Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

[Japousonian]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

Agreed Mr. Coats.

Welcome to the AC! One rule we have that is different then other forums is to sign our full real name to our posts. The best way to do this since forgetting is easy is to set up an automatic signature in your profile settings. Thank you - Jeremy Bevard

[cod1tn]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

I do agree with Landrum's post that there is potential recruits in the mainstream end of the hobby. I have run into several at mainstream events that want to jump to the next level or are getting burned out on the same type of event over and over again. Usually the only thing holding them back is they are intimidated by this end of the hobby or they don't know anyone who does it. I took a guy to Bermuda Hundred and Pickett's Mill that was doing dismounted cavalry a year ago and he has done a complete turn around from last year when I met him for the first time. I had 4 more interested in Pickett's Mill that couldn't attend because the dates conflicted with their schedule.

I have no intentions of quitting the hobby after 17 years in. I still think there is a lot of life left in the hobby that will live on past the 150ths.

[Jeremy Bevard]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

I have been wanting to add to this thread all day. Now I have a chance but Landrum and Dacus have said all that I wanted. Less events can be more with working together. Not everyone likes it but local events is were we can recruit to this side.

[Archie R. Lib]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

I think the hobby just cycles. The 150th, and the 1-2 years leading up to it, charged everyone at all ends of the hobby up - so much so that the major events now are fundamentally just money-making theme-camper circuses. And much more than the preceding anniversaries. My personal experience with the major events has not been positive, and I have driven more miles than I care to think about to make some of them. This has nothing to do with adjunct planning or effort. It just is what it is. An adjunct at a major event is a bright shiny little corner in a very dark very big house. So I am completely on board with even 3-4 quality authentic events per year rather than 12 marginal ones. I would make the trip for those.

The recruiting for our end of the hobby is not something that one can do easily in my opinion. If a person is interested in the authentic end of the hobby, they will migrate our way. They will see what we do, and how we do it, and ask questions and they will find a way. If someone does that and we can help them learn what the hobby should be about, we should do it and help them out as much as we can. I saw one guy get completely outfitted at Prairie Grove that way, and he took to it like a duck. Now he's a keeper. The key is to not be an elitist asshole when someone is honestly asking about why we don't have a tent or why we aren't eating the KFC chicken or donuts but just beans and rice or coffee and why we stay to ourselves or don't take solar showers. If they're asking, then they don't know, couldn't know and are probably interested. That's what I did when I saw it. I recognized it, and bugged every one of the guys I saw at that level when I got the chance. They helped me out Just trying to do it the best I can since then.

My opinion. The authentics aren't going anywhere because we don't do it for spectators or photo ops. There will be a big lag when the 150th parties are over and the market is flooded with mainstream gear and muskets when everyone on the margins moves to the next hobby. Honestly, that is probably a good thing.

So just my 2 cents.

Rich

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

" The authentics aren't going anywhere because we don't do it for spectators or photo ops. There will be a big lag when the 150th parties are over and the market is flooded with mainstream gear and muskets when everyone on the margins moves to the next hobby. Honestly, that is probably a good thing."

Agreed. I ain't going anywhere. Just had a kid, so that will take some time of sorts, but otherwise, I will be at events. So will the family when appropriate.

I would rather have 3-4 immersive events a year than lots of little adjuncts. That being said, adjuncts are not bad, but "less than flavorful" compared to some real immersion and a group of people dedicated to making a great event. I also wouldn't rule out carpe eventa at a mainstream event, where authentics can gather off by themselves, do the battle or not, and have some fellowship. Secessionvile, SC is a prime example of this- fun event if you want to attend as an individual authentic, but extremely farb overall. But just by going as an authentic and not saying a word, you create a center of excellence that others see and notice. They either play the hater or think what you are doing is cool and want to know more. That is a convert to the 'true religion'.

The post 150ths will be great. For now, I am waiting on all of the hoopla to subside. Yes, other periods will gobble our already dwindling expendable personal wealth due to economy and inflation, but this will thin out the heard and leave those who are truly committed. More will rise to take their place, I know.

Don't fear, the best is yet to come... ;)

[JerseyMutt]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

Secessionvile, SC is a prime example of this- fun event if you want to attend as an individual authentic, but extremely farb overall.

My first-ever 'enactment back in 2005.

I agree with all the sentiments that the hobby is far from going away, particularly our authentic corner of it. I want to expand though on Mr. Dacus' statements about technology as a means of growing the numbers of quality folks. In order to move forward, technology needs to be embraced...to include social media. I'm not saying that the old fashioned methods of recruiting should go out the window (somebody mentioned talking to the public at LHs; one of my favorite recruitment times), but we need to utilize both the old and the new.

