STILL ON PATROL

145th Anniversary of Gettysburg

I returned early this morning from participation in the 145th anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Gettysburg.  As my friend and colleague Chris Goddard said, it was like having been in the "Super Bowl" of our hobby - some 15,000 reenactors, including over 500 mounted and 100 pieces of artillery.  "Phenomenal" only barely scratches the surface of describing our experience there.

I was camped with "Lee's Lieutenants - Headquarters, Army of Northern Virginia" in the living history village of the event.  Together with the adjacent "Federal Officers' Corps", our joint encampment covered an area larger than half a football field and held over 20 portrayers of Civil War general officers.  Our group has grown into a congenial set of colleagues who, while we take our hobby and the presentation of the truth of history quite seriously, we do not take ourselves seriously, and thus are able to have a great deal of fun and fulfillment in what we do.  We check our egos at the door and focus our efforts on stimulating minds and stirring hearts about our common history.

Our group of Generals spoke three different times in the Activities Tents, always to a full house of 700- 800 people, and we always were presented with a set of well-informed, probing questions about our roles, actions, and mistakes in the fight at Gettysburg.  On each occasion, a majority of our spectators accompanied us back to the camps for more Q & A, and more photographs than I can possibly recount.  Our interactions with the spectators included meeting people from England, France, Italy, the Philippines, China, Japan, Korea, Spain, and all over the U.S. including from as far away as Alaska. This is a just testament to the fine job done by the event organizers in putting forth a stimulating product that was well-conceived and well-promoted.

We have not seen the final spectator numbers yet, but I can report that spectators were rolling into the event parking lots by 7:30 a.m. each day and stood in line to get prime access to the battles and other segments of the event.  The gates were not scheduled to open until 9:00 a.m., but the building crowd each day prompted an earlier opening time.  Other than when the grandstands were full for the seven spectator battles conducted over the weekend, the traffic in our camp was non-stop and heavy.

There were so many "moments" over the three-day weekend I fear to account for them because I will surely miss some.  With apologies in advance for any omissions, however, let me name a few of them:

• The HQ-ANV was feted in its camp two nights by three competition-champion musicians from the state of Florida.  General Winfield Hancock, a/k/a David Townsend, played the mandolin; Reed, from the 2nd FL Infantry, played guitar; and Nancy/"Nate", also from the 2nd FL Infantry, played an exquisite banjo.  They favored us with "old-style" music, which is in many ways more melodic than modern bluegrass.  I sat close and watched in rapt fascination the near-manic finger-work on the strings and frets.
• Nancy/"Nate" provided us with an amazing transformation over the two nights.  "Nate" played for us Friday night, in "his" jean-wool uniform and a slouch hat pulled low over "his" eyes, looking every bit the part of a tall, thin ANV infantryman.  Nancy came by the next night, however, showing herself to be a tall, lovely young lady in a beautiful silk ball gown.  She had danced the dance of the night at the camp ball, her partner being none other than Gen. Robert E. Lee himself.  Regardless of whether Nancy or "Nate" played, however, the music from that banjo was magical, including renditions of "Dixie" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" that left me wiping tears.
• Several of our group visited with a gentleman who had just celebrated his 103rd birthday.  He had served lemonade to the actual veterans of the battle at the 50th anniversary celebration 95 years ago.  Those who had the privilege to meet him and shake his hand felt as if they had been in the presence of an historic icon.
• I got to meet Dennis Trimble, a "long-lost" relative and similarly, collaterally descended from Isaac Ridgeway Trimble, the General I portray with HQ-ANV.  Dennis and I had spoken over the telephone on earlier occasions, but to meet and talk with him was a special surprise treat at an event in which our common ancestor played a significant role.
• At an event this size, often the living historians do not get to participate on the field in the battle reenactments.  Others have planned and orchestrated the battles, and need to carry out their roles without us in the way.  This time, however, largely through the efforts of our General George Pickett, Niles Clark, several of us got to take the field as part of the Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble charge that was re-created on Sunday afternoon.  The experience was one I will long remember.  We went to the Confederate camps to find the ANV, and the experience of watching some 7,000 to 8,000 reenactors portraying the ANV, marching down from the ridge-line encampment to form in the field for the Charge, was heart-stopping.  Regimental bands, or drums and fifers, played the march cadence.  Preachers marched with the men leading prayers or reading Psalms and Scripture.  Officers discussed, and cussed, while moving the men into place.  Everyone looked the part and wore the grim countenance of those who would cross the valley of the shadow of death toward Cemetery Ridge.  Across the way, General Hancock and his Yankee horde awaited behind an exact reproduction of the famous stone wall.  The artillery barrage began and included at least two cannon from the period, one named "Satan."  It filled the valley with thunder and smoke.  Finally, the waves of troops moved out to their bands and the high-pitched yowls of the Rebel Yell.  We marched nearly a mile in the heat, as did those gallant men of 1863, albeit without real bullets or cannon shells flying amongst us.  As I marched, I recalled Isaac Trimble's descriptions of the hell into which the Virginians and North Carolinians strode, and his eloquence is describing the demise of so many of Gen. Pettigrew's division at the Emmittsburg Road as being "as if they had melted into the ground."  In some small way, I felt the experience of General Trimble as the reenactors fought over the low, bloody stone wall.
• As at most reenactments, I met and spoke with many old friends and acquaintances in the Civil War fraternity, including a couple of whom I had despaired of ever seeing again due to job changes and moves.
• Our group continued its work in bringing to light some of the women of the War, including two young ladies who portray Belle Boyd, the young Confederate spy, and Sallie Tompkins, who ran a Richmond hospital and was even commissioned a Captain in the Confederate army so she could receive government funding for her services.  We must never forget that any war effort is not limited to the men who fire the guns.

