I'm Goin' To Jackson (Michigan!)

If you are a Civil War reenactor living in Michigan or in the surrounding states, then you know about the Jackson Civil War muster. It takes place every year on the weekend before Labor Day Weekend on a massive plot of land known as Cascades Park.
Cascades is divided into numerous sections: at the far end are the Civil War era civilian camps, where the living historians show life on the homefront - hoop skirts and sack coats rule the day.
Bordering two sides of the civilian camp is the military camps (both North and South). This is where one can see the camp life of a soldier.
A wall of trees separates the camps from the "battlefield." Of course, it's not a real battlefield, but a makeshift one, made up to look like whatever battle they have that particular year. Most of the major battles of the Civil War have been portrayed here over the past 24 years, and a number of smaller, lesser known battles - such as this year's Wilson's Creek - are also portrayed. They do a wonderful job giving the ground where the soldier's fight a make-over so it gives a pretty good impression of what the actual battlefield may have looked like. This year, a real cornfield was placed on the grounds to give it that 'look' of where the battle was fought back in 1861 Missouri.
Infantry, cavalry, artillery - all battling at once. It's an awesome sight.
Near this field is a 'Special Impressions' area, where one can meet the dignitaries of the day: President Lincoln, Senator Howard, Stephen Douglas, etc.
This is also where one can learn about medical practices of the time, see old-time photography, visit a saloon, and watch a period ball, among other things.
A large parking lot separates the "past" from the present: the modern "carnival" aspect of the Jackson event is just on the other side of this parking lot. Not well liked by many of the reenactors, vendors are lined up to sell corn dogs, cotton candy, rootbeer floats and the like. Unfortunately, this is a necessary evil - their rental space helps to pay for the Civil War event (although I could do without the rock, pop, and polka bands).
On the other side of this circus tent area are the sutlers. One of the best things for the reenactors themselves is this sutler area. It's here where many of the living historians purchase their clothing and accessories used for reenacting purposes. This is where folks can pick up lanterns, period music, paintings, and old-fashioned toys. This is where so many reenactors spend much of their time on this particular weekend!
Then there are the Boy Scouts: these young men are out in force, helping any and all for parking, directions, guidebooks, and even in the first aid department. God Bless the Boy Scouts!
If I had any complaints (yes, there are a few), one would be the reenactor parking. We need a better, more organized area for our vehicles. Parking a large van, truck, etc., on the hill where it slides down in the mud is not my idea of taking care of the reenactors. I refuse to park there - I won't slide down sideways again in an attempt to drive out.
Another complaint the lack of civilians during the battle. For instance, wouldn't it be great to have moms, dads, wives, sisters, wandering out onto the battlefield to find their loved ones wounded or dead, letting out a wail if the worst is found? That would show the patrons a different aspect of the War that many know nothing about.
How about allowing civilians to have a picnic during early battles, as was done in 1861? Yes, that really did happen. They thought of the battles as 'entertainment'... that is, until the battle got too close and they saw (or may have inadvertently become part of) the carnage.
A little bit of realism of a different type.
When all is said and done, I feel the really great thing about Jackson is the amount of reenactors that show up - literally thousands, which, between the military and the civilians, gives the patron a well-rounded impression of the era and the War. It is truly a magnificent slice of living history at its finest.

Decoration Day at Greenfield Village

For my family and I, this past weekend - Memorial Weekend 2008 - was spent at Greenfield Village. And what a time we had! It was the Civil War Remembrance Weekend, and nearly 500 of us reenactors spent the entire weekend wearing period clothing and giving the record-breaking crowd a taste of what life was like during those four years in the early 1860's, camped out in canvas tents, cooking our food over an open fire, and emulating the life of our ancestors.
The president of our Civil War unit, Mike Gillett, loves to use the the term "The Best Ever" at every event. Like me, he cannot wait to don period clothing and head out to an event. Heck, he and I would be satisfied wearing 1860's clothing and sitting in our own back yards!


This here is a photo of Mike and our unit watergirl, Emily.