I know a lot of people don't like FB, and it is far from perfect, but even the old timers in the 23rd Virginia that don't use it appreciate its use as a recruiting and public relations tool. Not to mention that we need to bring younger folks into the hobby if we don't want it to die off by attrition. How are most of those young folks communication these days? Like it or not, it's through social media. For both of the organizations I belong to, FB and Twitter are my billboards that I can use to direct people to the related websites. I can tell you that in just this first half of the year, we've recruited 6 quality folks. 4 of those came via the IVR's FB page and/or website. The 23rd's website helped them in recruiting me when I found it while deployed back in 2010. Being able to see who they were and what type of events they did, had me mostly sold on them before I even tried them out a couple of years later.

I would say that if your unit, mess, glee club, etc. does not have some sort of web presence in this day and age, you're doing it wrong. At the very least, create a FB page (people do not need to have a FB account to view pages) or use any number of free sites to create a simple webpage. Most of these new web design sites are simple drag/drop that do not require a degree in web design to use.

This is just one man's opinion though. As Herr Schmidt would say, "Others mileage may vary."

[Pritchett Ball]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

I don't do "Golf"!

I'm not out after the 150th's, I still see much life afterwards. I think there will always be a place for good LH at all the Forts, Camp sites, Battlefields. no shortage of those places. And there will be those who want to set up good events for this end of the hobby to let folk participate.
It may be a good time for those new guys who get interested, should be plenty of good uniform/equipage for sale at good prices.

I don't see the 150th's ending as a "Death Knell" for the hobby.

Kevin Dally

[Moonshine]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

Isn't it like us all to experience just a bit of burn-out after an event that literally almost burns us out and thus contemplate our future in this hobby???

I know I for one had this VERY thought cross my mind!...I mean...how long can one experience being wet then feeling the comfort of being warm and dry plus the myriad of other soldier experiences we've read in diaries and personal recollections and had that "Yep....I experienced that same EXACT thing" kind of moment! Speaking for myself, I've had a lot of those experiences come true. So....what's left to experience? Why do I still do this? Whats in it for me?

However:
But....as the days go by and work becomes the same, the bills pile up and the kids are bugging you for that "G.I. Joe Kung Fu Grip"....your mind wanders to being outdoors and away from cell phones and to see your pards, to smell the campfire and before you know it, you're looking for that next "fix" of going to an event. Pretty soon the powers-that-be are getting the same itch and are willing to coordinate "something new" with the help of a new face and its off and running again....

Maybe with this cycle - had it had more coverage in the news like D-Day tends to every June, we'd feel more inclined to do more? Being from the Left Coast, you'd never know the Civil War happened 150 years ago. And, perhaps, interest in our nations history seems to be in decline? I mean after all, our nation was created by (and I quote) "rich white guys who owned slaves and wore wooden teeth".

Perhaps we need to get this 150th cycle out of our hair so we can get back to doing things as events were coordinated before which was more laissez-faire???....you knew come winter there may be a winter quarters scenario somewhere....you knew come April: Shiloh, Appomattox.....July: Gettysburg, Vicksburg, etc., etc. Or a host of other random things here and there so that we're not so fixed on a particular time frame and locked into a particular impression.

Regardless, I think that "itch" will come back until we all get too old to the point where we can no longer scratch that itch! Thus am I right when I ask, "Who the hell invented golf anyway?" Where you hit a ball only to walk after it....to hit it again!!!! STOOPID right?!?!?! I'd rather live with the bugs and give them something to chew on, while wearing heavy clothing and equipment walking around the countryside and not getting paid for it!!! Besides, I never officially retired from baseball so I can't take up the game anyway!

In closing - we're not "wired" to play golf!!! We're "wired" to share a common interest and that is the American Civil War and American history as a whole. Until the proof exists where golf was played during the war and that there's a collection of clubs and clothing in some museum for us to find a new impression to put together, I'll just let our president and others do their share of it!

So when's the next BIG event??? :wink_smil

[Eric Tipton]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

IMHO, for consideration,

1) We need some of the younger members in the hobby step up and put on an event. That idea you have been thinking about? Go for it. Go to a veteran organizer and find out what you need to do. We need new blood in the event organizing area, as Mr. Landrum has so correctly and precisely pointed out.