In closing I want to offer another public "thank you" to Al Stone and the ladies and gentlemen of the HQ-ANV.  They have graciously included Corinne and I, as well as my irascible old alter-ego, in what continues to be an experience that I had always hoped Civil War reenacting could be, and then some.

Bound for Gettysburg

Posts are going to be non-existent the next three days - that guy in the picture at the left top of this blog is going to join General Lee in his incursion into Pennsylvania, at a little town called Gettysburg.  It's the 145th anniversary of the battle there, and some 10-15,000 of us reenactors are getting together to honor our ancestors and the sacrifices they made there.  I'll report more when I return, with some good fortune.  Wish us Godspeed on our journey.

Stirring Hearts and Stimulating Minds at "A Gathering of Eagles"

I was once again honoured to be among the participants at an event this past weekend called "A Civil War Gathering of Eagles" in Winchester, VA at The Old Court House Museum.   Our group of personas and Generals from the War Between the States was larger and better than last year's, and the presentations were sterling.  Those who missed out on this event truly missed an educational experience that was unparalleled.  While our crowds were not large, they were special in their own right - one couple we had met a few weeks before in Stratford came, despite the husband being ONE day out of rotator cuff shoulder surgery.  It is for people like these that we especially do what we do.

One absolute highlight for me from the weekend was the Saturday evening performance by Stan Clardy of his one-man play, "Soldiers in Gray" .  Mixing in spoken descriptions with soul-stirring musical performances, Clardy tells the story of a young man of the south from his recruitment to "The Cause", through the training and comradeship with other young men of his community, to discovering the horrors of war, to the grinding disappointment of surrender tempered by the joy of returning home to loved ones.  The play hits its emotional depth, however, when Clardy transforms first into the aging veteran, and then into his great-grandson discovering the war relics in a musty attic trunk, and connecting with his heritage.  The watery substance I was wiping from my face by then was no longer perspiration from the steamy Virginia heat, but tears of love, honor and joy at Mr. Clardy's nonpareil performance.

The other highlight for me was my chance to participate in a never-before portrayed "event," the trial of the case of the Commonwealth of Virginia, et al. v. the United States.  In our "what-if" scenario, after the secession of the seven original southern states, four middle-tier states, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky, bring an original proceeding under Article III, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution seeking a declaration of rights by the U.S. Supreme Court as to the legality of secession.  Mr. David Townsend of Tampa, FL, portrayed Edward Bates, U.S. Attorney General, and I portrayed John Randolph Tucker, Virginia Attorney General, representing the Petitioners.  Our Court was led by Randy Bryant of Winchester, VA, who portrayed Chief Justice Roger Taney.  Our remaining Justices were all either former Judges, or serving prosecutors.  The case was "tried" in the courtroom of the Old Court House Museum, a magnificanet restored 1840's courthouse (photo at left from 2007 event).

