I used to be a reenactor. I was with the 3rd Alabama Co. B. We represented the Mobile Cadets, of which 300 went into war in 1860 and 30 or so survived.
The painting in my avatar is one I did back in 83. The subject posed for a photo at Harrisonburg, LA in 82. He had Comanche Indian ancestory, but I painted him as a North Carolina Cherokee Scout (N.C. 69th) with the First National Flag as the background. The rifle he has is a musketoon, or short barreled .58 cal 2 banded Enfield. This rifle was mostly used by artillery troops, but a scout can carry anything he wants, usually light.
I enjoyed my experience with reenactors and learned a lot of useful things. One time we were in Vicksburg, MS for the Battle of Champion Hill. There were film crews there on the hillside. I decided to stay up there on the hill to watch the battle. It was well worth it. Most of the battlefield was covered in smoke, and every here and there a small pocket of clear would open up and there would be a line of soldiers visible wherever a clear pocket would open up.
That night and all the next day it rained. We drilled in the rain doing wheel turns with 100 men. Lightening was flashing and there was the commander on his white horse, sword raised high drilling the troops.
Our tent dug a fire pit during and after the drilling. We made a drain tunnel so the fire wouldn't go out. Ours was the only fire in the camp. The Mississippi national guard was called to evacuate 1000 people. A duesenhalf got stuck.
That was a memorable weekend.
Les
