Nashville | 29 Jul 2018 10:47 a.m. PST |
The Decline of the Civil War Re-enactor link I'm not sure this is all that accurate |
d effinger | 29 Jul 2018 11:50 a.m. PST |
Well here, we have under gone a change of members. It happens all the time. I know when I started in 1989 the group had about 15 active members but 40 on paper. That shot up to 45 active members 8 years later and then took a nose dive about 6 years after that. Now there are about 15 active members again. When I say active I mean guys that show up to between 15-20 events (school programs, parades, 'other events', reenactments and living history programs locally) per year. |
Memento Mori | 29 Jul 2018 1:08 p.m. PST |
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robert piepenbrink | 29 Jul 2018 1:14 p.m. PST |
Be nice to see an article on an actively-growing hobby sometime. Of course, when historical miniature warfare was growing, press attention was minimal, and they never had much to say about re-enacting. Maybe they only do declines? |
Battle Phlox | 29 Jul 2018 1:45 p.m. PST |
The hobby doesn't have the same numbers it once had but it is hardly dead. I know our local club is growing, albeit a bit slow. |
Murphy | 29 Jul 2018 2:45 p.m. PST |
I've been doing the hobby since the mid 1980's. The last unit I was in, at one time could put almost 70 rifles in the field full strength. Sometimes our company alone outnumbered all of the union troops we were opposing. But people change jobs, relocate, marry/divorce/remarry, go to college, join the real mility, have kids, or die…or sometimes they just lose interest or it's no longer fun for them. I've seen it happen. The same company that put 70 in the field at one battle could barely muster 8 for out last activity. Plus the fact that we are getting hit with PC stuff. The last Conner Prairie event we had, we had the event director come out and tell us that he "appreciated everything we were doing, and was very happy with all we were doing, but had a favor to ask and that request was NOT to fly Confederate flags…" Yeah…imagine…no confederate flags at a Civil War reenactment. The times….they are a changin….. |
ZULUPAUL | 29 Jul 2018 3:08 p.m. PST |
Yes Murphy they are changing. At one event the troops were not allowed to carry rifles, they could only do drill. What a waste. I was annoyed. |
ZULUPAUL | 29 Jul 2018 3:09 p.m. PST |
Oh but they had a big display of "Dresses of the Civil War". Go figure. |
Ceterman | 29 Jul 2018 4:46 p.m. PST |
Good article. Well written & true. I'm from the South. I've been a History nut my whole life. Dad fought Nazis. Came of age during the Centennial of the ACW. Joined the CS Cav, bought a horse, trailer all that kit. I was there from 1986 thru 2000. Met some great folks, had a blast. Wouldn't trade that time for the World. I got out because, even back then, attitudes were changin. And getting spit at by idiots in the crowd for doing Union (because EVERYONE wanted to do the underdogs) was kinda the last straw for me. But hold on boys, it looks as tho the your "good ole days" may be comin back your way… smfh |
Okiegamer | 29 Jul 2018 5:50 p.m. PST |
It's amazing how many reenactors are also miniatures wargamers! It may be true that the mainstream side of the hobby is declining, but that's not the whole story. There is an authentic side that, although still relatively small in numbers, is growing and prospering. link |
Allen57 | 29 Jul 2018 7:00 p.m. PST |
I tried it because of a great interest in our Civil War but a: the drill sargeants were assholes. b. the uniform was very uncomfortable. c. I only got to fire my rifle once in two years. |
robert piepenbrink | 29 Jul 2018 7:42 p.m. PST |
Allen57 are you sure that was re-enacting? Sounds a lot like my time in the Army, and I got a free uniform and was paid for it. Murphy, have you thought about keeping Hardee or Polk flags for backup? |
warwell | 30 Jul 2018 2:23 a.m. PST |
As the article mentioned, the Civil War was something of a 90s fad, spurred by the movie Glory and Ken's Burns's Civil War series. I got into re-enacting at the time but my interest waned over time. |
Old Wolfman | 30 Jul 2018 7:03 a.m. PST |
My old unit(the 9th KY) used the Hardee's Corps flag or the First National/Stars & Bars. Another I know(the 1st TN)usually uses the Polk's corps flag. My main challenges in that hobby were transportation(never learned how to drive) and more recently,arthritis in both knees. More or less retired now from it. |
Trajanus | 21 Sep 2018 5:14 a.m. PST |
People get old Yeah and me too. If you take a close look at all those who participated in the "Gettysburg" movie you can see lots of folks there who were already at the upper end or past the proverbial "military age". Given that was 25 years ago it should come as no surprise there's been some natural wastage. The world and interests have changed over the years and portraying the period is an expensive pastime. I hope it stays strong as valuable insight and information has spun out of it for everyone. |
deadhead | 16 Jan 2019 10:13 a.m. PST |
CGI. Anyone with a laptop can reproduce Pickett's Charge or Vicksburg….from the comfort of their home, without dressing up, without getting wet, cold or bitten
Above all without constantly having to fork out for a new rig, as the waist belt curiously seems to be shrinking every year
What a shame |
deadhead | 16 Jan 2019 10:14 a.m. PST |
CGI. Anyone with a laptop can reproduce Pickett's Charge or Vicksburg….from the comfort of their home, without dressing up, without getting wet, cold or bitten Above all without constantly having to fork out for a new rig, as the waist belt curiously seems to be shrinking every year
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