Anyhow, this past weekend at the Village truly was The Best Ever. Everything just seemed to fall into place, especially the weather. But, seeing all of our reenactor friends - not just from our own unit, but from the many other units who participated - is like a reunion of sorts. We're all one big happy family and the hugs and greetings abounded throughout the weekend.

And not once did any of my kids even hint at missing the television, radio, video games, or any other modern electronic devices.

So, why was this particular event better than all the rest? I can't just pick one instance. It just seemed that all factors fell into place. Saturday evening, my oldest son played his (modern looking) guitar, performing the great period tunes of the time: Hard Times Come Again No More, Just Before the Battle Mother, Wayfaring Stranger, Goober Peas...much to the delight of not only members of our own unit, but other unit members stopped to listen as well.

Walking among the historic structures (unfortunately, walking on very modern cement!), helped to give one that feeling of stepping into the past. I especially enjoyed the mourning presentation at the Adams House.

As the only postmaster in the reenacting community, I enjoyed receiving and delivering mail. Of course, the civilians had to come to me to get their mail, but I did deliver (with the help of the Good Chaplain) mail and packages to the troops. Feedback tells me that, for those who received mail, it was a great success. I guess my finest compliment came from Beth Turza, who told me that I was helping to make us all more of a community and was bringing all of the different units together.

I also had a great time working with another group I belong to, the Michigan Soldiers Aid Society (MSAS), a civilian-only unit made up of a few men and many women. They are sticklers for accuracy in virtually everything 1860's, which is one of the reasons why I joined their organization - they know their stuff! At the Village, we put on a scenario where Reb prisoners were being brought in to the Smith Creek Depot by train to then be transfered to a northern prison camp.

The lone guy with the women of the MSAS - yup! That's me!

The Memorial Day/Decoration Day service on Monday was as touching as any I have ever been a part of. It included the laying of the wreaths by women dressed for mourning. The day - this weekend - means more than the barbecues and cottage openings. And it's this sort of service that brings it all home. It is truly a day to remember those who have fought for our country - yes, I thought of my father, who fought in WWII, and who passed away at the much-too-young age of 55. Here is a photo of him taken back in 1945.

Civil War reenacting has become a lifestyle - a passion - almost an obsession - and I am very proud to play a role in this hobby. The Oakland Press, in the May 29th issue, says it best: "More interactive than a book and more accurate than many movies, reenactments allow visitors to not just glimpse history, but to step back and experience a moment in time."

------------------------------------------------------

By the way, welcome to the newest 21st Michigan members: The Keeney Family, Mark Bonekowski, Tommy Spanski, and Lynne Dunn. This was their first real reenactment - hope you all liked it!!

More Gettysburg Pictures

Here are a few more shots taken last month on our Gettysburg excursion:

This first shot is of the Dobbin House built in 1776. Great food, by the way.

This next pic is of Tom, Rob, and Ashley reading the many tombstones in Evergreen Cemetery

Tom and Rob at the Lincoln shrine in the National cemetery. This is the cemetery where President Lincoln gave his infamous Gettysburg Address.

Here is a photo of all of us at breakfast in the Tillie Pierce House. The food was awesome! Another shot of mia famiglia, this time in front of the Tillie Pierce House.
Here, Patty and I are on the porch of the Cashtown Hotel / Inn

This next pic is was taken at Willoughby Run, on the west end of Reynolds Woods. There's a lot that happened here in this stream - too much to write at this time. Look it up - fascinating stuff.

Spangler Spring supplied both the north and south with much needed fresh water. It's located at the foot of Culp's Hill. By the way, if you haven't noticed, we all seem to wear our 'Civil War Faces' when having our images taken while in period clothing. It's a habit. We all had a fantastic time. Really.

Here is the famous Farnsworth House - known in 1863 as the Sweney House - where a Reb sharpshooter reportedly shot Ginny Wade from the garret window. Notice the more than 100 bullet markings (in white) on the side.

One of my favorite pictures that I took: my wife (and son) during sunset at Little Round Top

I have tons of photos of Gettysburg. I will probably post more in a future blog.

I hope you like them.

I highly recommend a visit to Gettysburg when the opportunity allows. Truly an awesome historical place.

GETTYSBURG!!!