Our trial was completely unscripted.  Instead, everyone was prepared, the respective attorneys had filed extensive legal briefs, and this was staged as if it were happening in real time.  The results were incredible.  In a matter of moments from the outset, I felt as if we were engaged in the real thing.  Certain physiological responses I experience in a real courtroom were there, particularly the little "shock" I always feel upon receiving a verdict, good or bad.  Our Supreme Court exceeded my wildest expectations, providing intensive and well-framed questioning that forced the attorneys to stretch and scramble away from our planned presentations and truly join the historic and intellectual battle over secession. 

At the end, the Court recessed to decide the case.  In a 7-0 decision, our U.S. Supreme Court declared that the Petitioning states did, indeed, have a right to secede from the Union as one of the many state powers retained when the Constitution was formed.  Interestingly, the Court limited its ruling to the four Petitioning states , because, as Mr. Justice Taney explained, these states had shown their respect for the rule of law.  In other words, the Court did not give the seven already-seceded states a "free pass" on their actions.  I discovered later, to my considerable personal satisfaction, that three of our seven justices, two native New Yorkers and a West Virginian, had entered the proceeding declaring that they absolutely would not support the legality of secession under any circumstances, but they were persuaded by my arguments to the contrary.

I have told my brothers and sisters in this event that their gracious admission of me into their group and the opportunity to participate with them is everything, and more, that I had hoped living history and reenacting would be.  This past weekend again confirmed that feeling.  I rattled on and on so about the event and related subjects on our way home to Kentucky that I think I completely put Corinne to sleep - at least she passed much of the drive in that well-earned state. 

Sad Reminder to Be Careful With Civil War Relics

Today's news carries a very sad reminder that just because it's old doesn't mean it cannot kill you.  Mr. Sam White of Richmond, VA, who was in the business of buying and selling Civil War relics, including the defusing and cleaning of old munitions, was killed by an explosion at his home.  Police are reporting that the explosion was from an old munition, probably Civil War vintage. 

One neighbor reported that a 15-pound chuck of metal struck his front porch, some quarter of a mile from Mr. White's home.  The neighbor said there was no one injured in his house, although the piece of metal went through his glass front door, hit the floor inside and bounced to the ceiling before stopping in his living room.

Richmond police were still collecting and exploding or defusing live munitions for some time after Mr. White's death.  The neighborhood was evacuated for a time because of fear of further explosions.

Another Great Time in Guyandotte

We just returned  home from another great time at "Thunder in the Valley" in Guyandotte, WV.  This event continues to be one of the highlights of the reenacting season and never fails to end our season with good feelings about our  hobby.  Guyandotte in unique in many ways.  One of the best features is the welcoming atmosphere the good people of this community always provide - the reenactors are appreciated and treated as if we are returning beloved family.

The reenactors were well-fed, well-utilized, and well-led in the two battles.  Guyandotte is also unique in that it is literally a street fight in the center of town with the action usually culminating at the VFW Hall, which is the HQ for the event.  Several local churches provided excellent meals, free of charge to the reenactors.  There are plenty of the usual amenities available, and the organizers work incredibly hard to accomodate any needs we have.  In other words, unlike some other events, Guyandotte recognizes that we travel some distance at our expense to put on a show, and they appreciate us, as we do them.

This year's event also brought me the dual pleasure of reuniting with a nice contingent of my comrades from "The Original" Lee's Lieutenants, a group who portray Robert E. Lee and many of his generals and staff.  This group embodies everything I had hoped Civil War reenacting would be and then some.  They have a professionalism and pride in their protrayals which makes the group the closest thing to the real, living, breathing Generals anyone today can experience.  Anyone who partakes in one of our presentations will no doubt learn something he/she probably did not know about the War Between the States.  We are also close-knit and honestly care about one another as human beings in addition to our portrayals.

Another very bright spot was the presence of the 52nd Tennessee Regimental String Band, probably the best WBTS band/entertainment group going in the hobby today.  Not only did we enjoy their unique brand of entertainment, we had the pleasure to talk with Greg and Preston Todd and Dave Eason during breaks.  These guys cover thousands of miles per year entertaining,  have recorded 4 CD's, and still seem to enjoy what they do immensely.  If you have an opportunity to see them, by all means do so.

Congratulations, Guyandotte, on a successful 18th "Thunder in the Valley."  Ya done good.

