Gettysburg Reenactors

 So you visited Gettysburg Pa this past summer and you happened upon the Confederate camp and you took some interest. While enjoying your visit with family you just can't seem to get that reenactment camp picture out of your head. Maybe it was the way the sun picked up the campfire smoke and made it dance across your view finder. Maybe it was the Cavalry soldier tending to his horse and taking some time to connect with his friend and trusted mount.

You found yourself lost in another world at that moment and you realized that is something you want to do, it looks like fun and it is a great way to escape the rigors of your hectic, modern, fully connected world. So there you have it, you are going to become a reenactor!

 Now that you have decided that you will get into reenacting there are some things to consider. First off is what is your goal? Do want to get into this hardcore or are you more for a family reenactment group. You will definitely want to know this because if you are looking for a family environment and you join a hard core unit, you will not be reenacting long. There are many reenactment groups and it is best to contact different ones to see where they stand. Some groups are very hard core, such as the group Tony Horwitz describes in his book "Confederates in the Attic". These guys actually starve themselves before reenactment "season" to get that hungry gaunt look that was pretty much the look of the Civil War soldier.

Deciding what level of authenticity will determine which unit you choose to look into. Membership in the hardcore groups is not immediate, you have to attend events and prove yourself worthy of the reenactment group. Other groups however are more interested in a family atmosphere and find ways to include wives and kids into the reenactment experience. Whichever choice you, understand that reenacting is not cheap. All the accoutrements that go along with reenacting cost's money. Be prepared.

 Gettysburg is pretty much Mecca in the reenactment world. There is no more famous battle of the Civil War than the Battle of Gettysburg. All the accompanying events that surround it are etched in the fabric of our history. One of the advantages of reenacting at Gettysburg is that there is alot of Cavalry that is on display at the Gettysburg reenactment. Choosing a Cavalry impression for your reenactment life will add considerable expense to your experience, but it is so worth doing if you can afford the time and money.

I would recommend attending different reenactments around the country, as well as living history events and talking to the people involved to get an idea of what you want to do.Definitely attend one of the Gettysburg reenactments as there are so many different units you are sure to find one that fits your ideas. Reenacting is alot of work, but an exercise so worth doing it is hard to explain. There is that moment in every reenactors life when everything is perfect, the surroundings, the smells, all come together and for just a fleeting moment you are taken back in time and you feel like you are really there. That is what it is all about.

Ask any reenactor and they will tell you that reenacting is labor intensive, but is truley a labor of love. One so worth doing....