CONFLICT OF INTEREST: BLUE VS. GRAY
By Stephanie
Decker (American Demographics, June 2004)
Civil War reenactors' passion for history play out on old
battlefield.
Talk about deep-seated resentment! This Fourth of July,
the 14th Brooklyn will be fighting to preserve the union of the United States
at a little town in Pennsylvania called Gettysburg. As they line up in battle
formation facing the thunderous volley of Confederate shelling, they will
quietly hum the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
A scene from another time? No, the 14th Brooklyn is a
group of individuals who are part of the phenomena known as Civil War
Reenactors. From March until the middle of November, the 14th Brooklyn and
fellow compatriots will drill, train and camp just as their namesake regiments
did in the past. They may reenact as often as every weekend. From sundown on
Friday until dusk on Sunday they will be in "character," dressed and
speaking in the language of the 19th century soldier. They will drive hours to
recreate such battles as Second Manassas, Gettysburg and Antietam. Wearing wool
uniforms and carrying haversacks and rifles that can weigh up to 30 pounds,
they will march for miles under an oftentimes blazing summer sun.
How many reenactors are there? Bill Christen editor and
publisher of the quarterly The WatchDog (himself a reenactor), says the
numbers range from 20,000 to 30,000, skewing white males age 35 to 54. Christen
predicts this year's 140th reenactment of the Battle of Franklin, Tenn., will
draw 5,000 reenactors, with up to 15,000 spectators in attendance.
While the numbers skew heavily toward white males, an
intriguing facet of this subculture is its socioeconomic diversity. The
stereotypical Hollywood-driven image of a reenactor being uneducated and
impoverished could not be further from the actual reality. For instance, Thomas
Clemens, professor of history at Hagerstown Community College and the president
of the Save Historic Antietam Foundation, is a leading expert on the American
Civil War. Clemens participates as both Union and Confederate artillery. He
reenacts both for the academic experience that provides insight into the
period, and from a social perspective maintaining that many of his closest
friendships have been formed during the encounters.
Joseph Tafuri, senior vice president of ad sales at
Sony Pictures Television in New York, marches with the 14th Brooklyn to pay
tribute to those who were willing to give their lives to preserve the Union.
Lobbyists, doctors and businessmen mingle with truck drivers,
plumbers and contractors. They belong to the same regiments and share strong
friendships. The reenactors from the 14th Brooklyn have said that they felt the
regiment was like a second family, and view reenacting as a bonding experience.
Their passion for historical accuracy extends to their
purchasing habits. A newcomer to the hobby who starts out as a private in the
infantry spends $1,500-$2,000 to be outfitted and this is just the bare
minimum. Every soldier needs a gun -- a reproduction of the 1861 Springfield:
market price, $460. The gun then needs a bayonet and scabbard which costs
$38.50; a cartridge box for $39.50 and a shoulder strap at $14.95. Reproduction
rifles can cost as much as $850.
As a reenactor advances from private to corporal to officer
class (assuming he is competent), he acquires new additions to his personal
effects and a knowledge of military protocol and tactics to reflect this change
in status. Just as it is with today's military, Civil War officers were better
paid, therefore their tents were more lavishly furnished. Some reenactors have
Persian rugs, crystal decanters and fine period furniture. Hardee's Tactics,
a training manual used during the Civil War, is just one of the required
reading materials for the officer class.
Within this subculture is a split between the
campaigners or hard-core types versus the more mainstream garrison group. To
the uninformed eye, the differences are indistinguishable. Both groups can be
considered amateur experimental anthropologists in their attempt to recreate
the impression of a former lifestyle to achieve a realistic assessment of the
era.
Campaigners are more aligned with this immersion
experience. They march barefoot for 10 miles carrying a canteen of warm water,
stale biscuits and a rifle. They will sleep on the ground with nothing but a
blanket in order to fully appreciate what those soldiers endured long ago.
They travel light to authenticate their portrayal as
soldiers on the move, or as is known in military parlance, on a campaign.
Civilian reenactors, many of whom are family members, are not permitted.
Garrisons suggest a more entrenched military
encampment, using tents rather than blankets. They are a more relaxed group and
will allow civilian reenactors to participate. Oftentimes an entire family will
join in. The garrison group makes up the majority of the two groups.
Founded in 1975, C & D Jarnigan, based in Corinth,
Miss., is an industry leader in supplying goods to the Civil War Reenacting
community. According to Carolyn Jarnigan, a cofounder, quality and customer
service are placed at a premium because the hobby is expensive. The work that
is required to ensure authenticity is time-consuming and labor intensive.
However, the end results are loyal customers. Jarnigan, says they have
customers who have been with them over 15 years. The company has experienced
solid growth as its reputation for quality has spread and she remains bullish
on the prospects of continued expansion.
In addition to The WatchDog other publications
target this audience. The two largest are the Camp Chase Gazette and the
Civil War News. Ironically, the main media outlet for this 19th century
hobby is the decidedly 21st century Internet. Enter the words Civil War
reenactors on Google and over 25,000 results will appear. Most reenacting units
have created their own Web pages to disseminate information on their troop and
on upcoming events as well as recommended vendors.
At first glance this is a fragmented market, comprised
of small retailers and media outlets. Additionally it is difficult to get
accurate economic data on the marketplace. In Gettysburg, the Convention and
Visitors Center has not assembled any information on the reenacting community
or on other groups of Civil War enthusiasts. Still, they estimate $225 million
a year in revenue!
Through their passion for the hobby they are aiding in
the preservation of Civil War battlefields. Reenactments serve to raise funds
and generate awareness of the precarious state of Civil War battlefields today.
As urban sprawl continues and zoning laws are not established, more
battlefields are lost each year. The Civil War Preservation Trust estimates
that nearly 20 percent of Civil War battlefields have been destroyed and only
15 percent are protected by the federal government.
Recently, a proposed development by the Dogwood
Development Company on part of the Chancellorsville battlefield was halted, due
in part to the reenacting community who rallied in opposition.
Ted Alexander, chief historian of the Antietam National
Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Md., views reenactors as a valuable asset and
credits them with raising awareness of the plight of Civil War battlefields. He
says they unselfishly give up their time to help in the preservation endeavor,
and inject a good sense of patriotism in our society and he respects that.
This group of impassioned individuals could be viewed
as historical preservationists. Through their monetary investment in their
hobby, they draw attention to endangered historical sites. They are acolytes of
the adage, "those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it."
