Just wondering, how many per side?

Dave,
This event is broken on many levels. My buddies who could actually afford to set up on sutler row last weekend told me they guessed less than 700 actually showed up from the 3,500 pre-registered. I personally think the event should be every 5 years, but then again, I'm not one of the investors in the event or event site.

Everyone regardless of your social class wants to see a successful Gettysburg event. I hate titles, but all the H/C/M/F/A have mentioned to me the desire to see another 125th or 135th style event for next year.

Guess what? The event organizers want that too, but they need help. They need the leaders in the hobby who've put on better events to work with them to ensure that the 145th reenactment series doesn't die next July. They want to accomidate the authentics and make them happy with camping and battle scenarios.

Because I'm stuck on sutler row, I haven't participated in battles in about 10 years, but the vibe I'm getting is that everyone wants to see things turn around (regardless of what class we fall into).

The 145th is 12 months away. Please call on your battalion commanders to contact the Gettysburg reenactment folks within the next few weeks to ensure that next years event meets everyone's needs. Only a grass roots effort from the ground up will turn things around.
__________________
Christopher J. Daley
Shop/Office 717-263-0242 (Mon-Fri 9-5 est)
Gettysburg Store: 717-334-4429 (Fri 2-6; Sat 11-5; Sun 11-4 est)
tailor@cjdaley.com
www.cjdaley.com

Copied from the Reenactor's Forum with Mr. Daley's permission.

Unfortunately, and, IMHO, I think most C/P/Hr's have had it with trying to fix "mega" events. After A140th, something very special would have to happen for me to ever do another. I saw enough "bad things" to last a lifetime. (4 guys, with their mini van in camp, back hatch open, eating "Subway" and watching football on a 36' TV.) Don't get me wrong, and, I don't want this to devolve into an "us v them" discussion but, both hobbies need to make concessions and only one side has even tried. Now, Mr. Anders is putting on something for the G145th which I expect would be a "better event." Chris (the skinny one) requires all make concessions and, still one hobby won't attend in large numbers, which I would expect would be the same if "event standards, even if simple, were placed on G145. I don't think you'll ever get the two to meet on some agreeable ground. Then when that "Holy Grail" of common ground is met, you'll need someone with the stones to enforce it.

If you would ask me the things I'd like to see, well, here they are. Put the "mega" camps 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile away from the event site where the main sham battles would take place. Only allow authentic camps to be seen by spectators. Run a shuttle bus service, 'round and 'round those camps so, those participants would have easy access to Sutler Row and the root beer and funnel cake man. And, if spectators wanted to go see them, they would have access. Require registrations by unit and have a cut of date, no less than 6 weeks before the event, allow walk-on's to participate only as privates. Limit specialty impressions as dictated by history. Have some special impressions set up on Sutler row for education of the public, undertakers, surgeons, aid societies and such, which would be picked on historical merit, through application by the event organizers. (Someone with stones)  Then, the event organizers would organize the battalions, command and NCO structure. Each unit would be informed 4 weeks before the event, they are to provide (say there's 30members in a given unit attending) 26 privates, 1 Sergeant, 2 corporals and an Officer with the rank of 1st Lt. (for example) and, they would be serving as Co. B. 1st Federal Battalion. Another group would all be required to attend as privates, and so on. This would provide proper rank per participant and for G-burg could be easily coordinated with history. Participating units would be expected, to send all officers and NCOs, Cav, Arty and Infantry to battle walk-throughs. Those who don't show, don’t play, no exceptions. (Someone with stones) All would make a short march from camp to the battles daily. Before stepping on the field, Officer/NCO ratio's could be checked, safety inspections performed and civilians and in appropriate viviandiers(sp), flag carrying kids and the like, (historically inappropriate battle participants) sent away. A units civilians should be provided a place in the spectator area, to watch the battles, they paid too. (Someone with stones) So, there it is. And, yes, I'd want good buglers. As many good buglers as the event organizers could put on the field.

I also feel any attempt to accomplish any or all of this would be wasted time and effort. Most folks are happy with the status quo and don't even read internet forums.

As far as Chris D's numbers go; I wonder if the event organizers included advance spectator ticket sales in that 3500 number. If so, things would make sense.

