By Derek
Allen Clements,
The crack of the muskets draws the crowd to the street corner near
the field where the Federal soldiers fight defiantly against a larger
Confederate force. Trading a few volleys, the sheer mathematics of battle force the Federals to withdraw, leaving two dead upon the
field. As the Confederate battle line march by the crowd, a second sergeant
with gray hair and a gray, tobacco-stained beard works hard to keep his men in
line, maintain a high level of safety, and not run into the parked cars: It is
not 1863, but 2006, and a Confederate reenactor named James "Jim"
Kincade is fighting at
A retired
Kincade became interested in the American Civil War during
elementary school, attributing his curiosity to a charismatic teacher who
sparked his interest in
Physically, Kincade appears as any gray-haired man one might see
in the aisle of Pocahontas's Wal-Mart. Shy and withdrawn, he is not a great
conversationalist unless discussing
In the skirmish at
The head of the company street is important. Not only is this
where the officers establish quarters, but the fire is there. To the reenactor,
the fire provides the same purpose as for the Civil War soldier. It is a source
of heat for cooking, warmth in the cold, and light in dark. Kincade enjoys the
cooking aspect of Civil War reenacting. Like many
reenactors, he prefers non-period items for meals and finds fulfillment in
cooking breakfast upon the open flame. More importantly, he enjoys the
camaraderie around the campfire. During the day, specifically in hot summers,
the fire is not tended as much, but at the winter events and usually after
dark, the men gather around the fire for comfort and companionship.
Describing the process, Kincade states, "Well, we sit around
and most generally, they'll have some kind of wild story going on or somebody
playing music or singing talking about Civil War history and modern day
politics. They just talk about anything in the world." Musicians may play
or sing period songs setting the mood, and pranksters tell jokes and stories.
Additionally, the fire provides an important avenue for the transmission of
information to the men, especially the younger members. Discussing the hobby,
Kincade reiterates the importance of teaching the younger recruits and
spectators of the history of the unit and the Civil War, claiming: “My
philosophy is if you can talk to these youngsters at these reenactments and
living histories if you can get them interested in the history of the Civil
War, they can go to reading. All wars are dumb, you don't need no more wars,
but if they read about a war, any kind of reading, reading don't do but one
thing and that is help you. You got to be able to read and understand what you
are reading.”
Not only does Kincade see young spectators as important, but
teenage recruits also ensure the future of the hobby and this outlet of Civil
War instruction. "To me, that's kind of a thrill for me seeing these
youngsters come on because one of these days they are going to get old and us
old-timers are going to have to drop out and maybe by training these youngsters
they can keep the hobby going."
For the recruits, the fire pit provides a ritual site for the
transmission of the Kincade's knowledge. In a larger
context, these mobile tent cities are temporary temple complexes, sites where
reenactors pay homage to Civil War history, structured in a historical pattern,
and reproducible anywhere. The consistency in design provides the transmission
of knowledge for most units in the same manner. Kincade and perhaps other NCOs
and officers use the fire pits as podium, not to bully, but to provide
knowledge for those seeking it in a relaxed, inviting band of brotherhood.
During the temperate day, the men of the 7th
The main company street, the space between the tents, provides a
place of visiting, card playing, and loafing. Items not stored in the tents,
tables, chests, or boxes, often lay in the street until used. The street is
also the space where men form for work. Their work is to train to fight according
to the nineteenth century tactics used by the original men of the 7th Arkansas
Infantry and found in William J. Hardee's Rifle and Light Infantry Manual (1861),
a book only the officers need consult in the modern 7th
This hobby requires discipline. Drill and attention are necessary,
but everyone is allowed freedom over their own uniforms and equipment. As a
result, uniforms within groups differ, but typically they reflect one of the
philosophies of reenacting. Often, reenactors
self-segregate into four groups: hardcore, progressives, mainstream, and farb. (Kincade identifies himself as a "mainstream
reenactor.") Hardcore groups strive for the greatest levels of
authenticity, even starving or freezing themselves to experience the soldiers'
life; one such reenactor is R. Lee Hodge, who was portrayed in Tony Horwitz's work Confederates
in the Attic. Most progressive groups attempt outward authenticity to the
extreme as well but do not attempt physical suffering or dangerous behavior.
Mainstream reenactors, the vast majority of those involved in the hobby, make
attempts at obtaining correct equipment, but may bring such anachronistic items
as coolers or sleeping bags into the camp. Most of these mainstream groups will
require their members to hide these anachronisms. On the opposite extreme of
the hardcore is the farb, a reenactor-created term
with an unknown origin. Farbs are those who may know
better, but choose to behave, dress, or camp in a completely inauthentic
manner. They may wear modern boots, leave anachronisms uncovered, wear
incorrect materials, and discuss modern issues with no regard for other
reenactors or spectators. Such behavior disturbs other reenactors as the other
groups strive for some level of an authentic experience. To the reenactor, an
authentic experience, sometimes called a "time warp," "magic
moments," or "special times." This is a moment where the
reenactor temporarily forgets his modern self, slipping into another time, into
a historical fantasy that seems real to him. These do not occur often. Hardcore
and progressive groups cannot achieve this reenactor nirvana with mainstreamers
and especially farbs present. The mere presence of farbs "shatters the serenity of the shared experience
and strikes at the common goal" of the hardcore or progressive reenactor.
Kincade did not use any of the terms equated with "time warps," but
describes when these events occur to him, "at a smaller event… the battle
has been going on for quite a while and they will say charge. Both sides know
who is going to win before the charge takes over, but your blood will get
boiling when there is about fifty men charging at you
…. It becomes real. Things goes to clicking in your
brain".