VACATION at GETTYSBURG
We have been planning our trip to Gettysburg since January, and it came and went much too fast. To help keep those four days in that great historical town with me, as soon as we returned to our home in Michigan, I wrote a day-to-day journal of our experiences:

Wednesday April 23, 2008
As planned we were on the road by 4 a.m. and all went very well on the ride out. That is, until we got to East 30, which takes us into town. It is an extremely steep (ascending and descending) mountain pass that makes the engine smoke going up and the brakes smoke going down. It’s so bad in fact that they have gravel run offs for the truckers (and cars, I suppose) who lose their brakes. I was really worried about my 1997 Ford Econoline - can't afford to have anything happen to it.
We finally made it into Gettysburg by mid-afternoon and checked into the Quality Inn and, as soon as we got our suitcases in the room, we were off walking down Steinwehr Street, going in the shops. We ate a late lunch at the Dobbin House Tavern (built in 1776), a great atmosphere in which to dine, then it was off visiting the town and shopping once again. Late in the afternoon, Patty and I went off to the Corner Clothiers so I could pick up my new period correct sack coat. It’s AWESOME!!! Oh, Man!! I Love It! It's from an 1861 pattern. Kara does phenomenal work! http://www.cornerclothiers.com/instocknow.htm
By nightfall we were back at the hotel where everyone but me went swimming in the indoor pool (I chose not to swim but watched Patty and my two youngest), then watched TV. Very un-19th century but the kids loved it.
A warm and sunny day.

Thursday April 24, 2008
We woke up early and we all put on our period clothing (including me in my new awesome sack coat!), and remained in our period clothing for the next three days. After our free breakfast (courtesy of the Quality Inn), we checked out of the motel, and then took a ride up Taneytown Road. We drove nearly 5 miles to the exact location where my time-travel story that I have been writing takes place – it was so cool! The lay of the land is very close to the description in my story…and I’ve never been there before! I was even able to visit Mt. Joy Lutheran Church, which is also in my story! How cool is that?
After our Taneytown excursion we parked in the back of the Tillie Pierce House in the middle of town (since we were going to spend the night there) at the corner of Baltimore and Breckinridge streets and went on a guided Civilian Tour to hear what the citizens of the burough experienced during the great battle. We had the same company and guide (http://www.gettysburgaddress.com/HTMLS/amerStory.html - ask for Pat) as we did back in ’05. We really enjoyed it tremendously. It really puts the whole battle into perspective. Many people do not realize just what went on in that town during the summer of 1863, and this tour will give you that understanding of what took place on the streets. It could be a movie unto itself

It was then back to shopping, this time on Chambersburg Street and around the “diamond” (town square).
From there it was to the Farnsworth Inn for lunch. It was built in 1810 with an addition in 1833.
Mid-afternoon we checked into the Tillie Pierce House Bed & Breakfast http://www.tilliepiercehouse.com/. Initially we had some concerns: it was pretty warm, the room we had, although fairly large, was too small to accommodate all seven of us, and Rosalia had a fear of staying there (she told Ashley she could feel someone staring at her…someone who couldn’t be seen). Another concern was trying to keep the kids busy with no TV to watch. But the owners, Keith and Leslie, were extremely nice and, since there would be no other guests staying there that night, gave us – at a reduced rate – another room for the overflow. In fact, it was the actual bedroom of Tillie Pierce herself! They also gave us a couple of roll-away beds to use. Now, if that isn’t courtesy, I don’t know what is. Keith also promised to have the air-conditioning on for us when we returned from our day out (which he did). So, it was off to shop and walk around town once again and, upon returning, everything was set up for us perfectly and comfortably.

