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**BrianHicks** · 10-12-2007, 03:10 PM

Re: Camp Chase Gazette and the Watchdog

Originally posted by davidf View Post

Do you mean the one that took place on the last weekend in September in Gettysburg this year? I don't know how much info you all have on it but if that is what you are talking about, I have some interesting first hand insight on this. That is, if someone wants me to share it?

I'd like to hear what ever interesting first hand insight you may have on the Gettysburg weekend with the History Channel crew.

**davidf** · 10-12-2007, 07:35 PM

Re: Camp Chase Gazette and the Watchdog

To all of those who posted interest in what I have heard about the history channel thing, here it is:

Ever since I am a student at Gettysburg College and am part of both the Civil War Club and Pennsylvania College Guard (the reenacting unit), I and several other Civil War buffs on campus got emails and our group leaders announced this info that the history channel was looking for young people on campus to participate in this History Channel show. Many of us reenactors were very eager to get on the history channel. So me and several others sent in a picture of ourselves and our info to the contact point for this.

Soon more information came down the pipeline; they were looking for only three guys that did not have any experience in reenacting (or were new to the hobby). Many of us were confused. Why would they want three inexperienced guys?

I started investigating, and discovered that the company shooting the show for the history channel was RDF (or something like that) Media. Its a big company thats based out of Britain, and has done only a few documentaries but a lot of reality shows like "Wife Swap" and "Remember the Lyrics". Even more confusing now. One theory before this RDF thing was that this was possibly another "Civil War Combat" episode, but with the RDF news, it was apparent it wasn't. Another theory that we developed was that this was possibly another "Haunted History" show. But then, out of the blue, a huge surprise.

So I am walking out of my dorm hall, and three guys who I had talked with a few times, and knew me pretty well as "the Civil War Guy" come and tell me that all three of them had gotten on some reality show about the Civil War on the History channel. They said their teacher got an email and they told them about some history channel show looking for three guys. They put it their info and pictures and said that they had virtually no prior Civil War knowledge, and they got in.

So there it was, this whole history channel thing was a reality show! No wonder they were trying to keep this whole thing so secretive and wanted inexperienced guys.

These three guys went on this weekend of shooting (September 29 and 30). They actually spent the one Saturday night there. From what they could tell me, it was just the three of them and 11 other reenactor-historians. Throughout the weekend they basically did a "Civil War Bootcamp" you could say if you wanted to sum it up. They drilled them, dressed them up in accurate equipment, made them sleep in the same tent and sleep next to each other to keep warm, learn how to stack arms (that took a long time), and had to eat hardtack and salt pork (they hated the salt pork). The whole time they were being put on film, and also did a few interviews.

To help me out, they dropped my name in the interviews as many times as they could (hope it does help me). They said they probably wouldn't want to reenact, but thought it was interesting. They also said that this was basically a pilot to a series. Thats all they could tell me. My guess is that they are going to do the same thing for all sorts of time period if it is a series. Can't wait to see if it makes it to television.

What do you all think?

**tsgalloway** · 10-12-2007, 08:06 PM

Re: Camp Chase Gazette and the Watchdog

Interesting

**Stonewall_Greyfox** · 10-12-2007, 08:12 PM

Re: Camp Chase Gazette and the Watchdog

Still wondering what this has to do with the Dog or CCG.

And I don't believe that the History Channel is trying to poke fun at anyone...our modern culture relishes Reality TV...this is probably just an attempt for the History Channel to follow Discovery, MTV, VH1 and the major networks in a long line of reality shows.

**BrianHicks** · 10-12-2007, 09:30 PM

Re: Camp Chase Gazette and the Watchdog

Interesting to read what others, whom did not participate, think the History Channel thing was all about.

I did participate. I was there for the weekend, and had corresponded and spoken via phone a few times to the producer, prior to the trip to Gettysburg. If the full project gets a green light, and if they really strive to o it right, the end product may well be worth something.

But... as the previous post has commented, this has nothing to do with the Watch Dog or CCG.

**davidf** · 10-12-2007, 11:25 PM

Re: Camp Chase Gazette and the Watchdog

Sorry, but people requested it, and I didn't think I had a big enough post count at the point I posted that to create a thread (you have to have 10 right?). If a moderator wants to break that off as a seperate thread, that would be really helpful. Sorry for interupting the thread. Also in response to the last psot in particular, I know I wasn't there. I didn't want to send any negative messages on this whole thing. I find it all very interesting, and was only presenting what facts and thoughts I could gather on the subject. I also don't claim to know what "thie history channel" was all about. I am just giving you what facts I found out and tried to make my own logically thought out conclusions on things. I personally like the history channel and have nothing against it if that is what anyone got out of that whole post.

**BrianHicks** · 10-13-2007, 07:51 AM

Re: Camp Chase Gazette and the Watchdog

David,

No foul.. no harm done.

**Charles Heath** · 10-13-2007, 12:45 PM

Re: Camp Chase Gazette and the Watchdog

Folks,

Through the voodoo magic of forum tools, as well as popular demand, the History Channel portion of the Watchdog/CCG thread has been moved to a new thread.

**reb290** · 10-13-2007, 12:48 PM

Re: History Channel CW Reality Show

Do you mean this?

http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5566&highlight=history+channel

**Jeremy Bevard** · 10-13-2007, 03:30 PM

Re: History Channel CW Reality Show

No, he is referring to this thread�..

Authentic Campaigner

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13351

**davidf** · 10-13-2007, 04:27 PM

Re: History Channel CW Reality Show

thank you for making a whole new thread for this!

**davidf** · 10-13-2007, 09:26 PM

Grammer in the post about the history channel

It has come to my attention (thanks to a couple of members here) that I used very improper grammer on the post about the history channel event in Gettysburg. I was wondering if I should fix my post? If I should, where is the edit button for previous posts? I am new here and I don't see a edit button for previous posts.

**Rob Weaver** · 10-14-2007, 07:59 PM

Re: History Channel CW Reality Show

Breaks my heart, though, that those of us who perhaps do know something about the Civil War must participate as advisors rather than participants. Does anyone remember the advisors for "Frontier House?" No - we remember the appalling modern people they dressed up and turned into perfectly good farbs. Sigh...
Oh, by the way, Gettysburg College, Class of 1984.

**BrianHicks** · 10-14-2007, 08:14 PM

Re: History Channel CW Reality Show

Originally posted by Rob Weaver View Post

Breaks my heart, though, that those of us who perhaps do know something about the Civil War must participate as advisors rather than participants.

How so?

Of the 14 individuals that participated, only three had no prior reenacting experience. Of those of us who had prior experience, most had more than just a mainstream background.

And what's wrong with introducing a few new joins to such a project? How better to provide the unexperienced watcher with honest comments and observations about what it's like to get into reenacting, than from some one who had no prior experience? Just as happened historically, new recruits with no experience had to be received into units and trained.

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