Ok so what mainstream reenactorisms get on your nerves?

Joseph,

Let's be carefull, this could easily become an us vs. them thread which is not what we would want here.

That was surely not my intention. I posted the same topic over on the C/P/H board as well pertaining to there reenactorisms.

There use to be a list of like the top 10 and I can't find them anymore.  

I understood where you were going, I was afraid of where someone else might take it.

Maybe I can start witht the inverted US buckle to indicate Sounthern Nation, please somebody show me the documentation for that one.

Funny, I read Grumpy Dave's list of CPH reenactorisms and many of them could just as well be listed as "Reenactor Reenactorisms". We're all guilty as charged.  

A few things on the Mainstream side of the house that drive me crazy:

1. Telling a visitor that the camp was exactly how the soldier's lived, while standing in front of an open wedge tent on the Company Street, that contains a cot and cooler.

2. Egg crates by the fire. (Gremilins drop them off in the middle of the night.)

3. Twenty man companies with three officers and four NCO's.

Bill, more times than not, a captain or a lieutentant were the only officers in a company.  Especially later in the war.  Overstaffed events get my number one vote!

In my mainstream unit we generally have a captain, a lieutenant if numbers are sufficient, a 1st sgt, and one or two corporals max. As far as elected there are three officers in our unit (one is on the Brigade staff), one 1st Sgt. and 3 corporals but they do not all serve in those roles at every event we base the need on the numbers that show up

If we are officer heavy one usually works on the staff or becomes a private for the weekend. Likewise if we need more than the sergeant or corporal(s) that show up it is usually a brevet that is placed (although a private I have served as a corporal and 2nd Sgt. at events where it was needed).

Rank is a never ending problem and not always because people are trying to abuse history. Thirty people register for an event and only fifteen show up. Plans were made and rank set, based on registration and guess who shows up, the officers and NCO's. They got their jobs because they are responsible and committed to the unit.

The 1st. BN, ANV has a policy that all officers and NCO's, to include the Battalion Commander, bring a private's kit to all events. Doesn't solve the problem, but it helps.  

1. Civilian town- with everything but the kitchen sink, (and have seen that too).
2. Hidden portable tv  in a tent, so they could watch the college footbal games.

I shall endevor to tread very lightly here as should all. Everyone has the right to enjoy their hobby. After all it is a hobby and we call it a hobby because we enjoy doing it; right? At even the first hint on an "us v them" argument starting, I will make this thread go away.

Bagpipes and kilts. I know there were folks with Scottish background on both sides. In a parade I can understand (In a post war veterans parade I can really understand) but, on the field, on campaign? Common sense says that type of clothing would be very impractical. And, we all know how practical the boys of 186x were. Got historical backup?

I have a great "A" tent story. Let me paraphrase. Group representing a Confederate Battery, LH at the Earwax Museum in Gettysburg. Me in shorts and a t-shirt.(oK now you're all sick)


"Every two men had a tent like that."
"How many guns in a battery?"
"4"
"Where did the boys carry their tents?"
"They put them on the guns and chests."
"Poles too?"
"Yes"
"How many men in a battery?"
"Well the record shows our battery had around 110."
"Your telling me, they carried 55 tents and their poles on 4 guns and 4 cassions?"

Dead Silence. Reality had set in. Guess why they call me "Grumpy?"

You don't have to march 10 miles in the rain and spend $2500 on your kit. You can love to spend time with your family. You should enjoy weekends with your friends. But you should know your history and, not be afraid to say you don't. "I'm not sure but, let's ask so and so," goes a long way.

BTW, there's a great article in the CRRC I called, "Playing Paddy Right," by my good friend Kevin O'Beirne.

Grumpy,

Your example of the artillery tents is not unusual. There's no sin in wanting to be comfortable at an event. The sin is trying to let on to vistors that this is how Civil War soldiers lived. Trust me, the spectators understand we aren't real soldiers. Heck, most of them think we are heros for spending the night in our tents and cooking over an open fire!

1.  Beer parties.....I could care less if someone has one or one hundred. But the rest of us shouldn't know you're doing it. It is, after all, an army we're portraying. And, as in most mainstream camps, there are women and children present. Not much of an example being set when a kegger is a big part of the event.

2. This question: "It's hot, do we have to wear jackets?"

Mark

Quote :

Bill wrote : ...and cooking over an open fire!

I'd really like to learn how to do that some day.

Bless their hearts, there are a select few people floating around in this hobby who think reenactment rank is real.  It is not make-believe, pretend stuff to them.  They are protective of what they have and want more of it.  

Is it possible this hobby affords those individuals a level of success that is missing from their real world life?

Quote :

Curtis Makamson wrote : Bless their hearts, there are a select few people floating around in this hobby who think reenactment rank is real.  It is not make-believe, pretend stuff to them.  They are protective of what they have and want more of it.   Is it possible this hobby affords those individuals a level of success that is missing from their real world life?

I have known a few of those over the years. One fellow actually had personal stationary for today's use with his civil war rank etc....also, a number of years ago at an event at Ft Pickett in Va, one civil war colonel called the base and wanted private rooms since he was an officer and the real army fellows had to laugh over his request and the civil war colonel was quite serious about the whole matter.

I think you have hit the button, some fellows and hopefully very few, actually believe their rank is real. Me, I would rather be in the ranks and having some mint tea with Grumpy Dave and it is quite good.

The mint is about 3 inches high...soon, very soon...

I'd like to mention the Ebufulyptus plants are in that same height range, too. Growing amongst the flower garden rocks between the driveway and the bunker gives them a head start. Hmmmm, I'm pretty sure Ethiopian Tonic is not an approved vendor...

Speaking of Reenactorisms, it's pretty well accepted that four to six soldiers slept in Common Tents. I did the math last night and I'm wondering if that's true. According to the QM specs, a common tent was 6'10" long and 8'4" wide at the base. With six men in a tent, each man would have a space 1'4" wide and 6'10" long for himself and his gear. I don't care how skinny you are, that ain't much room. Spooning would reduce the area even more, since you'd have to be farther from the edge of the tent.

Four men per tent is a much more workable number. In that case, each man had a space 2' wide and 6' 10" long.

Any thoughts?  

Quote :

Bill wrote : Speaking of Reenactorisms, it's pretty well accepted that four to six soldiers slept in Common Tents. I did the math last night and I'm wondering if that's true. According to the QM specs, a common tent was 6'10" long and 8'4" wide at the base. With six men in a tent, each man would have a space 1'4" wide and 6'10" long for himself and his gear. I don't care how skinny you are, that ain't much room. Spooning would reduce the area even more, since you'd have to be farther from the edge of the tent. Four men per tent is a much more workable number. In that case, each man had a space 2' wide and 6' 10" long. Any thoughts?

Bill

This could be a misunderstanding but I thought it was 4-6 men in the tent and if there were 6 men, 2 would be on duty while 4 rested and then they would rotate out so that you wouldn't have more than 4 in there at one time.  Not sure where I heard that nugget.  It might even be a reenactorism or myth.. not sure, but it made sense to me and seems to work in theory.

I'd bet in the winter time, they'd shove 12 guys together in an A tent if they could.