The landing on the 2nd floor has a small shrine to the namesake of the home. It's really kind of cool, in an eerie sort of way (see the above picture). The rooms, just so you know, are filled with antiques, including the beds we slept on. It was great – a dream come true! Dressed in period clothing and staying in an actual Civil War house in Gettysburg. It does not get any better! And it didn't matter that we didn't have a TV because everyone was so tired from the day's adventures that they all went right to sleep. No problem!
By the way, Keith and Leslie did an amazing restoration job on the house and I highly recommend staying there if you get a chance. Awesome!
As we hung around the house I got a phone call from JEB from the 21st Michigan (he, Bruce, and Ray also went to Gettysburg – separately from us, of course) inviting us to Little Round Top to watch the sunset. We accepted and drove out there in the early evening. That really set a great mood – how beautiful!! Patty said that was one of her favorite parts of the trip. I took loads of pictures – most of which turned out really good.
When we left there we went back to town and ate at a pizza place called “Tommy’s.” It was so-so – pretty greasy - but we were hungry.
Back to the Tillie Pierce House where, as I mentioned earlier, everyone but me went to bed. I decided to stay up and read for a bit. While in my period clothing, I went to the un-used darkened front bedrooms (all bedrooms were on the second floor) to look out to see Gettysburg at night. Below us and also across the street I could see there were ghost tours going on. Gettysburg is considered the most haunted town in America, in case you didn't know. So I decided to see if I could scare anyone by just standing there in my period clothing, maybe looking like a spirit from the past, but no one looked up at the window I was in. I even moved the curtains to try to get attention but, unfortunately, no one noticed, so I went back to the room. I found out the next day that Tommy did the same thing and got the same response that I got - nada. He would have been even cooler, being dressed as a Civil War soldier. That would have been a riot if we could have given a bit of a fright to a few folks on a ghost tour.
Later, while lying in bed, I heard a few creaks, a couple of raps, and slight footsteps up in the garret (attic). Tom said he heard the same thing. Could it be? Hmmm... Probably the oddest thing I heard was the ticking of the wind up clock (that was already in the room when we got there) became very loud for about a minute – yes, LOUD – then quieted back down. Was it a ghost? If it was a spirit of some sort, I think it liked us. Maybe because we were in period clothing - who knows? Whatever the reason, I felt very comfortable and slept great. Rosalia fell asleep very quickly, considering how afraid she was initially. They say kids can see and feel things better than adults. By the way, Keith told me that he heard groans the previous morning – I didn’t tell anyone else in the family.
Another day of beautiful weather.

Friday April 25, 2008
We had a wonderful omelet breakfast - cooked by Leslie - that we ate in that beautiful period dining room. A fine meal, that was!

What was neat was that we had the dining room to ourselves - kind of like it was ours'. Ahhh...one day maybe...

Unfortunately, because they were going to have a full house for the next couple of nights, we could not stay another night there (there was no way we could all fit into one room – even the large Elizabeth Thorn suite that Patty and I slept in), so, by mid-afternoon, it was back to the Quality Inn. But, I want to, once again, publicly thank Keith and Leslie for what I consider my favorite part of our vacation - staying in that historical house. What an honor. And also for their courtesy and kindness.

After leaving *sniff* the Tillie Pierce House, we met with JEB, Bruce, and Ray for a personal battlefield tour. If you want a detailed tour of the Gettysburg battlefields, it doesn't get any better than hitching up with these three guys.

We went to Spangler's Spring, Culp’s Hill, and the west end of Reynold’s Woods, at Willoughby Run. We also went to the Sachs covered bridge (off the beaten path – built in the 1850’s). JEB said that General Longstreet hung three deserters there and supposedly their spirits remain.
It was a beautiful bridge.
I got reservations to have us all eat lunch at the Cashtown Inn (built in 1797). Out of the way, but a historically beautiful place.
After lunch, we split from the the other 21st members and went to the area of Pickett’s Charge. Patty, Tom, and Rob walked the entire length (me, Ashley, Miles, and Rosalia stayed at the van and slept – I walked it two years ago - no need to do it again). While they were walking the length, there was a Boy Scout troop walking it also and when they saw Tommy they “shot” him with their toy guns. He, of course, “died,” which they thought was great. The scoutmaster came up and thanked Tommy for making their day.

