A Letter to the Recruit

Dear Recruit,

If you are looking at this page, you might have been thinking about joining a reenacting unit. You might still be looking for the right one, or maybe you're thinking about it for the first time. Well, hopefully, your search has ended. Sykes' Regulars would like to invite you to join us in our pursuit of bringing the history of the Civil War to life. In the other pages of this site you will learn more about our identity but now you should be informed about the incredible hobby you are thinking about joining. You undoubtedly have an interest in history already. You’ve probably read countless books on the Civil War and visited some of the more well known battlefields. But your interest has led you to think about how to take your passion for history a step further. The answer is 'living history'.

What is a living historian? A living historian is an amateur historian who interprets and teaches history in a whole new way. He or she reproduces a person from a point in time and brings them to life by imitating as authentically as possible the dress and manner of the period. Then, interacts with others to recreate a scene that represents our history. We expose to the audience (as far as it is in our power to do) what it was like back then and maybe make them think about what those people did and how it affects us today. Ostensibly this is why we reenact. To teach. But it is hardly the only benefit. As reenactors we travel several times a month to places where monumental events have occurred. We live in the outdoors for a weekend and camp under the stars. We have the opportunity to meet interesting people from all over the country and from all walks of life doing the same things that we love to do. But the most incredible aspect of this hobby is the connection that we make with the people of the past and the people who surround us today. We are able to touch that common human thread that we sometimes lose especially in these fast paced modern times. Once you become a member you join a close knit family. Friends become comrades. Brothers in Arms. You rely on one another and together you honor the memory of a group of men that sacrificed all for their country and did it with the cool professionalism of the US Regular.

             There is great pride in being a Regular

While representing the past an interesting phenomenon occurs. We encounter times during events when our minds let us play with the notion that we have indeed traveled to the past. We call these ‘moments’. They usually only last for a fraction of a second but in that ‘moment’ when there is nothing around us to tell us we aren’t there, we immerse ourselves in the 19th century and we are there. They come in different forms and in different ways but they are truly sublime. Once you experienced one you find yourself anticipating the next. And it is at this point that you realize you have become a living historian. So welcome recruit. We hope you'll join us in bringing the Civil War out of the history books and into today's reality.
See you on the field of honor.

First Step

Fill out the form below and let us know who you are and that you are interested in becoming a Regular and you would like more information. The Recruiting officers will send you a recruiting pack if you wish with a membership application enclosed. Feel free to get in touch with any of the regional recruiting contacts listed on the Recruiting Contacts Page with any questions you might have about the unit and the hobby in general.

Once you have made contact with us we can arrange to give you a trial run in the field. We can put you in a uniform and get you up to speed in the school of the soldier (how to march and fight) and you'll see what we're are all about and what it's like to be a Regular. Don't worry about accommodations, you'll be taken care of. All you have to do is show up and we'll make it our business to make sure that your visit to the Civil War is everything you imagined and more.

This information will be forwarded to the Recruiting officers of the Second US First Sgt. Frank Hall and the fourth US First Sgt. Jason McConnell.

Enter your name:
Email address:
Street Address:
Phone number:
Message:

Email: 2nd US ~ 4th US

These are some excellent books to start reading
to become familiar with the Regular soldier:

The Regular Division, T. Reese
Ten Years in the Ranks
The Regular Army on the Eve of the Civil War
Hardtack & Coffee
Customs of Service
Caseys School of the Soldier