New Reenactor Publication question

[coastaltrash]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

Matt,
Could there be an article on the under representation of the joust at quality events, mainly on the proper placement of a tea pot for the comfort of the rider?

Seriously, Sounds great.

[verg]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

Dear Friends,

I was intrigued by the data that the survey reports.

If we take the results at face value without attempting to skew it for other factors, it may reveal some interesting things about ourselves, the AC community (and by extension, the AC movement?).

As a group, we are very interested in Uniforms, Equippage and the events that are scheduled.

We are markedly less so in period materials, civilian clothing and least of all, unit studies. (There is almost a 34% difference in support of Uniform Studies versus Unit Studies)

Does this mean that many of us are more interested in what we wear than whom we are portraying? Has the knowledge of individual units diminished in importance as we have embraced the Regiment d'joure concept at many AC type events? (how many of us have lovingly assembled a closet full of clothes to answer the call for just about any unit under the sun :D )

Does this mean that some of us are more interested in what other people write about about uniform details or uniform reproduction reviews than looking at the reprints of original material and deciding for themselves?

After writing this, I am reminded of the opinion of a National Park Service historian who opinioned that we were "button fanatics" and not historians.


This is certanly not meant as an attack on any of us (I am as "guilty" as anyone else), but rather a point of discussion.

[billwatson]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

It could be simply that the presence of those items on the survey made it easy to pick them.

I think also that underlying all of it is a desire for what I'll call "reliable information." I think it could be on any topic related to reenacting and if it was vetted -- if the content were checked, if the agendas of the authors were noted, if it was edited to be the most effective read, if there were caveats on the limits of the knowledge available on each essay, if the research were explored and explained, it would achieve that status of reliability. We see from the popularity of this forum that some kind of "vetting" of content is considered valuable by a great many people -- even if it's just curbing the trolls and banishing the hopelessly shallow.
I second Garrison Beal's concept of an occasional publication that makes use of the interest levels shown on this forum for its content decisions. Why must folks burden themselves with the concept of a regularly published monthly? What about "at least twice a year" instead? I could even envision an advertising rate based on how many copies of any given edition are sold in a six-month period after publication.

[55th VVI]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

Personally, I feel the graph shows the trend. We, as a hobby, are getting more into the non-descriptive soldier. A lot of C/P/H units do not even have a designation, but rather a generic group name (ex: WIG, SGLHA, etc.) The units that do maintain a specific unit name find themselves wanting to attend events outside of their realm in time/place, hence making their clothing/equipment more and more generic. Personally for me, I love a well done speciallty impression (even though they are few and far between). To add to all this, my main area of interest is the clothing and uniforms. That is what I truely love to study. I find myself interested in different regimental histories if they had a unique, or interesting item of clothing. Don't get me wrong, I do reasearch the different histories, to a degree, but I am by no means well aquainted with them. Perhaps this is a short coming on my part, and I should work to improve it.

[LWhite64]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

First of all dont get me wrong on this, but I am a Historian that works for the National Park Service and I love to study CS Uniforms, Equipage, and Battle Flags. I have always had a vivid imagination and when I talk to a tour about Bate's Brigade's attack over the stump covered Poe Field, I want to be able to imagine what that line of troops looked like and add that to more talk.

Lee

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

Hallo Kameraden!

"Does this mean that many of us are more interested in what we wear than whom we are portraying? Has the knowledge of individual units diminished in importance as we have embraced the Regiment d'joure concept at many AC type events?"

IMHO, not at all, and certainly not for myself.

It can be an Apples and Oranges thing, the difference(s) between being an
Historian and a Living Historian.

To be brief, and over-simplify, the "historian" is concerned with views and
opinions as to, not what happened, but rather what people convince(d) themselves must have happened. That gets "expressed" in the names and biographies of the Shakers and Movers, the Notables, the Generals, and the Politicians. That gets "expressed" in designations for Armies, Corps, Divisions, Brigades, and Regiments, etc., and who commanded what, and who was where at what time, and there at some other time. The gets expressed in red and blue blocks on maps, connected by movement arrows. And it all gets connected and understood by looking to did what, or did not do what, to accomplish something else like winning a battle, campaign, or war.

To be brief, and over-simplify, the "living historian" is concerned with the cosmic events in ordinary lives- less of the above, and more of the everyday, physical "material culture" world of uniforms, equipment, gear, foods, etc.; more of the ways and methods as to how those were used in daily life and how things were done; and down to the individual man (woman or child) in that uniform (or clothes) with his (her) family relationships, up-bringing, education, religion, occupation, speech, mannerisms, beliefs, politics, likes and dislikes, experiences , and physical appearance.

