To begin with, reenacting is not about politics. It is about American history and portraying the average person from that period.
Two weekends back, on the 19th and 20th of October, the 27th annual Fall Muster was held over in near by Biloxi, Mississippi. The Fall Muster was as usual at "Beauvoir" The last home of Jefferson Davis, located at 2244 Beach Blvd (highway 90).
The Fall Muster is a historical reenactment that allows the people of today a chance to see and experience a bit of what it was like in the mid Victorian period. Specifically the period 1861-1865 during the great War Between the States or the Civil War as it is mostly commonly referred to now. One may look at the Fall Muster (or any other reenactment) as an educational opportunity to surround one's self with a lavishly rich cavalcade of living history.
People come from all over the United States to participate in these events. Contrary to what I think is a popular belief, These reenactments are not an affectation of the "Deep South", but were originally conceived and produced in the more northern states. Specifically in the New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia areas. The earliest of these groups that I know of was the North. South Skirmish Association. This group was founded around 1950.
The people involved in doing these events today are from every walk of life imaginable. They are doctors, lawyers, educators, construction workers, store clerks, students, and even greeters at your local Wally World. They are men,women,youths,and children of all ages. It does not matter who you are or where one is from, everyone can play an historical part in the fall muster if they have a desire.
Most of the participants come to these reenactments as well trained and researched historical actors. There are of course the newbies that are unseasoned and still a bit stage shy about what to do, of course, but this is a learn as one goes type of thing. These people have spent many years working and studying the history of this time period as well as learning the now archaic military standards of dress, order and movement as practiced during this era.
Besides the massive amount of time learning and studying every aspect of life during these turbulent years of American history, these people spend considerable amounts of cold hard cash. It is not an inexpensive affair assembling a circa 1860's impression for either a correctly dressed man or woman. Almost all clothing has to be custom created. Some items may be bought off the rack either at an event, as sold by sutlers or ordered offline, take a look at some of the prices at online historical reenactors sites, for the most part they can tend to be a bit pricey in my opinion. If one is lucky they can find items that are being sold by other reenactors that are pre owned. However you goes about it, once one starts to buy the basic clothing necessary for ones impression, it starts getting expensive very rapidly. Also many reenactors have two full outfits ready to do an impression of either a Northern soldier or a Southern soldier. Yes, that is correct two full sets of clothing one for the Union soldier and one for the Confederate! Because they may end up at an event where there are to many of one side and they will be needed to do an impression on the other side to keep things balance out so to speak. The average person ends up spending a fairly considerable sum of money in the end, so this activity is really not for those that are faint of spending the moola
I myself have always had a love of costuming or as many to day refer to it as Cosplay. Some younger people may think that cosplay is only dressing up as your current favorite anime character, but in fact historical reenacting is truly cosplay also, just think about it. It is all the same thing, dressing up in a costume and giving an impression of a character from a different world than the one that you are currently dwelling.
Many of the people that one sees that are participating in these events are with their families and spend the weekend dressing and living as many did with their families back during the Civil War era. For many of these people there is just nothing to match the fun and just flat out camaraderie that can be encountered during these encampments. This is such a wonderful, wholesome, truly American family activity.
Well, on with the story.
Due to one thing and another, I have not been able to attend the Fall Muster for the last couple of years. This year I was able to have a free day and go on Sunday. It had rained on Saturday so a number of the reenactors had left. So, on Sunday when I went there were fewer people involved than during the previous times I attended.
After the wet Saturday the reenactors that remained were in very good form and were ready for getting on with the show!
All I can say is that Sunday the 20th was a beautiful day. Warm with a light cool breeze and oh, so, very sunny. This all added together to create one of the most perfect of Gulf Coast days!
Upon arrival at Beauvoir, I went all around the camp doing some basic photography. I was looking for those perfect little vignettes that can so easily appear to be moments stolen from time. I was lucky and was able to capture a few images that I thought were especially worthwhile. I took a few of the more compelling images and did digital photo manipulation on them until I was able to artistically render to them into what I saw in my mind.
I love doing my ceramic art pottery, but I also love doing digital art!
I then took a break for a quick and yummy Beauvoir burger and some chips.
Then I went on to capture some pre skirmish moments and then the actual battle reenactment. The over all conflict was very well staged, especially considering that there were not a great number of soldiers on the field, due to the ones that had been forced to leave because of the poor weather. They created a fairly realistic impression of what it would have been like during such a military encounter.
I have to say that at the end of the military engagement there is one thing that happens that effects me so very much. A specified person comes out and yells loudly, "resurrect"! After which all the fallen soldier arise from the field and join there fellow soldiers! If only this could happen after the real wars were fought!
I would like to thank all the people that helped make the 27th Fall Muster at Beauvoir come together.
The people of Beauvoir
The Chairman
Richard V. Forte, Sr.
The good people on the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees.
All the vendors and assorted sutlers.
And most of all. Every single person that came and did their Civil War impressions!
You all did a wonderful job and I hope to see you next time!
Plus a special thanks and a tip of the hat to the people that ended up in my photographs.
If you see an image of yourself or your unit and you would like to be identified please let me know and I will gladly add name, unit, or web info to the images! One may also leave the information in the comments section and I will add it upon seeing it there.
Also, if for any reason you do not want an image that I have taken of you displayed on the internet, please feel free to contact me and I will have it removed post haste!
Please contact me if you have any further questions.
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