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We all have a story of how we got our start in the hobby. With the exception of a few folks, I would imagine that for many of you, you made the decision to start authentic reenacting after spending a few years doing mainstream events like I did.
I started the hobby in 1994 with a mainstream federal unit in Mansfield, Ohio. My first event was “The Battle of Didnthappensville” Being fourteen years old; my options were pretty limited as to what events I could attend and the gear I could acquire. I didn’t meet the age requirement to carry a rifle and my total lack of any musical talent prohibited me from portraying a musician of any sort, so not knowing any better, I had to enthusiastically settle for portraying a hospital steward.
Four months after my first event I attended the 130th Franklin and as a new guy who had only seen what I thought was a large reenactment in Jackson, Michigan I was in total awe. The massive camps, long battle lines, the cold and mud made for an unforgettable experience.
While there I did take notice of a large group of guys who had no tents, were sleeping on top of the frozen mud and carried everything on their backs. I asked some of the old fellows in my unit who they were and what they were doing. Of course I was told that they were campaigners and they were a bunch of elitists who counted their stitches, peed on their buttons and crapped on their shoes and shunned everyone who did not reenact like they did. My first thought was why anyone would want to make themselves miserable sleeping out there like that when they could be comfortable like me with a whole A frame tent to myself and a warm sleeping bag.
Despite what I was told, this had a profound impact on me as it made me want to research the average soldier a little more and I began to realize that I wasn’t doing it how “they” did. So as started to do more digging, I slowly began to improve my impression. One of the first things I did was stop bringing my A frame and started living out of knapsack, which also happened to be the most liberating aspect of making the change. I began to eat out of my haversack; carrying hard crackers, seasonal vegetables and salt pork or bacon eliminated my need for bringing food in a cooler. I shortened the strap on haversack and started replacing gear. I still remember my first three purchases too! A bran spanking new army hat from Tim Bender, a blanket from Matt Woodburn and a leather canteen strap from EJ Thomas.
As I began to make these changes I was still stuck in a rut with events. I was still going to the same meet and great powder burners in Ohio every year and then making that one trip to the yearly mega event. For six years I wanted something more out of the hobby. Six years of the same events at the same locations. That is until one of my mess mates proposed we try an immersive event. He had done all of the leg work and found us a home in Matt Caldwell’s company for the weekend and got the impression guidelines to portray the 13th OVI at TAG.
The excitement was overwhelming! Finely I was afforded the opportunity to participate in a real immersive event and get the full experience of what it was like to be a federal soldier. We spent weeks prepping our kits and getting the last few items we needed to round out our impressions to meet the guidelines. At last we were on our way to Land between the Lakes, we drove all night to get there and when we arrived, were completely exhausted. The exhaustion however was completely replaced by fear. Fear of what all these “hardcore” guys were going to think of me and my impression. Nervously, I began to head to registration and get signed in. Justin Runyon, who was our Orderly Sgt. was there rounding up his people told us that he would be around in a little while to inspect our kits and make sure we don’t have anything modern with us. I had made it over the first obstacle! Now, if I can just make it through inspection I was in. For what seemed an eternity we waited; and sure enough here came Justin walking over towards us. Along the way he stopped at a car beside us to check them out. As he started going through one of their knapsacks he pulled out a bottle of orange Gatorade and they all began to laugh about it. It was then I realized that these guys were just like me and liked to joke around and have fun. But when it came to actually being in the field they put their game faces on and carried out their duties. He continued towards us and after having witnessed the aforementioned shenanigans, I was much more at ease with everything.
Needless to say we made it through the inspection and had one of the best reenacting experiences I have ever had. Here I met lots of folks who I am now very proud to call my friends and Brothers. After TAG we continued to do the same events back in Ohio but chose to fall in with the adjunct AOP battalion to get our authentic fix. (Work had pretty much limited what I could afford to do and what time I could get off.) Shortly after I decided to enlist for real and my travels took me far from home and the hobby. It did afford plenty of opportunities to visit WWII sites though.
After I made it back to the east coast I found myself living in South Carolina and had the itch to get back into the wool just in time for the start of the 150th cycle. So I sent some emails, got involved and the rest is now a part of history.
So what does my reenacting life story have to do with anything and why should it matter to anyone who is going to take the time to actually read this? It matters because I believe there are some that may have the same fear I did. Contrary to what some have been told, we are not stitch Nazis. It does make me cringe when I see enough friction primers hanging from a kepi that a suit of chainmail could be made from it. Campaigners, are actually a very welcoming group, we/I just have a lower tolerance for the BS. If people come with a positive attitude and a willingness to improve then by all means grab your stuff and let’s go!
My story matters because it proves that if you don’t improve, you become stagnant. When you become stagnant, you eventually wither away and die. There are folks I know out there that have been doing this hobby twice as long as me, but I can tell you in twenty three years, I have seen more mainstream folks get out of the hobby entirely because they were burnt out. Only two other people from my original unit are still active and they both made the transition into the authentic side of the hobby. The rest got tired of doing the same thing but were too afraid or too close minded to venture outside of their comfort zone.
I realize that this is going to strike a nerve with a lot of folks, but here goes. Eight months ago a thread was started on another forum questioning the future of our hobby. Almost daily for eight months a post was made about apocalypse of Civil War reenacting but not one real post that provided a solution to this mythical end. Why? Why was it all doom, gloom and excuse after excuse? Has anyone attempted to make a contribution to the betterment of the hobby? To paraphrase President Kennedy, ask not what the hobby can do for you, but what you can do for the hobby.
This is OUR hobby and is what we make of it. Only you and I can ensure that it continues to thrive. The path to the future is through improvement. Who is going to take the next step? Who is going to march down the path of improvement with me and tell me your story?
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