Good to Be Back

Sorry to have been quiet for three days, but Corinne and I went to a delightful Civil War event in Evendale, OH, at the Gorman Historic Farm.  This small event, only two years old, is sponsored by the Evendale Historical Society and coordinated by Dave Koonce of the 5th Texas Infantry.  In this short time it has become one of my favorite events because it is small, the crowds are good and "into it", and the Ohio hospitality is excellent.  If you're planning on being in the Cincinnati area next July, come see us because Evendale has become a fixture on the schedule of the 4th Kentucky Cavalry.

The Gorman Farm has existed since the 1700's and was visited by Gen John Hunt Morgan on his "Great Raid" of 1863.  Local historians formerly referred to it as Morgan's men "stealing" two horses from the Gorman's barn, but we reminded them that Morgan left tired horses when he requisitioned new ones, so that they likely received a nice Kentucky or Tennessee saddle horse in exchange for farm stock.  We also told them that quite a number of good saddle horse operations in southern Indiana and Ohio trace their stock to Morgan's tired cavalry horses.  So, for the most part, the words "Morgan" and "thief" are not used in the same sentence in Evendale any more.

Which reminds me, I am told that a very good Civil War cavalry historian is in the process of researching a book on the Great Raid which is slated to come out in the next year or two.  I hope he will, in the process, put to rest some of the foolishness put forth by authors such as Horowitz.  Morgan had his faults as a military commander, but he was still General Morgan, not "Captain Morgan" of spiced rum fame. I doubt  he uttered the word "booty" while passing through Indiana and Ohio, for example.

The only mar on the Evendale event for us was Corinne having a painful attack of teno-synovitis (inflammation of tendon sheath) in her left hand and wrist, which gradually worsened and sent us to the Bethesda North ER at midnight Saturday.  Being a non-life-threatening case in a busy ER, we were there until 6 a.m., but she got good care and kind help when our turn came.  My thanks to the staff and doctors of Bethesda North.

Next stop for the 4th Kentucky looks like its going to be the Cumberland Gap event in Harrogate, TN.  With a sick horse and big vet bills, we're having to curtail our travelling this year and will miss some trips to VA.

Anyway, it's good to be back on-line.  Tomorrow may bring more Episcopal follies - who knows?

Morgan's Raid at Georgetown, KY 2007

         Morgan’s Raid at Georgetown, KY, this past weekend, was an excellent opportunity for fun and enlightenment rolled into one package.  Even though I am completely biased as a member of the organizing committee, I can say without reservation that I was proud and excited about the event we managed to present to the community.

            The first and biggest tip of my cap goes to the hard-working and superb staff at Cardome Center, a former Catholic Abbey and school turned community center, and the location for our event..  These people work miracles on a shoestring budget on a regular basis, and Morgan’s Raid was but the latest example.  The hours and dedication they devote to assuring the success of any event at Cardome are incomparable and should be considered one of the greatest assets to this community within City government.  The grounds were beautiful as always, and the event was well-organized and presented, thanks  in large part to their efforts.  If you see Sherry Williams, Betty Mullanix, Will Ballard, or anyone else who works at Cardome, congratulate them on this accomplishment.

            Reenactor-wise, we were a little down in participation from past years, probably due in large part to the absurdly-high gasoline prices which plague any hobby which requires travel.  Obtaining and maintaining the equipment and uniforms, much less hauling all of it to a distant location, makes this an expensive hobby, causing many to restrict their schedule and travel distances. Nonetheless, the group which did attend and participate, coming from five different states, donned their wool in the 90-degree heat, burned lots of black powder, and gave the public a tremendous show throughout the entire weekend.

            Another tip of the cap needs to go to David Stuart and the Ward Hall Foundation, which hosted a first-time Friday night Barbecue at the circa-1847 "summer" home of Junius Ward, a Mississippi cotton planter.  This kick-off turned into the perfect beginning for the weekend, and hopefully will continue in the future.  The house was stunning as always, the food was good, and the music and dancing were entertaining.  It is a good thing when these historic entities in town, Ward Hall and Cardome, can join hands and provide this sort of public event.

