Hodge Podge

    According to Wikipedia a hodge podge is " a word used to describe a confused or disorderly mass or collection of things; a 'mess' or a 'jumble.'" 

    I would like to present a hodge podge of images from my Saturday at the Civil War reenactment. 

    Reenacting. It's not just for adults.

    I like close ups of the gear. Here you can see his knife, belt buckle and bayonet.

    An officer shouts commands to his troops. Most officers eventually sent their swords home for safe keeping, preferring instead to carry more useful weapons such as revolvers or rifles.

    I was surprised to learn that wooden canteens were common, especially among the Confederate troops. Any areas that leaked were sealed with bee's wax.

    Even the metal canteens had cork stoppers.

    The blacksmith made this grill so that it disassembled into many long pieces. It was then easy to pack for transport on a wagon.

    

    My research assistant, otherwise known as my daughter, found all sorts of explanations on the internet for the upside down US belt buckles. Some sources say that the practice, while common during reenactments, may not have commonly occurred in history. 

    Even the most devoted reenactor needs a cold Pepsi on a hot day.

    For a calendar of events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War in the state of North Carolina go to www.nccivilwar150.com.

Orphans and Dulcimers

       Each March there is a reenactment at a Civil War battlefield site near my home. During this year's visit  I  came upon a reenactor as he listened to a young girl playing a haunting tune on her dulcimer. He seemed familiar with the music and had a faraway look in his eyes as he softly sang the words.
     I felt as if I had been transported back in time. Here was a Confederate soldier longing for home while remembering a more carefree time.
    Perhaps this soldier is a member of the 4th Kentucky Infantry. They were called the "Orphan Brigade" because once they left Kentucky they did not see their homes again until the war ended. Members of this reenactment unit  portray original members of Company "F", 4th Kentucky Infantry and assume the identity (alter ego) of those original soldiers during events. The 4th began the war with 5,000 men. At the end of the war they numbered 500.

Information for this post comes from the book "Uniform, Weapons, and Equipment of the Civil War" by Miller, and the web site for the 4th Kentucky Infantry reenactors, http://www.4thkycs.com/