Introduction to Reenacting

Miss Vera's Pearls of Wisdom

Our hobby is Living History. Portraying a period of time as accurately as we can and doing it with integrity. We are making the education of the public our responsibility. We do it voluntarily; in fact we pay to do it! It is our duty to present the facts, not the stereotypes. Therefore we must do the research necessary to dig up those facts; and present to the public the most historically accurate image possible. We can truly honor those ancestors we represent by getting their story right.

Civil War encampments are designed as a vehicle for teaching American History. The public who attend our reenactments are intelligent people and many are Civil War buffs. They can spot an anachronism, such as a cooler, a can of soda, a wristwatch, or a sleeping bag, quite readily and are quick to comment. When the public walks through an authentic encampment and sees these kinds of modern intrusions, they doubt the validity of the camp as a whole. To have these intrusions spoil the impression is not fair to the visitor who has paid to enter our camp. Neither is it fair to the others in the encampment, who work very hard at maintaining an authentic 1860's environment. So when you prepare for an event, if an item is not a true representation of the period, don't pack it. Do your best to keep your impression period correct.

When you put on your frock coat or hoop-skirted outfit, you become a window to the past for the visitors at our reenactments. It is your duty to provide a clean view through that window. If you don't put in the effort to research the details of your 1860's persona, your characterization will be like a window covered in dust. The historic image that the visitor sees is warped and incorrect. Then you have done a disservice to that visitor and to the peoples of the 1860's whose history we are trying to teach.

There are a number of things you should know before you pull out your wallet. Unfortunately, there are no standards for the merchandise available on Sutlers Row. Some sutler's carry "old looking" clothing that is not necessarily correct to the era of the Civil War. A few carry garments and accessories in prints or colors that were not available at the time. Not to mention items made of polyesters and plastic. So unless you do the research first, you may end up spending a lot of money on inappropriate items.

Before you invest a lot of money in dresses and accessories, spend a good amount of time talking to the members of the club who have been doing this for a while. There will be many tips and suggestions to be heard. Many of us have spare garments that we are willing to loan for a few events while you decide on a persona. Everyone is willing to be helpful so don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions.

Image courtesy of Library of Congress