Authentic Reenacting

[bucktailre-enactor]

I would like to know what people consider authentic reenacting. any replies are appricated.

[bucktailre-enactor]

thanks.

[csaharty]

Each group has different standards it seems. You may well hear the terms, "mainstream', progressive, campaigner and hardcore.

While there can be many definitions, here is a nutshell for each.

Mainstream...least level of authenticity, usually someone brand new who doesn't know any bette and has not researched thouroughly aspects of their impression.

Progressive...suggests 'progressing' towards the best level of authenticity possible. Many reenactors fall in this category.

campaigner is generally one who is more in the hobby to satisfy their own questions of what is was like.

hardcore is generally one who is caught up in the details of it all. In my experience, this is the stich counter who justifies their criticism of those with less zeal than them in the name of honoring the man to the fullest who fought in the war.

In the end, one must answer 'authenticity' for themselves. I'd suggest thourough research. They do what your budge and time allow.

After all, there is more to reenacting. And that realization well may be the best way to honor those 'fighting men'.

[MajDoc]

I keep it simple.
if you can't carry, don't bring it.

[Colonel Edward DeGreen]

in the 11 years I have been re-enacting I have learned that authentic is "look, act, and sound like you belong in the 1860's, if you need any thing else-hide it"-a quote from "Doc Gage", 3rd Iowa Med Corps. Hardcores are about "1billion%" accuracy, yet as long as you embrace every thing about the time(at least apear to) then it would be authentic.

[cadet]

If you want to be completely authentic....no tent, no modern things, one blanket, and so on.
now if you want to be authentic I think you can have a one or two modern things to help with comfort (extra blanket, sleeping bag, hand warmers) or things that you "need" (cell phone, laptop.) Personally if you want to bring that stuff, go ahead, just keep it in your tent covered up. In my unit we are required to keep our tents closed and all of our modern things hidden in boxes or under our blanket. The only modern things I bring are my phone (mom makes me) some hand warmers for those really cold nights and an extra blanket, thats about it. As far as gear, I have a stainless steel canteen and mucket, just for convinence so I'm not cleaning them all the time. everything else Is pretty authentic.

Pvt. Gale
N.W. 15th Arkansas

And don't forget the disentery.

I think that's probably about what's laughable about the "hardcore" group. Being a soldier in the Civil War was more about being sick, or marching, or being sick while marching than it was about actually fighting. It's not possible to reach absolute authenticity--and you'd be insane to want to. It was a hard life--and the thing we do today is a hobby. A big difference.

It's about going as far as you want to both enjoy the hobby and still be able to present to the public an education of the life of the Civil War.