Continuing on the street called Confederate Avenue, we passed by the Round Tops then stopped at the Weikert home where Tillie Pierce stayed during the battle – I took lots of pictures of it. It is located right near the foot of Little Round Top – imagine what they saw while staying in that house on July 2, 1863!
More walking around town took place until the late afternoon when we went to the Gibson Photography Studio to have our tintypes taken. It was so cool (yes, I know I’ve said that word quite a bit, but it’s true!). The guy uses an actual 1867 camera and posed us authentically. The tintype turned out excellent. http://www.civilwarphotography.com/gibson/index2.html
Rob Gibson is a well-known modern "period" photographer who has done covers for Civil War Historian magazine as well as taken tintypes of the actors from Gods & Generals and Cold Mountain.

Back to the motel for the evening.

Saturday April 26, 2008
Tommy, Robbie, Ashley, and I began our day by going to the Evergreen Cemetery to search out the local graves. I took photos of many of the grave stones, including citizen patriot John Burns and Jennie Wade, who was the only civilian killed during the battle. We also found many of the graves of the citizens mentioned on the Civilian Walking Tour from a couple days previous.

After a bit more of walking the town, I split off from the rest of my group and took a tour of the inside of the Farnsworth House (known as the Sweney House in 1863), including the garret where a Confederate sharpshooter was stationed and (as the story goes) shot Jennie Wade from the window. It was chilling to be in that actual spot knowing what happened. The feeling one gets when in an area like that is indescribable. Again, I took loads of photos.

While touring the house, I met up with a couple of guys from Richmond, Virginia, and began telling them some of the civilian stories that I heard (and read) about and took them to the Tillie Pierce House to introduce them to Keith. They hadn't realized all that happened in town during the battle - most folks don't seem to know that, unfortunately.
Back with my family and, for dinner, we ate at a greasy spoon – I don’t recall the name of the restaurant, but it was cheap and filling but not that great.
In the evening, Tommy, Robbie, Ashley, and I took a Ghost Tour of the town. If you have never done one of these my advice is to do it because it was another really good time. Unfortunately for us, rain poured the whole tour time but we didn’t let that stop us from enjoying ourselves. I’m not complaining since it was the only time it rained like that during our whole time there. The stories told of the most haunted town in America were pretty cool. They kind of make you look over your shoulder a bit more, if you know what I mean. http://www.ghostsofgettysburg.com/

Sunday April 27, 2008
Up at 6:30 and on the road by 8, we had a very good (but lo-o-ong) ride home. We made it back by 5:15. I didn’t take East 30 (or, rather, West 30) back – I took the longer way around as I didn’t want to possibly have any problems with my van. Too scary - I don't need any damage done to my van. It has to last me a while yet.

--------------------------------

Visiting Gettysburg is a fantastic experience that I never get tired of – even three times in four years! I always learn something new. And, what really helps the experience is wearing period clothing, which we did the entire time from Thursday morning through Saturday night, even when we went out to eat at fast-food joints. We were stopped so many times by folks so they could take our picture, and the residents certainly appreciated it as well.
I can’t say what my favorite part of this year’s vacation was, but I really enjoyed staying in the Tillie Pierce house – an actual house that was there during the battle that has been restored back to its original 1863 splendor. I also really liked watching the sun set from Little Round Top. The two tours we took (civilian and ghost) were both excellent. I guess I just liked it all, just being engulfed by all that history.
Unfortunately, this will be it for Gettysburg for two or three years. *sniff*

We are planning a Lincoln Tour in Springfield, Illinois for next year.

My Favorite Scene from Cold Mountain

I am writing this blurb for no other reason than because. It has no bearing on anything except it's a favorite scene from a pretty good (but very sad) movie.

My absolute favorite scene from the movie, "Cold Mountain" is where Ada Monroe is in her house playing the piano while her minister father is out in their yard working on his sermon for the following Sunday. As Ada is playing music she notices that it has begun to rain - hard. She calls for her father to come in but, as she looks to find why he is not answering, she sees that he had slumped over while sitting in his chair, dead. His heart had given out. The rain shower becomes a down pour as Ada runs to him, calling his name to no avail.