            Another tip of the cap goes to the parishioners of the Church of the Holy Trinity (Episcopal), most particular to the Episcopal Church Women’s group, and to Fr. Clifford Pike, for the historic, period church service and breakfast offered on Sunday morning.  The service was performed just is it would have been in the church during the years of its founding, and was well-attended by many in period dress.  And breakfast afterward was a sublime dining experience that was enjoyed by all.  I know the reenactors were pleased and surprised to not be dished up the usual biscuits-and-gravy fare, and went to battle that afternoon with comfortably full bellies.

            One of my more enjoyable moments of the weekend was the attendance of Mayor Karen Tingle-Sames, escorted by husband Kevin, at the Grand Ball Saturday night.  Resplendent in her violet satin ball gown, Mayor Tingle-Sames was the Belle of the Ball, dancing all night with a bigger smile on her face than when she won the election a few months ago.  She even survived a brief “wardrobe malfunction” at the beginning of the first Virginia Reel, assisted by several chivalrous ladies and gentlemen.  It was a treat for all involved in Morgan’s Raid to have Georgetown’s Mayor present and so obviously enjoying the signature event of the weekend.

            Morgan’s Raid is an important part of the culture of Georgetown and has been so now for twenty years.  Unlike those who would sweep difficult times in our country’s past under a rug of political correctness, those of us who present these events believe that participating in events which celebrate America’s heritage is one of the best ways to keep the United States standing tall and proud.  We are collectively a product of the fiery trials of our past,  and the more we understand and appreciate those events, the better we understand who and what we are today.

            I can only hope and pray that Georgetown and the City and County governments, will continue to support Morgan’s Raid, and the many other cultural and historic events which are so important a part in our local existence. 

Welcome Guest Author

Welcome to "Still on Patrol" a new Guest Author, Mr. Jack R. Maples.  Jack is a fellow member of Lee's Lieutenants, and portrays Gen. Montgomery Dent Corse.  Jack and I fancy ourselves as Lee's Fire-eaters, as we are the two who most often get loud and pointed when we stage our debates about the Constitution and the War of Northern Aggression.  Jack is also a published author, having penned a fascinating novel titled "Reconstructed Yankee", which is the story of an African-American Confederate soldier based upon the real life stories of two historic African-American Confederate soldiers.  He has in addition written a short story which is one of the more fascinating alternate history endings of the War Between the States - as Jack says, he "took his inner child out for a walk, and this is what happened."  Jack is an opinionated guy, and I think the readers of this blog will enjoy and/or be challenged by what he has to say.

A Gathering of Eagles

I went to a Civil War debate this weekend, and a beautiful thing happened.  One moment we were heatedly debating, in first person as our respective historic personas, the legality and constitutionality of secession, and the next moment the event had turned into a patriotic rally inspiring people to read the Constitution, become activists on their own behalf, and know/exercise their rights as free Americans to direct our governments to comply with the law of the land by use of the ballot box.

The event was "A Gathering of Eagles" in Winchester, VA, about which I have written in this space before.  Gathered in one spot were an unprecedented collection of very skilled and learned Civil War living historians, portraying Presidents Lincoln and Davis, and a bevy of Union and Confederate generals.  The discourse was at such a high level that any professional historian would have rightly been impressed - these were not just a group of overgrown boys dressing up and playing soldier, but serious living historians paying homage to the men and women who brought this country though its most trying time by living out their thoughts, feelings, and personas for the benefit of modern-day students of history.

The great lesson of the entire weekend was that the War Between the States was not a simplistic thing as most of our children are taught these days, but rather was a multi-issue economic, political, and social conflict which came to a tragic head in war between strong-willed factions of American society.  The lesson was also that many of the same issues, despite being clothed in different factual contexts, continue to this very day in the way American society and government conduct themselves.  We learned that as Americans we cannot afford to sit back and let less than 15% of our citizens continue to make the decisions for all of us, but that we need to get off our collective duffs and call our politicians (for there are few, if any, statesmen in this world) to task for their misfeasance and malfeasance in office.

It was indeed an honor and a pleasure to be involved in this event.  I have read and studied the War Between the States for most of my natural life, yet my experiences with "Lee's Lieutenants" and most particularly through preparation and presentation of "A Gathering of Eagles" have taken my level of understanding and study far beyond anything I have ever read or been taught in the past.  I understand more about the process through which America was forged in forming the Constitution, and steeled through the tragedy of the Civil War, than I had ever thought possible.  And yet, my learning continues unabated, which is a very exciting experience for me as I cross into my sixth decade.  To continue to learn is to be alive in the most important sense of the word.   I am humbly grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this group, and to participate in its mission to educate the public about so significant a period on our collective history.  God willing, I have no higher ambition than to continue to be a part of this endeavour so long as I am capable of doing so.

