Confederate or Federal?

[jsanders]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

Being in the 9th Texas, it's primarily confederate, but we will dawn our Federal uniforms depending upon the scenario or if more blue is needed in the field.

[Huck]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

Mine is roughly split 50/50......

[SOB8604]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

Federal!

Just getting into this era and some rev-war boys tried to get me to do Confederate. But to me there is no question, Irish, from Massachusetts, the blue it is!

[PMFerringer]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

I started in a Federal only unit with Tyler Underwood. Much like him after years of only doing Federal I tend to prefer Confederate impressions at this point. The additional research required for Confederate impressions is appealing. Ultimately, I'm just happy to get out in the field regardless of the impression.

[PaveyWV]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

I started in a CS only unit in 2003 and eventually started converting to Federal. West Virginia events are plagued by the lack of Federal reenactors (so much that our unit is pretty much the only one active in southern West Virginia). I've been pretty much full time Federal for five years now.

[4vaadjutant]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

Mostly Confederate.

[pelicanese]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

New here. Technically I'm in a galvanizing unit. My dad had run into some reenactors that portrayed the 85th Illinois (as many members came from Mason county) back in the early 90's and the rest is history. They also opened up our 8th Louisiana impression back then. When I got out of the service, I talked him into going back into the hobby we'd both left (I quit around high school when I joined the service and later got into WW2 reenacting, he just quit entirely). We restarted the old units since they were his IP in the region. After that, we learned only a few guys were around and most went to other units and weren't interested in coming back, but some still come out with us if their primaries don't come to events.

As for why?
Reb is a bit cheaper to get into for the younger ones. I don't tout my unit as a campaigner nor authentic one, but I keep the progressive mindset and anyone who wants to pursue an authentic impression is free to do so. I'm making the moves that direction myself. However, we typically show up to events as Confederate. There is a distinct lack of units in my area and sometimes my small unit + independents end up being the only infantry available. So we don't galvanize too much at events. However, we do try and portray Federals at living history/memorial type events in the area. The unit used to do a ceremony at the cemetery in Havana as there are many 85th Ill boys buried there. I'd like to get back to that again as well.

[Sgt Lester D Brush]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

Federal, sort of for me. Even though I have ancestors who were on both sides. My original decision, which was decades ago was Federal, in specific the 1st Oregon Volunteer Infantry which was formed here in Oregon after the Federal Troops were recalled East to keep a eye on the Native Americans. Or to keep the settlers and native folk playing nice ;-)

[Scott McDaniel]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

My primary impression is CS Infantry.

The "Why?"

1. It isn't a "politicized" impression, like some people take it to be. By that, I mean that I don't "reenact with an agenda."
2. I am simply fascinated by it. I had the luxury of having living Great Grandparents, who had their Grandparents in the home with them as they were children. I got to hear of the Mississippi Campaign, Franklin, and Atlanta second-hand. We lost heavily...like many families in that war...so as a child 110-115 years later, the impact was still being spoken of. The homes, the cemeteries, the churches, were all still visible and present in that same county. So, it is personal to me. Just like many donning the uniforms of the side of choice.
3. Where I live, secondary impression is the western Federal armies, by default. I have taken more of an interest in Federal units from New England and NY in the siege of Charleston.

There's a lot to learn and have fun with. I'd encourage a new reenactor to learn as much as possible about the unit they portray, and a unit of choice.

[lickingcountyvolunteer]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

I mainly do Federal but i have a confederate impression in the works!

[Phil McBride]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

Doesn't much matter, as long as I'm there. Living in Texas, I thought I'd be doing Reb all the time, but from the first event, our battalion seemed to wear blue about half the time, which is great for the hobby down here. My favorite impression to wear has to be the 165th NY Zouaves, but I've never had the chance to wear it campaigning, only at static camp mainstream events.

[lambrew]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

Federal, although I want to put together a North Carolina infantry impression one of these days.

[Eric Tipton]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

My main question so far is, why is this skewing Federal? I am a little surprised. I thought it would be the other way around. Did you?

[dpu1990]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

I portray Federal; it's partially personal preference (I've always been kind of a "Lincoln" and "Union" person, and my only Civil War relative was a Western Federal), and partly because I was drawn to the hobby by historical connections in my local area (northeastern Illinois).

I am also surprised by the numerical poll results, because even in Illinois most events that I get to seem to have more Confederates in attendance.

[50thGAInfantry]

Re: Confederate or Federal?

I do Confederate due to my geographic location (Savannah) and because their uniformity and/or lack thereof allows some imagination and research to dictate the impression.