Do You Galvanize?

[indguard]

It actually angers me when someone refuses to ever "galvanize." I think EVERY reenactor should have a federal kit and a confederate kit and should do both. Period. Folks the war is OVER and we should be honoring both sides. It's just that simple.

WTH
The EqualOpportunists mess

[Frederick14Va]

Our own unit is both dual impressions as well as galvanizes. We have both Confederate and Federal unit specific impressions, but also flexible enough that we can genericly by design fall in and portray most any unit as needed. Founded on the principle of Historians First. Yes we also heard the grandpappy spinning in the grave statements. I myself have over 40 ancestors that wore grey, but we place it that we are portraying history. Wearing either is not an automatic personal endorsement of any period or modern political issue, nor abandonment of ones personal heritage.

This stance combined with when the economy went to pot.. and fewer and fewer native Federal units were making the trips as before, we quickly were found to be in much greater demand, and invites. Early on in prior CS units got tired of being "in reserve".. fire two shots.. move out of the way for others.... rotating forces for battles.... due to very lopsided ratios... Also was quite goofy to watch 30 Federals... attack and route 600 entrenched Confederates.... How was that honoring anything or even portraying anything remote to history... Besides doubling ones program and event opportunities.... The Park service tends to really like units that can do many different things...

Decades past frequently heard pards sit and complain that the other side did or didnt do this or that... I personally say dont complain untill you put on the other brogans and go see ones own viewed from the other side... Once they get to see what their own does and doesnt do... gives a great prospective of the field that they normally never get to see... they tend to be rather quiet thereafter about it...lol...

Some units mandate dual-galvanized impressions, others are placed at individual choice and option. Ive actually found more recruits doing both, than past units mustered only doing one.. Yes we still get crap from other regional units that dont.. but I normally say if we didnt.. you wouldnt have anyone at all to shoot at in many smaller events... The strong demand that it is now, we about portray Federal as much as Confederate now.... We traveled to BGA-Shiloh, as Federals... had a great time with Vincents Brigade and the Army of the Ohio guys.... Some sit whine and complain... We chose to be part of a solution...

Just an opinion and observation
(35 year reenactment veteran)

[akcampaigner]

For my part I portray, Confederates, Federals, and civilians. Frankly, I am up to doing just about any 19th century impression from both pre and post-war periods. There is so much interesting history and details from these three aspects that I personally do not see the need to limit ones impression to one side or the other.

All the best,

[Bear Flagger]

I notice a difference some are talking about having a dual impression, and others are galvanizing. It seems that when you galvanize you wait until you get to the event to decide your impression. Those with a duel impression decide before the event. At least that is how I see the course of this thread.

[mike44thva]

Yep. Some guys in my unit don't like to, but I'd rather have closer ratios to the actual battle than say "hey, we got more gray this weekend because noone wanted to come south of D.C." or vice versa. I know some units have in their By-Laws that they cannot galvinize, and thats their choice, doesn't bother me, but then I don't feel they can say anything when ratios are waaaay out of control (like 800 CS vs. 200 US).

I plan to go to Perryville on my own, so I'm going Federal since I started in a Fed. unit in KY. Hopefully I'll visit the cornfield again and think back to when I first started in this hobby.

As far as my family, I don't think any of my ancestors mind that I reenact both sides, even the 2 Generals.

As usual, just my $0.02, take it for what its worth.

[TheQM]

It goes both ways. At the Neshaminy event the Confederates are usually outnumbered by two to one. The event would be better if more Federals were willing to galvanize. (Many thanks to those guys from the USV, who galvanize for the event every year.)

[reddcorp]

I notice a difference some are talking about having a dual impression, and others are galvanizing. It seems that when you galvanize you wait until you get to the event to decide your impression. Those with a duel impression decide before the event. At least that is how I see the course of this thread.

Going back to the original concept, one reads of "galvanized Yankees" meaning Confederate prisoners who, rather than sit in a prisoner of war camp, chose to take the oath of allegiance and become Union soldiers, generally fighting Indians out West. I've not seen a use of this for "galvanized Rebs."
But, my unit is basically a Confederate one, but we often portray Federal, either for an entire event, or for a part of one, as in the recent Shiloh's Sunday scenario. Many units have alter/ego nomenclatures. Whether we arrive and portray our alterego or change mid-event, I consider that "galvanizing". But perhaps there is a distinction between dual-identity and galvanizing, but the nuance escapes me.

A.W. Redd

[Anders]

Dual impression here....and wish I could get in more blue, honestly.

Pards,

[IrishRifles]

I'm wondering how many do foreign, like British military observers?

[PMB1861]

Well, I don't generally go to events so poorly planned that they need to ask for units to switch their side in the course of the event. I know how hard it is for event organizers, but when they set and enforce force ratios from the beginning there isn't a need to have units bring in two sets of clothes to support the event.

This year, was definately more Federal than Confederate... but the march from Fort Henry to Fort Donelson was one for the record book.