I know what you mean - we have a couple of "Rebel" Units up here in Maine - the 15th Ala. and the 29th GA being the major ones.

A lot of folks keep both blue and gray in the same closet, and do whatever impression / time period suits the occasion (or they can afford; it gets expensive!).

But when we go down to VA for one of the "big ones", it is not uncommon to meet some of the "Real Rebels" who take this stuff almost a little too seriously, and by the look in their eyes as they advance on our lines, one has to wonder if they are starting to forget that this is supposed to be theatrical and "fun", and might be thinking of avenging Great-Grandaddy's "Lost Cause".   And it can get kind of scary.

Even around the camps some of them occasonally espouse sentiments that might not be appropriate for the 1860s,... or ANY civilized period, for that matter.

Fortunately they are among the minority, and even most of their fellow Graybacks cut them a wide berth.

The fellowship and camaraderie of the Reenacting community can be a wonderful thing to behold, and we do indeed become "Family" to one another.

You have to be a little deranged to run around in wool uniforms, lugging 30 or so pounds of musket and accouterments on a field in Gettysburg when it's 105 in the shade (if you can find any to "die" in) and 90% humidity, sleep (if you can) in a dog-tent in a pouring rain on mud and cowflaps, line up in the morning at fetid plastic porta-potties, get the runs eating stuff that used to make men sick 140 years ago...

And call it "FUN"!

So it's great to find and congregate with other people who are just as crazy as we are.

"Uncle Jaque"

Image - UJ Fifing

Field Music, 3rd Reg't MAINE Vol. Infantry

Third Maine Volunteers