Potential Impression

[plankmaker]

Would take some serious effort to do it right, but could be fun.

Richmond Dispatch.
Wednesday morning...August 10, 1864

A bleached man.

--A few days ago the provost guard from this place brought in a deserter from the army, who had been absent from his command fifteen months, and who had eluded all efforts made for his capture by secreting himself between the ceiling and weatherboarding of the house in which he lived. The guard get a clue as to his whereabouts and commenced to tear off the ceiling where he was lodged, when the runaway crept forth from his hiding place and surrendered at discretion. His name is Shelton, and he belongs to the Thirty-eighth Virginia regiment. The man was very unlike one of our bronzed soldiers in his countenance, as well as in his heart, being bleached to an unnatural whiteness from long resting in the shade. He preferred the life of a rat to that of a soldier.--Danville (Virginia) Register.

[sbl]

Do any Goth Kids reenact?

[plankmaker]

Probably, but they would most likely prefer the CW vampire impression.

[sbl]

Ginger kids would be better although my own children were born translucent.

The actual story reminds me too much of a scene from Schindler's List.

[gambit88]

Actually I saw some goth kids at the jackson mi event. They were civilians but they were pale and full of piercings, just like the people from the 1800s. I say this in jest and hope not to offend anyone.

Gambit

[sbl]

I just saw one of those DE-motivational posters that said Goth happens when you don't hug your kids enough.

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

I was just looking at your locations, as no one has posted of the Confederate Gothic/Vampyr/Alice Cooper/Cowboy/Colonel lad and his Goth SO who stroll through mainstream events in this part of the country- known as "The Colonel."

(A nice guy by the way. Just seemingly clueless and immune to the mocking he unfortunately generates...)

CHS

[reddiamond]

I believe that I have seen this phantom.
We refer to him as "The Pale Rider."

He is as white as snow and has his hair, mustachios, and eyebrows dyed jet black.

I wouldn't let my kids near him.

Scot Buffington

[plankmaker]

Maybe he is working up to a Horace Greeley impression as he ages.

Richmond Dispatch
Friday morning...Sept. 27, 1861

Houston's Portrait of Greeley.

--Gen. Houston, in one of his political speeches, gave the following description of the editor of the New York Tribune, to whom this continent is indebted as much as to any other one man in if for the present convulsions and bloodshed.

"Horace is a most remarkable man; he is the whitest man in the world. His skin is milk-white. His hairs are white, and these are scattering. He wears a white hat and a white coat, and I must be permitted to give it to you as my candid opinion, that his liver is of the same color."

This is a remarkable white man indeed, and as extremes meet and strong attractions are often begotten by contrasts, it is not wonderful that the blackest kind of Black Republication is the master passion of the Tribune Albino, a term which was originally applied by the Portuguese to white negroes on the coast of Africa, from which race we should conjecture Horace to be descended, but that he lacks some of their redeeming qualities. It is melancholy to think that a great Republic should perish by such vermin; but through all the realms of nature, small causes often produce great effects. The work of the caterpillar may destroy the grandest tree of the forest, and as insignificant an insect as the ant undermine and overthrow the proudest structures.

[sbl]

"Jonah Begone" has a Goth Yankee...


http://wesclark.com/temp/monster_madhouse.jpg

[DColeman]

You know Steam Punk isn't too far off from Civil War reenacting! Half my clothes are my civilian wear. I wonder if I can use my Air Pirate Laser pistol at our next event?

[sbl]

I wish I was young enough to "play" Steam Punk. I've seen photos of folks playing at it in of all places, Atlanta, Ga. at Dragoncon. The wind-up brass robot woman was notable.

There are war gamers that do it with model steam tanks and air ships. Those crawling/prone miniature figures are recycled as figures flying with steam jet packs. (see the movie Steam Boy) Considering the gadgets that arrived during the 1850s and 60s CW/WBTS has possibilities for Steam Punk. Just not at what "we" do.


Original Victorian and early 20th Century Sci-Fi is fun. I've been catching up with that. John Carter is a Confederate veteran and Lieutenant Gulliver is on leave from the USN when he goes to Mars. Gulliver of Mars is on a free audiobook from Librivox. It's funny as well.

[Spinster]

Actually, its pretty easy to take bad civil war clothes (mainstream to farb) and make pretty good steampunk clothes out of them.

I troll the forsales for my cousins all the time--but I make them do their own buying. Don't know if its the same one, but I saw some dandy concept sketches of a wind up woman at one of our Nawth Gawja family reunions awhile back.....

[Rob Weaver]

There are war gamers that do it with model steam tanks and air ships.

I've written some "weird Civil War" rules and scenarios. They are fun and I can get my kids to play them with me. They;re designed to be "high play, low history" scenarios. This sort of thing allows you the permission to let all of your stereotypes run wild without doing any harm. I like to give steam cannon and metal men to the Yankees, who have gobs of money and a technological culture. The Rebels use a hefty dose of superstition and magic, as well as the chemical processes of Dr Frankenstein to produce battalions of undead. (What do you do when you don't have resources? Recycle those of your enemy!) I was inspired by ERB, and a collection of sci-fi stories called "Civil War Fantastic." Goofiest book on the Civil War I ever bought.

[sbl]

I think a wargame OR a fictional story could be concocted where elite units had Henry and Spencer carbines, Gatling Guns, an iron clad, a balloon, the telegraph, and still retain the "charm" of colorful uniforms and Victorian manners.

I see a Confederate raid on Thatchers Island off Cape Ann to put out the two light houses in an attempt to wreck the Russian Fleet.