so "awesome". You asked when MY war started.... 2003. The Civil War is not MY war.. it is THEIR war they own it. They fought it, they have claim to it. We have only claim to the heritage of THEIR war.

I can only estimate your age, and figure you are still in school, or about to graduate. I remember those days of innocence. I pray that you wont have to learn first hand what War is. I earnestly pray that you will never have to see a battlefield... for it is very true what Wellington said... Nothing but a battle lost can be half as melancholy as a battle won.

 

[oldreb1343]

sir my cousin , my deddy and both grandeddys were in the military i promise you i know all to well the horrible things that happen in war and my grandeddy believes its a honor to have someone take the time and effort so that people may never forget the horrible thing that happen to him

 

[oldreb1343]

My war started in March 2009 at my first ACW reenactment: Our club's Spring Tactical at Ft. Churchill, Nevada.

Something I will never forget will be getting shot down by low-down dirty Pinkertons at the Virginia City Civil War Days in September 2009. What made it memorable was that I was my regiment's chaplain, and I was unarmed. I was the last one standing in my regiment. I held my arms our wide with Bible in my right hand and implored the Pinkertons to stop. But they leveled their Spencers at me anyway, took aim and sent me to my Maker.
They got a lot of boos from the crowd, so my "death" was vindicated. It's an unwritten rule: You don't shoot the padre...kind of like not hitting the kid with glasses on.

our medic got shot at during a battle after they fired he turned around pulled his pants down and told them to shoot at this (who shoots a medic really?)

 

[oldreb1343]

My first event was in May 2008 at a mid-19th Century fort overlooking Portsmouth, England. I had no idea what to expect, having never been to a re-enactment before, but loved every minute.

Just remembered that I posted a piece I wrote shortly after that first time here.

was wondering if you have done a reenactment in the u.s. before and if so how dose it differ from one in egnland and one here

 

[Joey12thga]

Oldreb,

For the love of God please proofread, grammar check, and spell check your postings. They are dang near unreadable. Be courteous of those who cannot understand gibberish.

 

[oldreb1343]

Oldreb,

For the love of God please proofread, grammar check, and spell check your postings. They are dang near unreadable. Be courteous of those who cannot understand gibberish.

Well I'm kinda new to this website didn't know if y'all used computer talk or not or what ever they call it I shall use proper grammer for know on (I don't even know if I used it in this reply or not)

 

[Nathanb1]

Well I'm kinda new to this website didn't know if y'all used computer talk or not or what ever they call it I shall use proper grammer for know on (I don't even know if I used it in this reply or not)

I'm fairly sure a quick scan of most posts here will acquaint you with the level of "grammer" used by most posters. Frankly, I've been thinking for several days that your English instructor (if you really have had one) should be fired immediately.

 

[Glorybound]

Well I'm kinda new to this website didn't know if y'all used computer talk or not or what ever they call it I shall use proper grammer for know on (I don't even know if I used it in this reply or not)

Don't worry too much about it Oldreb. We generally don't take well to abbreviations that are commonly used in texting from a cell phone. If you spell out your thoughts like you would in a letter to somebody then you'll probably be better understood. Just a thought.

Lee

 

[oldreb1343]

Don't worry too much about it Oldreb. We generally don't take well to abbreviations that are commonly used in texting from a cell phone. If you spell out your thoughts like you would in a letter to somebody then you'll probably be better understood. Just a thought.

Lee

haha thanks maybe i'll get the hang of it one day

 

[sargebill]

My first event was back in 1996 at Townsons Plantation in Mt Dora it was a small fight but a good one made one big mistake (took a hit with a loaded weapon) never did that one again nothing bad happened but it was a learning expierience.

 

[DixieDude007]

My first event i went to i was not even a year old it was in 1993. My dad was a number 4 man on a cannon crew.

First one i participated in (as in shot a gun) was this past October and we could not build fires unless it was in a container 2 feet off the ground. Well the unit across the "street" from us had a period wood burning stove...well they did not share so saturday morning while we were staring at each other they were having eggs, bacon, biscuits, and worse of all...fresh coffee then we were not fed by the event on Saturday night...needles to say...NOT HAPPY REENACTORS

 

[sargebill]

you'll know to fend for yourselves next time (bring whatever food you want to cook with you,or go to town on your way to the event) and unless the event told you they were gonna feed you your on your own at most events.

 

[Republican Blues]

My first event i went to i was not even a year old it was in 1993. My dad was a number 4 man on a cannon crew.

First one i participated in (as in shot a gun) was this past October and we could not build fires unless it was in a container 2 feet off the ground. Well the unit across the "street" from us had a period wood burning stove...well they did not share so saturday morning while we were staring at each other they were having eggs, bacon, biscuits, and worse of all...fresh coffee then we were not fed by the event on Saturday night...needles to say...NOT HAPPY REENACTORS

I've only been to a couple events in my twenty plus years in the hobby that have fed the reenactors at the event. The most memorable was at Mosheim Tennessee, and that feed was put on not by the event but by the townsfolk