What would you like to experiance at future events?

[coastaltrash]

Re: What would you like to experiance at future events?

I don't think there will ever be a perfect event, simply because we're a small group to begin with. You basically have 350 (give or take) authentics out there that break away from the lesser quality events twice a year and attend something good. When I was living in Tennessee I made the (serious) joke that I saw Terry Sorchy more in six months than I saw my own parents!

We lack the size to do any correct movement, at Outpost we had companies deploying platoons like they were wings of battalions, we had single rank lines standing against cav, and our tactics are pretty rough. We also need to learn to take hits, and people simply need to crack a book before an event. When the event is suppose to be in real time, keep it in real time, despite hold ups. The underlying political stink and cheap shots in this side of the hobby is getting about as bad as it is in the mainstream, if not worse. People need to learn to use the phone more than use the internet. The last "unified" event I attended was Rich Mountain, and I was still popping shots at friends on the other side. As boring as Living Histories can get, it's about the ONLY chance I get to see friends from up North.

A snowball fight would be great at an event, and I don't mean snow CONE fight, I mean a snowball fight like the one around Murfreesboro, Winter 62

[Tarheel]

Re: What would you like to experiance at future events?

A gentle request from those of us (Brits, French, German, Dutch) on the other side of the big pond. Longer events please. I know that these pose difficulties for the available vacation time of our US chums but, to cross the Atlantic for a Friday evening to Sunday lunchtime gig is a big call. Having said that, "At High Tide" was fantastic (with thanks to our new friends in The Liberty Rifles) the only sad feature being that it seemed to be over just after it began.
Many of us came over last year for "BGR" and will be over next year for "Into The Piney Woods". BGR was perfect in every sense; length, scenario, location, participants (military and civilian); it was the best ever. After the first few hours it wasn't a re-enactment it was absolutely for real. The marching in virgin territory, the totally unexpected contacts with the enemy, the living for days with just what you could carry, the baking heat, the freezing cold, the exhaustion, the excitement, just the everything We have equal expectations for ITPW next March.
I trust that all might find this international view of some value.
Warm regards,
Patrick Reardon,
The Lazy Jack Mess, UK
.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: What would you like to experiance at future events?

Hank,
I am with you man, I would also like to go to an event where you stay in Period for the entire event and not watch hard kewls cross lines... slip-a-grip and politic for office.

[Hank Trent]

Re: What would you like to experiance at future events?

I'd just like to experience the same things I've done, only better.

I'd like to be huddled around a campfire by a cabin in the dark with other refugees, with the army all around us, and not be called away because some soldier wants to talk about my posts on the internet.

I'd like to be in the first group to camp on a battlefield, and not have to listen to a funny parody of those hardkewls with their ************ this and their Daley that.

I'd like to have the wounded be brought to the hospital on a wagon, and not have one of them tell me how the wagon driver told them all about the modern history of the area on the way.

I'd like to be on a march on the original route, where the men next to me didn't pose for photographs of each other at every stop.

You get the idea.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[Charles Heath]

Re: What would you like to experiance at future events?

Paul,

Issuing live rounds would be controversial and likely dangerous today -- at least outside of unit marksmanship practice. Read the current thread about accidents, if you want the hair to stand up on the back of your neck -- especially the one where the poster obviously has never opened a manual. Some of the lure of the trekking hobby is the live rounds, and the fact there is a chance to kill something for yer vittles.

Weed,

Without hearing Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days" playing the background, as the trendy saying goes, put a date to those Ancient & Honorable Order of Mudsills happenings, and realize how long ago they were. That's precisely why this phrase exists: ""We haven't done this in a while. Should we do this again?" Some things can't be done again, as the ground is long gone.

One of the younger fellows was all excited about an upcoming Antietam NPS LH, and the cry was "we just did one." Yep, and then it was quickly pointed out that battalion size mobile living history was in 2003, which was five years ago. Heck, he had no idea we'd even been there.

Maybe the title of a companion thread could be "what would you like to do again?"

Just a thought.

[CompanyWag]

Re: What would you like to experiance at future events?

Regarding the use of live rounds at the Smith/Brewster March: I realize this aspect has been controversial in some quarters. I do not freely recommend this for other event organizers. However, the fact we were carrying loaded weapons put everyone on edge and lent a sense of seriousness and purpose from the git-go that lasted the entire event. It was another element that helped us "suspend our disbelief".

Luckily, Dick Cheney was not on our foraging party.

Paul McKee

[burt60]

Re: What would you like to experiance at future events?

What about Westville in Oct. A actual 1850's town aready built, drumming in new troops and many civilan roles.

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18552

Or one were we get invaded by Pirates Arrrrrg

[coastaltrash]

Re: What would you like to experiance at future events?

For anyone interested- Since Brian made mention, there are already plans being worked out for my company only at Shiloh 2009 to march from Corinth to the park. More info later as it becomes solid,

[weed]

Re: What would you like to experiance at future events?

Having the honor of serving as 1st Sgt. under Paul on the Smith-Brewster March, we have done just about everything From that march, to building (and using) real winter quarters, to bending railroad rails arround trees, to Presidential Parades to actually reenacting "The Grand Review" down Pennsivania Ave. to being THE FIRST UNIT let on to ALMOST EVERY ORIGINAL BATTLEFIELD since the centenial.....THERE IS NOTHING THE MUDSILLS DID NOT DO. (By the way, that includes putting 4 60 man companies on the field at the 125th Gettysburg, stay the week doing Civil War for a week in Mark Uptons farm, near Chambersburg, then going back to Gettysburg to be the 1st Reeactors let on the battlefiled since July 1963 and then sleeping in the "Slaughter Pen" the nite of July 2, 125 years to the nite. (that was spooky)

Also doing living history at West Point Military Acadamy and doing Civil War dirill mon the plain at West Point.

