Unit portrayals

[Joey12thga]

Hello

I have been detailed with helping a unit develop a new federal impression. Now we have it narrowed down to a few but what I wish to know is if anyone already portrays the following units. Thanks ahead.

9th, 10th, 17th Kentucky infantry

10th, 79th, 82nd, 84th Indiana

[OVI]

I know of a Ninth KY Federal company that operates out of the Murfreesboro TN area. Mainstreamers.


Kent Dorr
"Devils Own Mess"

[Joey12thga]

OK cool then, that's one unit out of the way.

[Rob Weaver]

Wow - us vs. them in less than one post. That must be record.
I'm sorry, I don't have any familiarity with the units about which you've questioned, either the originals or the recreated. Just couldn't restrain myself.

[Jim of the SRR]

Joey,

I don't recommend choosing any specific unit to portray as a guiding impression for any unit. Since each event changes, so do the event organizers specific guiding impression for each event. I would set up a generic guideline for your group. This can act as a base impression that may need to modified slightly for certain events. Being in the deep south I would recommend a basic, Western Federal impression (Atlanta campaign time-frame seems the best to start). Good luck.

Jim Butler
SRR www.geocities.com/saltriverrifles

[tompritchett]

Wow - us vs. them in less than one post. That must be record.

How does merely stating the fact that a unit is mainstream is "us vs. them"? Is the fact that the person making the post is a campaigner and, therefore, when he is stating that a unit is "mainstreamer" he is automatically attacking it? If that indeed is your interpretation, I would submit that your automatic assumption and the implication of your response makes it the true "us vs. them" post in this thread.

[Joey12thga]

Joey,

I don't recommend choosing any specific unit to portray as a guiding impression for any unit. Since each event changes, so do the event organizers specific guiding impression for each event. I would set up a generic guideline for your group. This can act as a base impression that may need to modified slightly for certain events. Being in the deep south I would recommend a basic, Western Federal impression (Atlanta campaign time-frame seems the best to start). Good luck.

Jim Butler
SRR www.geocities.com/saltriverrifles

Hello Jim,

I have fought that battle with the group I am helping. Apparently they have to have a designation in there umbrella group. Overall I am pushing them to have a genric western Federal impression anywho, they just want to figure out who is portraying who so as not to be confused when they do have a regimental/company designation.

[tompritchett]

I don't recommend choosing any specific unit to portray as a guiding impression for any unit.

There are pro's and con's to both sides to portraying a specific unit. However, even when portraying a specific unit, the safest bet is pick time periods when that unit's impression would be the most generic because of the reasons that Jim has already mentioned. The two primary advantages of having a unit designation/impression are allowing the reenactors to become more connected to those that they are honoring because they are studying one group in greater depth. This information can then be brought out during Living Histories - the other time when, IMHO, having a unit impression may be more advantageous than just a generic impression.

Just my 2 cents on the subject.

[Rob Weaver]

Sorry, I guess the "well that's one unit out of the way" response that rubbed my fur incorrectly. As far as unit specific portrayals, we concentrate on the Iron Brigade, especially the 7th Wisconsin. Really, for most events that simply means that we wear our Black Hats. The only "early war" distinctive for us is the few months in 1862 in which the Brigade wore gaiters. There is a certain appropriate espirit de corps which comes from researching and gaining familiarity with one unit rather than the "generic" unit.

[Ky1sgt]

We potray the 10th Ky US Co A and the 5th Ky Co. B CS. Both units were formed in the central Ky area and we have members who have ancestors that fought in one or the other. That was one of the deciding factors on the units we potray.

Brian Weatherbee