Grumpy,

I've been in the Hobby for over twenty years and have attended a lot of events across the authenticity spectrum. In all that time and after all those events, nothing stands out in my mind more than Pickett's Charge at the 135th. Gettysburg. That was an experience I will never forget and may well never come again. My guess is I'm not the only one who feels that way.

There were tons of things wrong about the event, and I didn't care. It was an opportunity to reenact a major Civil War action at just about full scale. I'm over sixty now and the 145th. series of events will be my last harrah. I'd like to see one more gathering of the Clans before I hang up my leathers.  

Its always a few people that make the rest look bad!

We are mainstream, and though not perfect we do most everything as it should... I say not everything because things like our dishes are not perfect

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We are mainstream, and though not perfect we do most everything as it should... I say not everything because things like our dishes are not perfect

Assuming "as you should" means "as it was done historically" rather than "as the hobby expects it done"...

I think it's relative. People may not even realize what's possible if they haven't seen something else. And it's easier to think how right things are, if you're comparing yourself to other reenactors rather than the real past.

I would be absolutely stunned to see someone doing "most everything as they should" at a c/p/h reenactment, let alone a mainstream one, because there are so many unavoidable barriers to accuracy due to site and regulatory issues, let alone the barriers voluntarily created.

That's not to say that mainstream or inaccurate reenacting is "bad." It's just that the more you know, the more obviously wrong things there are, and the more you're at events where people are trying to push the envelope in accuracy, the more potential you become aware of. So it's harder to claim how right you are.

I can name dozens of things I do "wrong" at every event, way more obvious than dishes not being perfect. I'm assuming we're talking about china with the wrong backmark or a slightly modern pattern, not styrofoam. But the things I'm talking about are invisible if you're not looking at the hobby from a different perspective.

Just as examples:

--Using a porta potty instead of sinks or outhouse: wrong.
--Civilians living in military tents: 99% of the time, wrong.
--Modern food containers, even if "hidden": wrong.
--Camping in sight of the enemy without being constantly alert or afraid: wrong.
--Modern chit chat: wrong.
--Shopping at "sutlers" during the event (unless you're military and they're selling non-issued items and you're using period money): wrong.
And so forth...

I'd say only about half the events I attend eliminate all of those problems, and even with those gone, there are lots more yet.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

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hanktrent wrote :   I would be absolutely stunned to see someone doing "most everything as they should" at a c/p/h reenactment, let alone a mainstream one, because there are so many unavoidable barriers to accuracy due to site and regulatory issues, let alone the barriers voluntarily created. Hank Trent hanktrent@voyager.net

Hank,

It seems to me that it really comes down to the compromises you are willing to make to get what you want from the Hobby.

Since this thread was about Gettysburg, I'll use the 135th. as an example. Just amagine if this event had been truly "authentic". There would have been twenty thousand troops, moving around the battlefield and sleeping on their arms at the conclusion of the actions. No porta potties and water details to fetch water from God only knows where. I've attended 300 man events where this has worked out just fine. I may be wrong, but I don't think anybody believes a Gettysburg mega-event could ever be run like a "War on the James", "Paynes Farm", or "Rich Mountain", for any number of reasons.

It seems to be a fact of life that the bigger an event, the more compromises have to be made. Each individual has to make a decision, as to where the compromises outweigh his or her needs, objectives, and dare I say it, fun.

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It seems to be a fact of life that the bigger an event, the more compromises have to be made. Each individual has to make a decision, as to where the compromises outweigh his or her needs, objectives, and dare I say it, fun.

I totally agree. *Every* event and every impression has compromises. If we're talking about what's close enough to still be enjoyable or what gives someone the illusion of the past, there's not really anything to dispute, because it's their personal opinion of what's a good way to spend a weekend.

But at the same time, there really is an objective historical reality, which I hate to see ignored.

If someone says that what they're doing is good enough to give them the illusion of the past, there's nothing to say but "Great!" That's what we're all in the hobby for.

But if they also claim that it really is close to the past, then that's a statement that can be discussed. I've heard it again and again over the years, and almost invariably, I find out it's not because someone really has come stunningly breathtakingly close (which I keep hoping for because it would be awesome to spend a weekend with them if they'd let me). It's because they're comparing themselves to the conventions and standards of other reenactors they've encountered, rather than the real past.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net