Weed:)

[CompanyWag]

Re: What would you like to experiance at future events?

The Bummer March of 1994

With the exception of live rounds, this type of event happens on a regular basis.

That was back in 1994? Man how time flies! I had the honor of being the captain in charge of that foraging party. One of the most realistic events I've ever had the honor of participating in. I believe Smith and Brewster set a high standard for other events that followed.

Paul McKee

[Charles Heath]

Re: What would you like to experiance at future events?

On the Smith/Brewster March through Oconee, Georgia back in the late 90's, had the foraging party....

The Bummer March of 1994

With the exception of live rounds, this type of event happens on a regular basis.

[kazrosiecki]

Re: What would you like to experiance at future events?

Some of the answer to the question is "We haven't done this in a while. Should we do this again?"

My uncle has told me about an event he attended back around 2002 (?) in Georgia. I want to say it was called Outpost but I am not sure. I think he said it was held on Lee White's property. I do not think the unit that organized this event is around anymore.

Now, from the way he talks about this event really makes me jealous that I was not reenacting yet. I think he said that the event host's actually looked over his kit, he had to sit around in a rifle pit and keep watch for anything suspicious, and that not cutting the cape off of a overcoat is a plus:). There was also a blanket issue at the event, where the blankets were brought in all rolled up and then cut to size. For some reason, hearing about this event really intrigues me. I don't think there has been an event like this one since, close, but not the same. This event should not be confused with the more recent Outpost's which I believe were more tacticals. I'm not totally sure but I do not think there was really any fighting at this event either.

Anyway, for those guys who know the event I am talking about, I think it is time for another one.

Just my thoughts,

[CompanyWag]

Speaking of civilians, great strides have been made over the past few years in developing civilian refugee impressions and their interaction with troops. But there is one civilian aspect that consistently is missing from most LH scenarios...the presence in quantity of people of color, blacks, African-Americans or what have you. I may be opening a whole `nuther can of worms here, but most events do tend to be waspish affairs insulated in our military settings.

Historically, Confederate interaction on any large scale may be limited to laborers or camp servants. But as a western federal I'd like to see an event where a military camp or patrol is flooded with escaped/liberated contraband illustrating the problems and interactions that such would provide. Many midwestern troops had never seen a negro before, and such encounters definitely made an impression.

On the Smith/Brewster March through Oconee, Georgia back in the late 90's, had the foraging party unexpectedly encountered a group of 20 or 30 runaways, that would have added a whole new twist for the patrol's officer to deal with. Feed them? Send them back whence they came? Let them shadow the patrol for the rest of the 26 mile march back to the column of the XVII AC? Decisions, decisions.

I know of a few serious-minded blacks experienced with living history that could pull this off. I imagine that there may be more out there that I'm not even aware of. If Williamsburg has evolved so far as to being able to stage a slave auction, I imagine this one is not in the realm of "gee, what if?"

Paul McKee

[Charles Heath]

Re: What would you like to experiance at future events?

There I would like to see events where event organizers portrayed local civilians rather than soldiers when guiding the forces towards their objectives. In my opinion, looking on as company commanders took directions from privates was the only shortcoming of the glendale event this past year

Ryan,

If you'd read your pre-event information, then you'd have known why one guide at Glendale-Malvern Hill was in military uniform, and the other was not. It was in there, and you may or may not have noticed what the third guide was wearing, which was the intent. That's okay, because after Payne's Farm, a couple of fellows only then realized there had been a battle on that very site, almost down to square foot precision.

Remember the landowner in borrowed civilian clothes at the Sailor's Creek 200o march? Plenty of examples of guides at events in civilian clothing, and plenty of example of period guides in military clothing, too. How about the guide for the recent 1st Minn. campaigner adjunct to the AHT event? That feller had a nifty Bawlmer Orioles hat clashing a bit with the Winter 1864 2008 tee shirt (which featured images of the guides from GMH08 plus some Kabuki feller) in a 21st century ensemble. Okay, I think the work boots were bought in 1999, but they've been resoled. ;)

That being said, you've no doubt seen the multitude of civlian mounted and guides afoot over the years at the various Death Marches in New York. One may even be in a wagon at some point....

[AZReenactor]

Re: What would you like to experiance at future events?

One other thing, that we have been experimenting with on a small scale here in AZ is scenarios where the military leadership doesn't have a script to follow but must respond to unforeseen circumstances to the best of their ability with the resources at hand. (ie a Civil War Leadership Reaction Course of sorts). Situations where leadership ability and training come to the fore or colapse utterly.

On our events out here in the far West there may or may not be an op force at most any patrol march etc., and they may or may not be encountered at any hour day or night. Quality of guard duty, general alertness, attention to defensive positions, wariness of dangerous terrain, etc are all heightened when one doesn't know what they are encountering. While you don't have necessarily have the same Apaches, Navajo, Yavapai, Secessionists, outlaws, or deserters as we do, there are numerous situations where an army or smaller detachment could, or could not, encounter hostile forces during a patrol or road march in the East as well. Bushwacking, cavalry raids, sudden assaults, etc are always best when it is unexpected.

To go along with this, I'd like to see more formalized training of leaders in the minutia of their duties. I'd like to see more officers drilling and training NCOs, reciting tactics, training in camp hygene, etc. at events.