I'm new to all of this. I've actually always been a history buff and always wanted to get involved. Now I have an additional reason to - my theatre is putting on a production of "The Civil War".

I'm still trying to figure out exactly how all of this works. Can someone please tell me what my options as a lady are? Don't know if it matters, but I'm single and in my late 20's. (In other words, wouldn't have a husband that was involved)

Could someone please fill me in on what my options for involvement are? Thanks!

I reenact as a civilian, so I'm generally around women during events, and it totally depends on the kind of event. Some, the women camp in wall tents in or near military camp, cook for the men, shop, perhaps do demonstrations and talk about historic activities or crafts to the public during the day, maybe attend lectures or a tea or take pictures of the battle. There may be a ball or reenactor get-together dinner in the evening.

At other events, like the one my wife and I are attending in Missouri next month, the women (and men) are expected to try to live and behave for a couple days based on a specific historic situation, in that case fleeing from the approaching army carrying what they can. At other similar events it might mean working at a job such as managing an inn or being a maid or running a household with servants or caring for wounded soldiers, or whatever the specific event has planned.

So what's allowed/expected really depends on the event and/or group you're with, and what events you or they attend. The second kind of events I named usually take individual registrations and will pair you up with others for the event--for example, in Missouri, you could be a relative of my wife, and at an upcoming event in Westville that my wife isn't attending, I have a job (gardener) for a couple who's my boss and another servant.

The first kind of event often requires membership in a group, or at least the event itself won't generally assist in pairing you up with others, so you're more on your own unless you find a group to join.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

Weel since you are in Georgia, you may want to plan to attend Sparks of Seccesion.  It is a great civilian event option.  Just don't plan to wear a ball dress, plan to come with a working class impression.  There is lost of info on the event webpage at:
www.geocities.com/scar_civilwar/WestvilleIndex

Good luck,
Jim Butler

Georgia Belle,

Your tasks will vary with time and place and what particular event is being represented.    At various events I have:

Done laundry
Made stockings, shirts, and a variety of other clothing
Done mending
Run a spinning wheel, weaving loom, other home textile equipment
Sheared sheep, washed wool
Hidden from the military, fled my home
Sought compensation for damaged property
Sold food to the military
Taught school
Planted a garden
Rode horses/wagons
Dealt with an occupied homestead, and wounded in my barn over the span of the whole event.

And at the upcoming Sparks of Secession that Mr. Butler is hosting, I'll be dyeing wool with period dyes as part of a functioning town--I'll have to rise early to get my work done, as a lot of other things will be happening in town during the course of the event.  

Most of the units you will encounter in the general course of the hobby will be military organizations.  Many of them either do not have female members, and those that do allow them may not welcome a single female.  

My particular civilian-only organization has a number of single ladies involved, frequents large events as group throughout the southeast,  as well as doing the kind of individual registration events that Hank mentions.    I'd be happy to talk with you  further by phone or private message.