Fortunately, in my initial research online to find reenactment dates, I found out that a Living History Day and reenactment was scheduled in a park near Philadelphia in Schwenksville at Pennypacker Mills. A detailed schedule listed such events as Artillery demonstration, How to be a soldier, Author presentation about General Webb, Music presentation, Union dress parade, and a battle reenactment. At the 2 day event, the reenacters dress as they would have in 1860s, men, women, even children. They camp in authentic tents, use replica muskets, shoot real artillery guns. Don't know what they eat!My first question to plan for the day was to the organizer of the event asking rather sheepishly (if that can be conveyed in an email) whether I, as a visitor, could attend the event. Could I approach the men and women in 'costume'. How delighted to know that I was more than welcome both to the event, but to ask questions of the participants.
A beautiful hot day in June, I could see the tent camps from the road, and the 'union regiment' hanging outside their tents. Up the hill were the confederate tents, but most of the living history displays near the park mansion were near the union camp. I arrived in time for the band playing civil war music, that familiar light sound of the high trills of the flute and the percussion so reminiscent of the marches of the time. Living history displays included hat box construction, a forge, ribbon making, ribbon flowers.
Since there was no real Civil War history here, I could concentrate on the whys and wherefores of how these events are structured.
First, how do the reenacters become involved in this lifestyle? Many have relatives who lived through, fought in, were imprisoned by, died, in the war whether the north or south. Some were history teachers who had other family members that brought them into the fold.
Second, how are the groups structured? To my surprise, they are grouped in regiments named for actual regiments from the war. In some cases, if during a reenactment, there are not enough of one side or another, they might 'trade places' and fight for the other side. For the most part, though, they committed to a regiment that acted like family.
During the Union dress parade, the solders marched in formation commanded by what seemed to be captains. Then then stopped in front of the colonel figure. The soldiers tested the guns, which I realized was not for show. These guns needed to be tested to make sure they were safe for the men and for bystanders. My next question came as I wondered how the ranks were determined. "Time served", I was told. Those who stay in the group and show leadership rise in the ranks. I met the 'general' of the Confederate artillery battery, which is a group that must be well trained and coordinated to shoot the cannons correctly. The General was well respected, several of his men praising his expertise to me.
And that is where I heard an inkling of what it might mean to be sympathetic to the south. One of the Confederate soldiers wanted me to know that not all the regiments surrendered at Appomattox. I had not read enough at that point to understand, but I understood that he wanted me to know there was another side to the story.The battle, such as it was, took about 20 minutes. I heard that on Saturday, the Confederates won, on Sunday, the Union. No one seemed to die, one person was 'injured'.
