The Mutterings of a old Pard.

[Spinster]

Mistah Samp,

I can still do those lyrics start to finish, as long as my hair is curly enough. It's the jumping up and down part in the draft office that's harder for me.........and yes, my only child is named Alice.

The push for less powder burning also demands another step, at least to me, and adds a meaningful dimension. So often, we do not take the effort required to research a unit, find it's casualty list, and issue name specific fate cards. That keys your 'hit rate' to appropriate levels.

Three years ago, at the Westville Georgia series of events I 'saw' a particular man march off amoung the unit recruits. Further research told me he was an orphan and a batchelor. A year into the war he is dead. I wonder if anyone mourned him in 1862. I do know that today, I think of him often, wonder what his life was, working at his trade, wonder about his hopes and dreams before the war swept that all away.

I cannot mourn him as a friend, son, or brother. But I can continue to value his life, what little I know of it, and know that this one is not forgotten in the dust. He echoes in my memory as much as those fresh faced young men who were my schoolmates, whose graves I tend at home. In my mind they are still young, and dusty worn letters tell me they are Still in Saigon.

[S.D.Swart]

My options are so wide open, now that I do not belong to a "unit", but instead just hang out with pards. I have become a member of the WFB commissary, and will be going to Maryland my Maryland, with some old pards this year. Anthing else I do, is more of a whim, based on time and if there is something interesting to visit in the area. I might in the future try to start authenic commissary for Battalion size events, but in the meantime just kick back and enjoy cooking for myself in the field. I got a S hook, bailing wire through my large cup, a small tin pan to fry things in and or use as my plate. Everythng a fellow needs to cook with. The S hook is used on my ramrod hung over the fire by two stout split pieces of wood. I so enjoy field cooking.

[Jwhitley]

Mr. Swart,

I'm in a similar position to you. I tore the living crap out of my back, neck and head playing football. While I've always considered myself a campaigner, it's getting to the point that sleeping directly on the ground is no longer an option (back spasms and migraines tend to put a damper on the next day's activities). Hopefully we can both figure out an option that doesn't make us pariahs.

[Rob Weaver]

The hobby has gone in the direction of 24-hour events for a long time, and a lot of the focus on soldier life has been on how to live with a tent, pack and haversack. I sleep on the ground at most of the events I attend, but I have been blessed with exceptionally good health. We need to continue to make room for people who for reasons of health or choice, choose to do their sleeping in a hotel room or RV. I'm not an event organizer, just a lowly 2nd sergeant, but I think planning "endex" times in when people who need to cut loose for their place of lodging and firm start-up times in the morning are part of the answer. I've slept in my car plenty of times, but then again, being pretty small, it's been fairly comfortable. Is the quality of the event really improved by where you sleep? Philosophically, we need to stop looking down our noses at people who don't "rough it" and just realize that for a number of reasons that doesn't work for them.

[hanktrent]

Is the quality of the event really improved by where you sleep? Philosophically, we need to stop looking down our noses at people who don't "rough it" and just realize that for a number of reasons that doesn't work for them.

In answer to that question, I'd say yes. If an event must be set up so that significant numbers of people can easily get to their cars, RVs, or whatever at a designated time, then it limits open-ended maneuvering, the ability to hold events away from parking lots in primitive areas, etc., and/or requires more work from the organizers to run four-wheelers or trucks to transport participants away at night and return them in the morning, and that also impacts others' experience. So I'd hate to see every event be required to be handicapped-friendly.

Some events naturally do lend themselves to having participants leave at night, such as encampments in forts or on historic ground that's now in the midst of a modern town, or mainstream-style battle reenactments where once the battle's over, everyone's on their own anyway. Ironically, those events also lend themselves to the most comfortable sleeping accomodations anyway, if a person can cope with a cot, say, but not the ground.

The other option, for those who aren't physically fit but still want to enjoy an equal level of accuracy, is to create more events that aren't about soldiers on campaign, but that have the same accuracy level as "campaign" events. People did a lot more than march in the 1860s, and the other solution is to stop looking down our noses at them, as if only the physically fit are worth remembering, and remember their lives too.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[LibertyHallVols]

Great points, Hank!

One can also "camp on campaign", as we did at Shiloh with the 15th/16th Iowa. Though we were on the open ground on Friday, Saturday found us sleeping in Sibley tents with an assortment of comforts, and well-fed, too.

There are a lot of opportunities out there for great scenarios, even for folks who'd rather not sleep out in the open. Guarding supplies, cooking rations, recruit/muster/drill scenarios, occupation of a town, building earthworks/roads/latrines, and many more. If a feller wants to see pards at an event, he could always take on a civilian impression and portray a local civilian selling goods to make some money for his family, or a visitor from "back home" bringing mail and catching up with friends.

I have pondered taking on a civilian impression (such as those mentioned above) for some events as a way to introduce my kids to the hobby.
...but that's a topic for another thread.

[S.D.Swart]

Since I started this post, the responses have been great. I have gotten away from tents and cots, and gone to the more Campaign approach, but included a very small inflatable pad, that just covers me from the head to the hips. Fits inside my pack or roll, and under my oil cloth or blanket. It is enough for me to be able to sleep without too much pain (a broken back, hip and leg with do that). I do not expect others to follow me, but there are many heathly reenactors out there that do not even try. Which is part of my point. For those like myself that have age, and or ailments that keep them out of the campaign life, as mentioned there is a huge variety of different ways to be part of the hobby, and I am starting to enjoy some of them this year. Sadly it will not be with my old unit, because many took offense at this topic, thinking I was targeting them, instead of seeing it as a hobby issue. All I can say is time to move on. I am tired of trying to walk on eggshells to please others, rather it is time to ENJOY the hobby in the fullest way I can.

Best wishes to all, and thank you.

S.D.Swart

[Rob Weaver]

Hank: Yeah, you're right. I guess I wouldn't take my own advice as far as you were running it out. What I meant is that we should consider that there will be individuals who might need to cut loose from the event and make it possible for them to do that.