Civil War Historian Mag. DEATH

[august fox]

Re: Civil War Historian Mag. DEATH

what a shame really enjoyed the magazine one of the better publications sorry to see it go.

bill polachek
August Fox & co

[Phil McBride]

Re: Civil War Historian Mag. DEATH

I generally dislike people who beat their own chest, and shout “Look at the good stuff I’ve done.” So I probably will not like myself in the morning after I flagrantly prostitute myself in the next few paragraphs. First of all, I’m sorry the Civil War Historian folded. I subscribed, until I tired of the growing dominance of civilian related articles and photos. I think I wrote in an earlier thread that I don’t actually care much about reading articles about authentic shawls and ladies bonnets.
However, I do care about research-based articles like Craig Barry writes about weapons, canteens, braces, and a bunch of other items used by us Civil War military reenactors. Frankly, I was most sorry to see the The Watch Dog fold, even if it had no glossy photos or slick graphics. It was just full of meat, and I liked that.
Even with the demise of the Civil War Historian and The Watch Dog, there is still one print periodical standing in the unpredictable currents of Civil War reenacting. I’m not sure, but likely the Camp Chase Gazette was the first magazine to wade into the deep water, and I’m glad they are still bucking the trend, even if they are falling back to six issues a year, down from ten. Yes, I’m a guy who writes a lot for the Camp Chase Gazette. I’m also one of the guys who has been prodding them to include more campaigner-focused articles. And they have. I don’t know how many of Craig Barry’s fine articles about the military material culture of the Civil War have been printed since The Watch Dog quit howling, but it’s a lot. I’ve submitted and seen published over a dozen illustrated articles about our “high end” campaigner events, with another one expected in the first issue of 2010. Gents whose names I’d have to look up have done some fine articles on artillery and cavalry topics, with a sharp eye for authenticity standards. Sure, the Camp Chase Gazette is primarily aimed at mainstream reenactors, but it also has intentionally opened its pages and content to the campaigner side of the hobby. And you know what else? Right now, it’s all we got, and if advertisers and subscribers ignore the Camp Chase Gazette, our hobby will quite likely be without print support. I don’t know the particulars about niche hobby magazine economics, but I do know a nationally distributed periodical with a successful track record that stretches back more than 25 years, is a boon to our hobby. Even, or maybe especially, it is a boon to those concerned about historical accuracy within our hobby. The whole spectrum of our Civil War reenacting hobby screams for credibility. I hate to admit that, but it’s true. Whether it’s old, fat, lazy mainstream artillerymen or campaigner events suffering from massive bug-outs when things get too hot, too cold, too wet, or just too darned tough, we have PR challenges. And being able to point to or hand a critic a professionally-done magazine goes a way towards gaining that elusive credibility.
So, I suggest asking for or giving a subscription of the Camp Chase Gazette to a fellow reenactor for Christmas. I’m giving one to a good pard in my unit. Give it some thought. It’s not hard, the Camp Chase Gazette has a good website with all the info you or your wife need to do the deal.

Phil McBride
The Alamo Rifles

[Fritz]

Re: Civil War Historian Mag. DEATH

Mr. McBride,
:(
Wht's wrong with the civilian side of the hobby????? I took this as a jab at the civilians (I'm one). We also support the hobby and try to be as authentic as possible. It's a place to go when you get too old for the military side of the hobby.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Civil War Historian Mag. DEATH

I think the above exchange points out what I believe is one major weak point with print publications. If you're not interested in the specific articles that month, well, there's not much you can do about it. It's a passive medium: the publisher publishes; the reader gets what he or she is given. A big file of back issues might help so you can go back to an issue later if interests change, but even then, it's got to be indexed and it's hard to find specific information through a title index alone.

The electronic exchange of information is broader, faster, and interactive. You can search text as well as titles, start a topic if you don't find what you want, share your own research and receive opinions or corrections on it, and ask for clarification or challenge others' research and get responses in real time, without waiting for a correction or a letter to the editor to come out three months later. Sub-groups can split out and share research in depth on topics they're interested in, even if there are only a handful of people who care. It's full color, with not just footnotes but usually links available to entire period publications, and virtually no upper limit to the amount of information that can be contained, and no storage space problems either.

For hobbyists to share information with each other, electronic media just beat small-scale print publications all to heck. Sometimes times really do change for the better, when better technology comes along.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Phil McBride]

Re: Civil War Historian Mag. DEATH

My goodness. My first post has disappeared. Perhaps the forum content monitor who made that call will shoot me a private message or an email to share the rationale for the removal of my message. As to my comment in the deleted post regarding civilian focused material in the CWH, the observation was made not to irritate the fine civilian reenactors I've met at campaigner events over the past few years. Rather, it was an admission that I prefer to read magazine articles about the military aspects of reenacting.

Phil McBride
The Alamo Rifles

[Old Reb]

Re: Civil War Historian Mag. DEATH

Phil,
I wondered where your post went. Zapped, vaporized, deleted sent to post purgatory, but regardless, since the information from many of your articles were gathered while you were an embedded reporter at events attended or put on by the Texas Ground Hornets, then I know they covered quality events. If articles dealing with such events as Banks Grand Retreat and Into the Piney Woods are worthy for publication in Camp Chase, then I would think that mention of that publication would be worthy of mentioning on the AC. But what do I know, I am a proud 3% and not a keyboard campaigner.

[JimKindred]

Re: Civil War Historian Mag. DEATH

Phil,
I wondered where your post went. Zapped, vaporized, deleted sent to post purgatory, but regardless, since the information from many of your articles were gathered while you were an embedded reporter at events attended or put on by the Texas Ground Hornets, then I know they covered quality events. If articles dealing with such events as Banks Grand Retreat and Into the Piney Woods are worthy for publication in Camp Chase, then I would think that mention of that publication would be worthy of mentioning on the AC. But what do I know, I am a proud 3% and not a keyboard campaigner.

The post in question is under review by the moderators. To mention the CCG is no problem but the post read much more like an advertisement for the magazine which would fall under the unapproved vendor rule. Should it be decided the post does not violate that rule it will be returned to the thread.

My best advice is to move on with the CHW discussion and let this one go while the moderators discuss this amongst themselves.

When ever a post is removed the name of the moderator who removed it will be listed and the reason given for removal. In the future I would suggest you contact that moderator directly if you have a question about the action taken rather than discuss it in the thread.