It is not so much about Sickles moving his Corps out of line at Gettysburg, at what time, to what place, and to what effect. It is about Private Joe Average's life and what it "was like" to be ordered forward that day, what he was doing before, what happened during, what he did after.

"Does this mean that some of us are more interested in what other people write about about uniform details or uniform reproduction reviews than looking at the reprints of original material and deciding for themselves?"

Not at all.

IMHO, I can "get closer" to understanding "life" for Private Joe Soldier in the 69th N.Y. (fill in the blank) at Gettysburg that day, that moment, and appreciating SOME few of the aspects of that life through Living History by focusing on the man, his material culture, and his life- than I ever could by knowing that at 3:00 P.M. the 10,000 or so men of III Corps moved forward.

Not that one is superior to the another, or one inferior to the other. They are but branches on the Tree of History.
One Global, if not Universal.
The other, the perhaps infinitesmal of what one man saw and experienced that day.

I went to college to get a degree and letters after my name to know and understand the History.
I went to be an authentic campaigner/hardcore/authentic to get inside of that man's clothes, mind, and life.

For me personally, the "degree" did not get me to where I wanted to go.

Just like "reading" of the Texas Brigade's advance on the Round Tops did not take me as far as making that march at Gettysburg in kit. Or Berdan Sharpshooters' retreat up Big Round Top through Devil's Kitchen in kit. OR dozens more. (Look at the work we did on the "Regiment d'joure" for Perryville, the 105th OVI, for example. So please do not sell the concept or the practice short.)

However, I could not have done the latter WITHOUT the former. "History" got me to Gettysburg (Perryville, etc., Fill in the blank). "Living History" got me to the man.

IMHO, knowing JUST generals, corps, movements, maps, and outcomes is not much of what the everyday life of the common Civil War soldier (or civilian) was about. "Historians" know far more than any CW soldier (civilian) ever did at the time and likely after, and FAR less about any CW soldier (or civilian) than the "Living Historian."
Apples and Oranges. Different branches on the Tree of CW History."

To those ends...

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of veteran memoirs, Post-War and Modern Era regimental histories, and campaign books (said by some that the most published segment of books is on CW history...) on individual units.

When it comes to books, periodicals, and references on material culture and its use in daily Period life- what we need to "get closer to the man" and his world comes down to a short shelf.

For a magazine, when I need/want "regimental histories, etc., etc.," I look toward several publications such as CIVIL WAR TIMES ILLUSTRATED.

For a magazine, when I need/want "detail" of a man's daily life, I look toward what publication again?

Sorry for the over-simplification, lads.

CHS

[tenthovi]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

When I got into the Hobby CCG in 1991 was the premier publication. By about 1998, I dropped my subscription, because besides always running a month late, it was just not as imformative. When Nicky Hughes took over the publication, I renewed my subscription, and I was pretty impressed. A few days ago, I got the Aug. edition and I was highly disappointed with it.

I think there should be something in the hobby that focuses on what was more typical in the 19th Century Life. Such as clothing and construction of it, living conditions, mannerism of people in the 19th century, and etc. Material in a publication that can show you how to develop a 1st person impression. I think if Matt can get this publication going, I think the rewards will be great for all of us.

[LindaTrent]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

Perhaps the time for a niche magazine like the Camp Chase Gazette has passed us by, having been replaced by the web as surely as the horse was replaced by the automobile.

Okay, there are still two and a half pages that I haven't read on this thread yet, so I may be repeating something someone else has already said, but...

I have also noticed that rather than submit articles to magazines I have gone to using the lists and forums. Magazines are still desired by many because they are something that can be held and read anywhere. And yes, I still get the Citizens' Companion and find it to be an excellent publication, with various topics on civilian life.

Numerous times a question has been raised on Szabo's or on e-lists that I'm on and I have sent links to posts on the AC forum where 10 of the top researchers on that particular topic have been discussing that very topic, all with various primary or excellent secondary sources, so the reader can get a more complete view of the facts. The problem with magazine articles is that the reader is limited to the amount of knowledge of that one author.

I don't know everything, and it's cool to come to the forums and ask a question or give my opinion on something and then see others post their research. Most of the time my own opinions are based upon the limitations of my resources, and when I see other's resources I have found one of three things to be correct. Either my resources were too few and therefore my conclusions were too inconclusive to make a stand. My conclusions based upon my research were correct. Or my conclusions based upon my research were correct, but that there was more than one way of doing something. :tounge_sm

Yes, I do read things off line, but when it comes to the hobby I much prefer the instantaneous one on one exchange that a magazine can't provide. And I probably would not subscribe to a CW publication (other than the CC).

Linda Trent
lindatrent@zoomnet.net