Reenacting historical battles

By Ana Preger Hart

White-walled A-frame tents dot the field where Union soldiers dressed in their blues march nearby in formation, muskets propped up straight against their shoulders. The sun catches serious faces under their distinct forage caps; these soldiers are marching to battle.

Soon, a cloud of smoke hovers over the field as a line of soldiers fires a volley at the enemy, stars and stripes on the flags barely visible through the white, cloudy air.

No, this isn’t 1861; this is a reenactment, a hobby — and a passion for many.

The reenacting of battles from major wars has been going on, in one form or another, since Roman times. Today, it’s done as a way to experience camp life and battle (without risking one’s life), and to reproduce the camaraderie of shared experience.

Reenactors come from all different backgrounds: They are teachers, masons, newspaper photographers, retirees, exmilitary — both men and women. But they all seek out the same spirit of friendship that bound the original soldiers together almost two centuries ago.

“Going on the battlefield and firing your weapon and maneuvering around, that’s one thing,” said Bill Hart of West Friendship, Maryland, who has been participating in Civil War reenactments for 19 years as a member of the 7th Maryland Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

“But I enjoy the camp life more. It’s sitting around talking, exchanging stories. That’s the fun for me.”

Hundreds gather for weekends

Reenactment groups are often organized into historical military units from the area that fought in a particular conflict. In the U.S., the American Civil War and the Revolutionary (or Rev) War are two popular periods to reenact.

Each side of the conflict has its own regiments, and once a person joins a regiment, they typically stick with it for years.

In our area, the 7th Maryland Infantry Regiment, of Union soldiers, attracts dozens of participants. Reenactment groups attend weekend-long events and participate in activities throughout the year.

Some are battle reenactments, like the “Getty Annual” — the reenactment of the Battle of Gettysburg (July marks its 160th anniversary). One of the most famous Getty reenactments took place in 1913, attended by more than 50,000 Union and Confederate veterans.

These kinds of reenactments are playby-play recreations of actual historical battles, based on well-documented contemporaneous or historical information.

The Civil War is one of the best-documented conflicts in existence. Regiments practice drills ahead of time so reenactors can learn their roles.

Other gatherings are known as “living history” events, which primarily serve to educate the public about the lives and lifestyles of the people of a given period. These include craft and cooking demonstrations, and leisure activities like period baseball.

“I really wasn’t interested in the Civil War until I moved to Maryland about 15 years ago,” said Erik Schwetje, a Frederick resident who does both Civil War and Revolutionary War reenactments.

“I just realized how right in the heart of the Civil War…here in Maryland we were. I wanted to know what it was like — the soldier’s experience, to be in the field, the whole nine yards.”

See WAR REENACTORS, page 14

LEISURE & TRAVEL k k Affordable hearing aids k Smart places for your cash k Plan for a smoother retirement