2) We have to use every means necessary to reach the younger audience out there. We can no longer sit back and hope "build it and they will come". Having watched social media quite closely the last few years, people's attentions are scattered in more directions on-line these days. Since the day I jumped back into the AC, this has been the first directive. IF we are losing people to age and attrition, they must be replaced. Generally speaking, the Baby Boomers were a larger generation. We are experiencing, on top of everything else that has been described here, a demographic shift. My opinion is that however hard we work at attracting new people, there will be a net loss in numbers. However, we start with a dedicated core and a more energized base. We must reach out. My personal goal here is to make sure we reach that audience.

3) Finally, SOMETHING NEW. I agree with the focus on our events instead of adjuncts. I am not opposed to adjuncts, but I think, as many others have pointed out, that because of the 150ths, they have taken a lot more of our attention. We need some new ideas. From the veteran to the freshest fish, we need to think of creative scenarios in places that people have not been. I have always felt like a kid-in-a-candy store as far as our overall ability to stage what is essentially a large movie set. Have you ever sat down with your friends and rattled off the places you have been? Having done this for a while, I have a pretty sizable list. If you have an event idea, ask yourself, "Has this ever been done before?" Mess No. 1 is offering up Corricks Ford, in July 2015, right after the 150ths for exactly this reason.

We can do nothing about the outside forces that affect us. All we can do is move forward.

[Hairy Nation Boys]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

Besides having younger people put on events how about letting younger/newer people be company commanders etc. To many times the same people are officers at events. By having younger/newer people who know their stuff be in charge it could be a shot in the arm for the hobby. Some of us who have portrayed officers can be privates. BTW this marks my 24th year(switched to the authentic side in 1994) and I don't plan on quitting anytime soon.

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

It would be nice if personal differences were set aside and everyone could work together towards a common goal. I bet the Bermuda Hundred campaign would have had a much different outcome if Butler, Gillmore and Smith had gotten along with each other.

Improve communication and NOT through Facebook. Facebook only hinders communication by having to sort through a lot of nonsense to locate the answer you are looking for.

When we have guidelines for events lets hold people accountable and make sure the standards are maintained. Guidelines are usually set far enough in advance that people can either buy or borrow what they need for their impression.

If you’re going to talk the talk, you need to walk the walk. Don’t show up in a good kit and not expect to campaign. The men that we portray were at some point cold, wet, tired or hungry and yes even boredom set in. If you want to complain about it, great! They complained about these things also. The point I am making is when you show up be ready to experience these things for the duration of the event and not for a day and call it quits. Believe it or not our wing of the hobby has a lot of eyes on what we do and others look up to us for doing things right!

Once in a while as individuals or a small mess try and show up to a mainstream event and fall in with a mainstream unit. By doing this the mainstreamers are still in their comfort zone but still have a quality example to learn from. While you are there actively participate with the group but keep quiet and don’t scoff at the way they do things. Let them come to you. I guarantee that you will have at least two or three guys ask questions about improving their impressions. Spend time and get to know them and by the end of the weekend they will realize that we are not “Stitch Nazi’s” If you can get one from each group to make the decision to improve then you have done your job. Remember that you can catch more flies with honey.

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

It is easy to say for younger generations to put on events, but it takes CONNECTIONS to do so. Connections at sites, logistics, and with messes for organizational purposes. This is the hard part. Initiative to organize is great, but without the location ability, political know how or logistical connections to actually execute what you dream of is nothing. So how to overcome?

[Eric Tipton]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

Johnny, ask for help. In 2004, all I had was a site - Rich Mountain. John Cleaveland and Coley Adair said they would help and they did. It really isn't overly complicated, but it is a helluva lot of work.

[Ambrose Bierce]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

So how to overcome?

Old guys mentor the younger guys. Old guys who have the experience in organizing events help enthusiastic guys who may not have a clue where to start, but have a good idea for a scenario. There is no monopoly on cool vignettes and helping an idea mature into an event that goes well can be pretty rewarding.

As Eric said, it is a lot of work, and this should not be underestimated. In this kind of venture, and I recognize this is taking things a bit off topic, location is a great place to start, then the timing of the event. Start with the objective in mind and plan backwards from there; what do you want to happen and what do you expect to see as a result?

Plenty of connections are out there for assistance and mentoring, but it goes both ways. As Tyler so aptly stated, check the egos at the door and the product might exceed expectations.

[coastaltrash]

Re: Authentic ACW Enacting in the Post Sesquicentennial Era

Johnny,
That's an excuse. Every event I hosted started with a phone call.