Why is this dreary scene my favorite? Because it shows a distinct part of 19th century life that so many of us in the 21st century cannot comprehend: total helplessness. If we see someone who needs immediate attention, we have the ability to whip out our cell phones and call an ambulance or the police and, within a matter of minutes, help has arrived.
Not so during the Civil War era (and before). What could Ada do? No phones or electronic communication of any sort. She couldn't drag him into the house - I'm sure she wouldn't be strong enough to do that, especially on wet grass. So she had to leave her father - a man she loved and admired dearly - out in the soaking rain. (The movie doesn't show this but I am sure, if something like this had actually happened, it was what she would have had to do).
Can you imagine what went through Ada's mind - that total helpless feeling?

This brings the hardships and survival skills of the era to life under no uncertain terms. It's what we Civil War reenactors/living historians emulate, to a certain extent, and attempt to portray in our impressions.
But, after a reenactment, we can go to our very modern homes. Ada (or an actual person of the time) could not - this was her life - it was all she knew.

Well, anyhow, I just thought I'd pass around that thought, which came to me during my work day today. I'm always thinking something about social history it seems.

Civil War Movies

Over the years I have amassed a decent collection of Civil War oriented movies. These have all been, at one time or another, available on DVD.
This is not all-inclusive by any means – just what I own in my collection. Shortly after I became a Civil War living historian/reenactor, I bought anything and everything of the era – I couldn’t get enough. Well, most of what I purchased was a worthy investment. The others, well...mistakes happen.

The following is what I do have in my collection. Some are good and some are bad - I included a small review for each. I am interested in what my one or two readers think about it. Maybe send me some of your own favorites…maybe even what you consider to be the best or the worst.

Gods & Generals – One of my very favorite CW movies. It’s filled with drama as well as the great early battles of the War. Unfortunately, it does not include Antietam, which was filmed for the movie but cut from the original. Supposedly, there was talk of releasing a director’s cut which would include this and other deleted scenes, but so far nothing. The only downside to this movie is that it is very rebel-centric. It should have been more balanced.
Many reenactors do not like it because there is quite a bit of drama, but, to me, that’s what makes it real.
Gettysburg – This is right up there with Gods & Generals. The battle scenes are terrific and the feel is real. It really helps one to understand how horrifying this three-day battle actually was. The beards are obviously fake, however – one would think they would have taken more time in the make up department.
There is a director’s cut available on VHS but not DVD – go figure.

The two above films use reenactors extensively.

Ride With the Devil – This is a movie that shows what the War was like for those living in the boarder state of Missouri. Southern leaning, there are some battle scenes, but the action takes place mainly on the homefront – the personal battles between Jayhawk and Bushwack.
Violent and touching at the same time.
Friendly Persuasion – A flick from the 1950’s that only touches on the Civil War itself, but the film centers around the lives of a Quaker family and how they learned to deal with the violence that eventually surrounded them due to the War. A fine, exceptional film.
The Blue and the Gray – Made for TV in 1980, this is OK as far as a story goes. It shows a number of things that took place during the War that other films never have: brother against brother, battle tactics (use of hot air balloons), folks setting up blankets and chairs to watch some of the early battles…
Due to this being made before extensive research of the era was accomplished, there is a lot of farbiness in this flick, especially in the clothing department. I guess it’s good to watch if you’re in the mood to watch a lengthy (6 hours) light-hearted film with your wife who may not like war movies. Not for the serious CW fan.
Cold Mountain – A depressing but good movie. The short battle scene at the beginning is great – unfortunately, that’s it as far as battles go. But then, this is not a battle movie. It’s more of an adventurous love story.
The look and feel of Cold Mountain is gray and sad. It portrays the times well. Great music.
North and South – Made for TV in the early 1980’s.
Um…it’s bad. Especially the first couple of hours. No one ages – even after twenty years. Not a wrinkle. The clothing is, except for a few exceptions, not period correct. Prom clothing galore. Lots of fornication/adultery going on here as well, like every half hour or so. Lots of cleavage, too.
Why did I buy this? Because, at the time, I didn’t know any better. Why do I still own it? To throw it on when fellow reenactors are over we watch it for a good laugh.
Wicked Spring – A film made by reenactors starring reenactors. The ten minute introduction is like spying into a portal to the past. Very accurate in almost every way – clothing, buildings, scenery. The battle scene that follows is as good, if not better, than any I have ever seen. Lots of screaming and writhing with a “you are there” feel to it.
The rest of the movie is so-so. The plot is questionable and the acting is OK to fair.
But, it’s worth getting for the first 30 minutes.
Andersonville – About the Confederate prison for Union soldiers located in Georgia. Except for a battle at the beginning, the rest shows the awful life in the prison and how the prisoners plan (and attempt) an escape. A very well-done movie.
Gangs of New York – No battles but it’s based on the tough intersection of lower Manhattan during the draft riots of the early 1860’s. Graphic violence for the sake of violence.
I don’t know if I would consider this a Civil War movie per se, but it is based around the War’s effects.
The Love Letter – OK, I may be grasping at straws here but read on and tell me what you think:
A man purchases an antique desk and finds a secret compartment with letters written by a young woman from 1863 stuffed inside. He responds to the letters and sends them to this woman of the past via a historic post office. She received the letters and the two begin corresponding. There is a scene from the battle of Gettysburg inserted in the middle where this woman’s “man” is about to fight.
A romantic time-travel (in a way) Hallmark movie. That’s it in a nutshell.
Glory - (thanks for reminding me that I have this Mike!!). A super movie about the colored infantry of the 54th Mass. Volunteer Infantry. Shows marching and drilling excercises better than any other CW movie.