A Rare WBTS Opportunity

Next weekend, June 2-3, presents a rare opportunity for students, and those with even a passing interest, in the Civil War.  The event is called "A Gathering of Eagles" and it will be presented at and around the Old Court House Civil War Museum in Winchester, VA.  Participants include President Abraham Lincoln, President Jefferson Davis, the General staff of the Army of Northern Virginia, including Robert E. Lee, Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, James Longstreet, George Pickett, and many others, and the General staff of the Army of the Potomac, including Ulysses S. Grant, Winfield Scott Hancock, William Sherman, John Buford, Joshua Chamberlain, and many others.

This event is not your typical Civil War reenactment, in that there will be no battles presented.  Rather, the participants, all very experienced and well-versed living historians, will be present in first person, and will conduct discussions and debates about the War, its causes, and the Constitutional crisis it engendered.  The participants have been deep in preparation and planning for several months, and the discourse promises to be at the highest levels seen in this genre.  The event will provide the opportunity for guests to feel as if they have met and talked with the actual historical figures themselves.

Make plans to visit beautiful Winchester VA at the foot of the Shenandoah Valley on June 2-3, and step back in time with "A Gathering of Eagles".

Great Weekend in Lewisburg

I just got home from my first time to the Civil War event in Lewisburg, WV.  The event commemorates a battle which took place in the streets of Lewisburg in May 1862, and is one of the small gems of the Civil War reenacting universe.  Lewisburg is a lovely town with many buildings dating to the 18th and early 19th century.  The hospitality was impeccable, and we had impressive crowds both days, including guests from Colorado, Canada, Minnesota, Utah, Denmark and England.

I was there as part of Lee's Lieutenants, portraying Maj. Gen. Isaac Ridgeway Trimble, as represented by the photo on this blog.  I hadn't seen the group since last summer, but it was as if we had been together all along and didn't miss a beat.  This group portrays a number of Confederate generals, primarily from the Army of Northern Virginia, and is far more than the so-called "wax museum generals" a lot of first person impressionists tend to be.  Led by Al Stone, who is the epitome of Robert E. Lee (and was recently told by Robert E. Lee IV and his sister Custis that he was "the best Gen. Lee" they had ever seen), our generals include Longstreet, Jackson, Pickett, Early, Gordon, Armistead, Corse, Morgan, Hood, Stuart, Kershaw, and we may soon be adding Kemper and Joseph Johnston to the lineup.  Each general is portrayed as a living being with a personality and opinions, and we do our level best to give spectators the sense of having met the historic figure, not just an actor in uniform.

We've got a huge event coming up in two weeks - June 1-2-3 - called "A Gathering of Eagles" at the Old Court House in Winchester, VA.  Presidents Lincoln and Davis will be there, along with our group, and a group of federal generals including Grant, Hancock, Sherman, Buford, Averill, Chamberlain, and several others I cannot recall just now.  We will present speeches, discussions and debates of the "Late Unpleasantness" which promise to be lively and engaging - both sides have been busily preparing, and the "smack talk" has been going back and forth for months.  If you have a chance, please join us - you won't be disappointed!

You Might Be A Reenactor If...

I am a Civil War living historian/reenactor.  For those who have never engaged in this particular form of insanity, or witnessed a reenactment, first, you've missed quite a spectacle.  Second, what we do is go out on weekends and live, dress, and portray people from the 1860's.  Most are military but we have a fair share of civilian reenactors, too.  Our goal is NOT to make a political statement at all, but to educate the public about that watershed period of our history.  My unit portrays both Federal and Confederate, depending on the needs of the event we attend.  For a history "buff" such as myself, it is a unique opportunity to both share one of my passions with others and to live and learn history from the inside out.

