I went to Lee-Jackson day.

[davelotter]

Hi folks, I am a totally clueless re-enactor here. I went to Lee Jackson day last month. It was a cold day, but the event was rewarding. I am looking for another event.

Helpful people are appreciated since I do not have a clue about how things work. A black suit is on order. Sac coat, hat, etc. . . Telegraphers and railroads are very appealing to me, but I am a jack of all trades. Again, helpful people are deeply appreciated. Walt Mathers and Valerie have been really kind to me.

Current status: sightseeing.

Dave, welcome to the forums. It is a rule here that posters must sign all posts with their full given name - Mike Chapman

[Silas]

Isn't this the Camp of Instruction?

Would someone please move this post to the sinks where it can drop to the bottom of the postings in record time.

[KentuckyReb]

Re: Isn't this the Camp of Instruction?

Actually, what I think this gentleman is after is the Civilian folders of this forum.

[KarinTimour]

Re: I went to Lee-Jackson day.

Dear Mr. Lotter:

Welcome to the hobby! I'm gathering from your note above that you're more interested in the civilian side of the hobby than you are in the military, and that you live somewhere in the area of Maryland?

You mention that you've been in touch with Walt and Valerie and that you are interested in telegraphy and railroads, which sounds to me as though you've been to the B&O Canal museum? Again, these are all assumptions.

Some basic information about potential events:

1. Most events revolve around or have a focus on the military -- As a civilian reenactor one of the first questions to be tackled is 'why are you here?" Armies don't tend to move quickly, and they are likely to do things like "requistion" your only horse, eat all your food, crops and fodder, burn your fences and your outbuildings, on occassion burn your home or rip it down if it's in a place that the enemy could use it. And that's the regular forces, not the skulkers, shirkers and deserters who travel on the edges.
So why are you still there when they come through?

There were civilians present, sometimes only a few, at most battles, some travelling with army as contract workers -- doctors, teamsters, laundresses. Others were locals who had farms in the area and stayed to try and secure something for after the armies passed on. Others get caught up in events that moved too swiftly for them -- Shiloh had quite a number of civilians in and around the town of Pittsburg Landing, as Miss Vicki Betts researched several years ago.

In the authentic side of the hobby, the chances for civilian participation at any given event will be limited, and the coordinator will often post what positions she is looking for. Your interests of telegraphy and railroads can be incorporated into a standard "back story" of who you are, but often you won't be reenacting somewhere that has a railroad or a telegraph.

As a civilian male you might well have your pick of events -- but again your role might well be dictated by the location of the event, and you might be asked to be an inn keeper, newspaperman, farmer, mechanic. As you get more expert in reenacting, you may discover a few more specialized areas that you also enjoy bringing to the event -- minister, bunco artist, gambler, undertaker are all examples of the possibilities.

2. In this side of the hobby, events tend to have an emphasis on "immersion" and "first person" -- you go into character on the Friday evening of an event and are expected to remain in character straight through until Sunday. This means that you need to have a pretty good grounding in the manners, current events, occupations, etc. of the 19th century.

3. As a civilian male, why aren't you in your country's service? You'll get this question a lot, and depending on your age and disability status, you'll need to develop a good answer or they might just conscript you on the spot (which could be an adventure by itself).

4. I'd recommend holding off on any more purchases of clothing until you are a little clearer about what impression you want to portray, and how authentic you want to be -- as you will quickly learn, clothes make the man, and there is a broad range of skill and quality out there in the vendors who are aiming for your business.

5. I'm assuming that this post is going to be shifted to the civilian board pretty quickly, so I'll recommend some resources for you to start off with:

a. An Introduction to Civil War Civilians by Juanita Leish is a good overview of the way civilians looked and some of the types of things that they did and that you might want to bring to an event. This can be bought from a number of different booksellers who cater to reenactors. One of my favorites is The Book Guy: www.bookguy.com

b. Making a First Impression by Mrs. Susan Hughes is available from Camp Chase publishing (number and email below) for about $5 and is a very good introduction to some of the very basics about reenacting.

c. There is a bi-monthly magazine called "The Citizen's Companion" which is edited by Mrs. Hughes, and I recommend that you subscribe. Though the information has traditionally been much more from the distaff side of the hobby, there is a steady increase in number of males who are developing a civilian impression, if only to sell bogus railroad stock to unwary soldiers! To get in touch with Camp Chase, call 1-800-449-1865.

Some of the civilian males can tell you much more than I can -- Hank Trent, Emmanuel Dabney, Don Cope, Mr. Crabb, Mr. Jim Lawhan (sic?), Nicky Hughes (who is primarily military but has been known to cut a swathe in a linen suit on occassion), Michael Mescher, and Bill Christen all have civilian impressions and will likely have good advice for you.

6. Check out the Civilian Events board, as there are a number of events that are coming up, some of which are pretty far in the future, and may involve quite a drive from your area (Order number 10 in Kansas). Others are right in the neighborhood (Burkittsville, MD in September).

There is much more to say to welcome you to the hobby. Three words of advice:

a) take no one's word for anything -- put the least weight on someone who stands to gain financially from your decision. Ask lots of people, read and research on your own, and then make a decision, especially if it involves money. Someone who knows what they are talking about should be happy to provide the documentation that backs up what they are saying. Someone who is really expert will tell you also the things they don't know or the things they aren't certain about. Beware the omnicient authority with no documentation for any pronouncement.

b) think about whether you want to look or act like "someone in funny clothes" or if you want to look and be able to function like someone who just walked through time to appear where you are -- if the latter, what do you need to know to be able to pull it off, what clothing and tools will you need?

c) Read, read, read. Nothing is as trustworthy as reading first person accounts, the more contemporaneous the better, about what happened, how to conduct yourself, what you need, what you don't need.

d) As a civilian, you don't need to be part of a military organization. Every group or reenacting unit has it's plusses and minuses, it's politics and it's perks. Go to several events and meet people from different units, see how they are as people and then make a decision about whether you want to join a group. It's a perfectly valid choice to be unaffiliated with any group for a while -- but get ready to be courted and vetted. I spent the first year of reenacting just sizing up groups before finding one that fit my goals. I recommend doing the same.

Half the fun of the civilian side is that we are breaking new ground and doing things for the first time at lots of events. You've chosen a great time to get involved.

I'm sure others will chime in to give you lots of additional information,

Sincerely,
Karin Timour
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

[rbrewer]

Re: I went to Lee-Jackson day.

Mr Lotter: please fell free to contact me off-line
brewer000@aol.com( put something obvious in the subject line)
the MD DIV. SCV host a # of events like the Lee Jackson day(in the MD area) , and I am sure you would be most welcome to attend.
Sincerly
Bob Brewer

[davelotter]

Re: I went to Lee-Jackson day.

Signed by David E. Lotter