There are also movies such as Dances With Wolves and Into the West, which touches on the Civil War as well. However, these are very anti-whites of European descent movies. Watch them to see what I mean.
You will notice that I haven't mentioned Gone With the Wind. That's because I don't own it. We'll leave it at that.

Passion for the Past Pt. 2

During the off season of reenacting (November through April) I go through "time travel withdrawals," so I have to come up with ideas to carry me through those rough, cold months of Michigan winters.
Actually, December isn't really too bad. I spend my weekends up in Holly dressed as a Dickensian character at the annual Holly Dickens Festival (it's nowhere near authentic as in CW, but we give a fun impression). This year one of my portrayals will be Mr. Charles Dickens himself!
Another way to keep me from pulling what's left of my hair out is to write. Last year I began to write a story for the first time since I was in high school (too many years ago!) - it's a time travel story and it involves my family and I. Without getting too deep into the story line, I will say that I am making the attempt to write it as if it actually happened. This forces me to research, very deeply, every little part of life as lived in the 1860's. By doing this, I have found that my social history knowledge has grown immensely! I have been having loads of fun writing this little tale, trying to show me and my family's reactions to this major change in our lives. No, I don't become a CW hero or anything like that - the story just shows how we attempt to adjust to a very antiquated lifestyle, with attempt being the key word. As much as I love history, you see, in my story I/we have a very rough time with day-to-day activities, especially my wife.
I have consulted many "schooled" historians to get their thoughts and opinions of accuracy in my story, lest one day I let it go beyond the extremely few eyes that had ever seen it.

History, Genes, Reenacting, and Time Travel

Why is it that the past enthralls me so much? I have asked myself that question many times but I have no absolute answers. I don't believe in reincarnation, but I do believe in the passing of genes. Of course, we know that genes are passed on from parent to child. What I mean is, (correct me if I'm wrong) it's genes that make us act like, look, even sound the way we do, right? "You have your great grandfather's talent for carpentry," "you sing just like grandma," or "I can't believe how close you resemble your grandfather when he was your age." We've all heard something similar, right? Then why can't genes be passed on that enable us to have the same feeling as our ancestors? I mean, if my great great grandfather truly embraced life and his era, then can that passion be so strong that it can be passed down? Can memories (or snippets of memories) be passed down as well? Or am I nuts?
I belong to a Civil War reenacting unit where I portray a civilian postmaster. I wear not only accurate clothing of the era, but I also study the speech and etiquette as well, as does my wife. And we both find ourselves enjoying stepping into the lives of our ancestors very much, and do it as often as possible. We found that the more research we do for our 19th century persona, the more we find that we identify with that era in so many ways. It's almost scary. It's very much a kind of time travel, at least in the way we make the attempt. When in our period clothing, we try to fully immerse ourselves in our portrayal. And every so often, you get that certain magical split second where you really are "there...
This subject will be continued...