A few years ago some of us had to appear before the City Council of Georgetown, Kentucky, to gain permission to block a few city streets to stage a "Downtown Raid" as part of the annual "Morgan's Raid at Georgetown" event. (Coming again this year June 15-17 - 20th anniversary event - see www.morgansraid.com)   After making a brief presentation (in uniform, of course) about what we were proposing, the Council was asked if there were any questions.  One of the members asked, "So, tell me what this reenacting business is all about anyway?"  Given that Morgan's Raid had, at that time, a seventeen-year history in the community, we were somewhat taken aback, but managed to stammer out a half-satisfactory answer.  Despite the fumbling of that response, we did manage to get the approval we needed.

The inability to directly and clearly answer that question lead to some discussion and eventually lead us into a more humorous vein. We decided that there were certain hallmarks by which one could conclude that "you might just be a reenactor if….".  Here, with apologies to Jeff Foxworthy, and credit to the members of the 4th Kentucky Cavalry, are the initial fruits of our tortured minds:

YOU MIGHT BE A REENACTOR ...
& If you think Wool is a year-round fabric …
& If you think of "Cream-of-Wheat" as something you use to load a pistol…
& If 90% of the books in your house are Civil War related …
& If your front teeth have gunpowder stains …
& If you can find the Swatch in "Glory" …
& If your closet smells like wood and powder smoke …
& If you have ever used a Port-a-Potty in a hoop skirt …
& If your horse runs toward the sound of gunfire …
& If all your tents are white …
& If you've ever looked for yourself in a Civil War movie…
& If you've ever had to explain to your boss why your facial hair is dyed…
& If counting past TWO confuses you …
& If you have seen "Gettysburg" more than 4 times …
& If you can remember all the words to "Dixie" …
& If you can describe the "First National" and know what it is …
& If you have ever been on a "Johnny Detail" …
& If you have ever given your wife a sword for your wedding anniversary and she liked it …
& If you can remember your last conversation with President Lincoln, President Davis, or General Lee …
& If you have General Lee's e-mail address in your Outlook Contacts…
& If your e-mail address uses Civil War terms or names…
& If you have been on eBay in the Civil War categories more than ten times in the last year…
& If you have ever read the "Emancipation Proclamation" …
& If you have ever read "A View on the Constitution of the United States" by William Rawle…
& If the stuff in your closet could be worn to an Amish wedding …
& If you have ever imagined how a bikini-clad girl would look in a hoop-skirt …
& If you think that hardtack is one of the 4 major food groups …
& If you have mistakenly called your wife by your horse's name (or vice versa) …
& If you think sweat is a form of air-conditioning …
& If you have shoes with pegs …
& If you know the nine steps to load a musket …
& If you think of a "nipple pick" or a "nipple wrench" as a gun tool …
& If you have a sword collection …
& If you know the steps to the "Virginia Reel" …
& If "Taps" puts you to sleep …
& If you stand still when someone shoots at you …
& If you own a pair of suspenders and know how to wear them …
& If you know what a "Fob" is …
& If you think "hardcore" means sleeping in the woods without a tent …
& If you think Jessica Simpson would be sexier in a hoop skirt than in her "Daisy Dukes"…
& If you think a "limber chest" has something to do with artillery, not an attribute of an exotic dancer...
& If you know 10 guys who say "I'll be there", but only three who show up...
& If you sleep on the ground other than when you've passed out in the front yard...
& If you think a "picket line" is someplace to tie your horse...
& If you KNOW the Confederate battle flag is not a racist symbol...
& If you know there are some 28 Confederate flags and none of them are the one that used to be sold at Wal-Mart…
& If you display a saber or musket in your home and take them down and use them...
& If you understand the meaning of the "Ten-Foot Rule"...
& If you know that a "wonder wad" is something to help keep your load packed...
& If you've ever spooned with another guy (and you're straight) …
& If you could be a Jeremiah Johnson stand-in …
& If you've ever been confused for a dead guy …
& If you refuse to shave …
& Or, if you do shave but leave facial hair growing in strange shapes…
& If you've "seen the elephant" without going to a zoo…
& If you have at least one piece of luggage that's a wooden box…
& If you have things at home that are also in the Smithsonian Museum of American History…
& If you insist on being called "Colonel", but you're not from Kentucky…
& If you're recycling your great-great-great Grandfather's clothes…
& If people look at you when you're in public on weekends like you have a third eye…
& If you have Ted Turner's number on your cell phone…
& If your "best hat" looks like it's been dragged behind a truck…
& If you've ever explained to curious onlookers in a gas station that you're "militant Amish"…

Please comment with any more of these you can think up!