Mainstream reenactors typically work well with progressives and,
like the other groups, tolerate farbs. Hardcore
reenactors rarely attend mainstream or farb-sponsored
events and would "define authenticity as isomorphism between a
living-history activity or event, and that piece of the past it is meant to re-create."
Those not meeting the strictest standards of authenticity are not permitted to
enter hardcore events. Hardcores often sponsor events
for themselves with no spectators. Kincade and the 7th Arkansas Infantry
members are mainstream reenactors. While Kincade's
outward appearance reflects some levels of authenticity, he hides from
spectators modern items such as a sleeping bag, a cot, and a cooler under
blankets in his tent at
“You can come out here and garrison type with these A-Frame tents
or you can be hardcore and sleep on the ground with a blanket on straw and then
you got these other guys that goes up, we call them
"Ramada Inn soldiers." They stay in the motel and come out for the
battle and then they go back to the motel.”
The weather has caused the authenticity level to drop, according
to Kincade. Rains eliminated a field for reenactor parking; therefore, vehicles
usually kept out of sight of the reenactors are now parked within ten yards of
the camps. Defining a sutler, Kincade states, "A sutler is compared to
modern day times is a Wal-Mart store. You go in there and buy all your Civil
War equipment. You buy your canteens, your rifle, clothes, shoes,
anything that contains Civil War you can pretty well buy it at what we call a
sutler." The sutlers, individuals who sell Civil War equipment, are split
in quality as well. One sells materials just for reenactors, while another
offers kids' toys — wooden swords, pistols — and poorly constructed Civil War
kepis to spectators as well as offering a line of materials to the reenactors.
The weather at this event was dismal. Rains had hit
This closeness is manifest in the pride for their unit, the
regimental flag, the discussion of events they have attended, weather extremes
experienced, and the sharing of nicknames. Each person accepts the name granted
to him by his peers, taking on a different persona in camp from his civilian
life. Along with this bond, the men assume levels of fictive kinship, calling
each other brothers, or treating older members with respect given fathers or
grandfathers. One now deceased member of the 7th
Kinship, especially ancestry, is important to Civil War
reenactors. Many, like Kincade, reference ancestral links to the Civil War,
citing these powerful familial memories as their primary reason for reenacting and for attending specific events. For
these men, they possess a desire to engage the enemy, mimicking their
ancestor's actions. Accordingly, a high number of reenactors in the 7th
The connections of kinship, fictive kinships, and communitas
created within reenactment groups provide an important outlet for these
reenactors. Unifying on the battlefield gives the reenactor the opportunity to
remove himself from society, if only temporarily, and enjoy his heritage with
others of like interest. While outwardly simple escapism, the action may hold
deeper meaning. Kincade and the other members of his unit may be seeking to
remove themselves from modernity, to avoid the frightening changes that sent
many Civil War veterans and their families to veteran reunions in the late
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The anxiety created by late
nineteenth century modernity led to the creation of the Sons of Confederate
Veterans and the United Daughters of Confederacy, two organizations that
assisted their fathers in reminiscing on the "true" history of the
Civil War. These groups outlived the veterans but continue to propagate their
version of events. Hence, the high concentration of Sons of Confederate
Veterans members in the reenacting creates a dilemma.
Are reenactment units simply groups of hobbyists with
a similar interest, or could some be attempting to influence the historical
message promoted at reenactments, ministering to the public concerning
"the Lost Cause?"
Kincade had made several references to Confederate ancestry during
the interview process, but none to Union veterans in his family tree. When
directly asked, he cited one ancestral line in
Perhaps this is true. Kincade shows no problem galvanizing. This
term "galvanizing" has been adopted by reenactors, mostly
Confederate, to refer to the temporary adoption of the uniform from the other side
to provide adequate numbers for the event. Kincade recalls: “Well, when I first
started reenactments, I said, you will never catch me in the blue. I would not
wear blue. I am strictly a Confederate. We was putting
on a reenactment at
In the South, "galvanizing" means "playing
At
“On my left side, I would be wearing my haversack and what we call
a haversack, you carry a little bit of food in it and
just odds and ends. It is something like modern day time with billfold. We
didn't have back pockets so you'd might carry an apple
in there, a piece of bread, or some old salt pork or something like that.”
“And then you got a canteen and that was one of the biggest things
during the Civil War is having a canteen and all the history books says that
all the infantry talked about the good water, good drinking water at the
different places that they were marching across county.”
Reenacting from
a garrison camp, Kincade does not need to carry a blanket roll or a knapsack
into battle, just the basic material needed for battle.
A hardcore reenactor would not find Kincade's
uniform appealing, but to him it is important. Much thought has gone into his
impression. Many of the material pieces are made specifically for him. In Bloodless Battles: The
Civil War Reenacted, Rory Turner discovered the relationship between a
reenactor and his uniform, and equipment is not based in mere "commodity
fetishism," but "deeply contextualized in knowledge." To the
reenactor, especially those above the farb level, the
knowledge, skill, and time invested in their uniforms places power and value
within them. This value is placed upon items due to research, not necessarily
great expenditure unless made to purchase the most accurate materials
available. Perhaps more importantly to Kincade, he can wear a sack coat that
may be similar to those his ancestors wore in a place that he fought. Thus he
experiences the same heat in the summer and lack of insulation from the winter
wind or rain from this tangible representation of his ancestor.
The equipment carried by the reenactor makes the engagement physically
taxing for everyone involved in these fake battles. For older men like Kincade,
his job sometimes gives way to either health concerns or battle-field
authenticity. If units fire repeatedly at one another in the presence of
spectators and no casualties occur, many veteran reenactors may respond by
"taking hits." Talking about "taking hits" at
As
I left Kincade at
