A Civil War Battle Reenactment Attracts Thousands of Tourists

Every year, all across the United States, thousands of tourists gather at different historic Civil War battlefields to watch actors and actresses, more commonly known as reenactors, recreate the monumental battles. Most participants of a Civil War reenactment go for the authenticity of the performance above all and will wear authentic reproductions of the clothing of the times and will carry replicas of authentic Civil War weapons.

The beginnings of reenactments can be traced back to before the war was even finished. They began as a way for the veterans to remember and honor their fallen brothers. It was also an opportunity to enable others to understand their separate causes for the war. One reunion that attracted attendants from Union and Confederate veterans alike was the Great Reunion of 1913. There was said to be around 50,000 veterans at the reunion. The event centered on the Battle of Gettysburg and also highlighted the historic Pickett’s Charge.

Civil War reenactments began to experience a growing popularity and actually got their start, as we know them today, in 1961 thru 1965, as a result of the commemorations celebrating the 100th anniversary of the war. Over time, more and more people came to appreciate the value and the historical significance of the war. Over the next few years, the events started to integrate audience participation in total immersion experiences and exposure to living histories. This was all done to educate the public, especially the younger generation, on the importance of the most historically significant event in the history of the United States.

Civil war reenactments done today have more interaction than ever, and some do not merely involve recreating battles, but displaying the lifestyle of the ordinary soldier as well. There are weapon displays, cooking sessions and leisure activities that an ordinary Union or Confederate soldier would do when not engaged in a battle.

There are public demonstrations and scripted battles for reenactment viewing. The difference between the two is that public demonstration battles are usually smaller and are done to primarily show the public a Civil War battle and may be more fictional than not. Scripted battles, on the other hand, show every aspect of the battle in detail, every movement is planned and generally takes place in the original battlefield. Every action that occurred in the original battle is replicated in this type of reenactment. The audience will definitely feel as if they were transported back in time.

There are also closed events that are not usually open to the public. One type of closed event is a total immersion. These are done by and are for the serious reenactors who value authenticity and like to experience the Civil War ear life style in detail. The reenactors will go into character for the length of the event, eating the same food that the soldiers ate, portray the same leisure activities and work details and sleep in tents or in the field just like the people they are portraying did.