Ducks-4-You...

[Chickerdoodle13]

How did you get involved in civil war re-enactment? Sounds like something that would be a lot of fun! We have a mounted western shooting club here in my county, but I'm not sure we have any CW groups. Although I'm sure there has to be with Gettysburg so close!

I'm just curious to hear how you got involved.

 

[ducks4you]

Wow! I'm flattered that you posted this-- I DO answer PM's!!
We have been portraying Union Cavalry (despite to Confederate uniforms you see in my picture posting) since 1986. DH, (now an atty, but was a history major), went to one, and announced that we'd get a herd of horses!
If your horses are trained to gunfire you could EASILY do reenactments. We live in Central Illinois. The group we belong to, The Cumberland Guard
http://www.cumberlandguard.us/
is out of Indianpolis, with over a thousand members from IL, IN, MI, OH, and even GA!! We've been to numerous national events. Even found my mare at the 145th Gettysburg 2 years ago. The further east you go, the more reenacting groups you will find. (ask LauraM, from Virginia) Everybody has their own, home, unit and joins with the "Guard" for Guard events, and national events. Everybody has small events close to home. THAT is where you train a Cavalry horse. The action is small, and controllable. We have even taken a new horse, exposed him to the action on the ground for one day, then loaded up and trailered home.
Essentially we are living historians. Our smaller events do try to recreate battles and skirmishes, where we arrive on a Friday, have a morning Saturday/Sunday drill and an afternoon, Saturday/Sunday battle. The ONLY event where we experienced real numbers was the 135th Gettysburg, 1998. Union Reenactors galvanized, and we (Union) got to watch a full-sized "Pickett's Charge," with 15,000. The event had 23,000 Reenactors--the numbers haven't been equaled or exceeded since then.
Our horses accept infantry gunfire, artillery fire, and guns shot while mounted. We train like the US Cavalry did--using seasoned mounts paired with green mounts. IF your horse is a safe trail horse, he/she can be trained to our hobby. You look for them to become desensitized and more accepting of the noise and the crowds on the first day. If you see progress, they will work out. If they become MORE afraid, they will not.

"Sweet Cuppin' Cakes" (left) eating grass during his first battle, along with seasoned veteran, "Moon Eyes" (right.)

Cuppin' Cakes' first sword fight. DAAWWWW!!!

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

How neat! Thanks for the information!

I just figured I'd post it because there might be other people interested in CW re-enactment. It's definitely not something I hear about every day, but I'd love to find out more, or at least go to some events just to watch!

I have camped at Artillery Ridge in Gettysburg and we rode the battlefields, but I've never actually been a part of any re-enactments. I just thought it was too cool to actually ride horses on the battle fields!

Awhile ago we had a medieval horse club in our area but I'm not sure what happened to it. I was going to get more information, but then we had an accident with my mare and I was horseless for that summer. I do wish we had more neat horse groups though!

 

[michickenwrangler]

A lot of "Odd horse sports" are starting to become more popular. If you want to do the Medieval thing, check out the SCA--Society for Creative Anachronism. Mostly jousting and skill at arms. Some people do falconry on horseback and mounted archery (which I have dabbled in) is very popular in Hungary and Poland and starting to get popular here. There's a yahoo! horse archery group if you're interested.

I suppose with all my background doing distance riding, I could be a courier

 

[ducks4you]

I PREFER courier work. I take messages from our overall commander to brigade or company commanders--I know everybody I'm riding to. I also carry a bugle. We have a few buglers in our hobby who are outstanding musicians. There are about 5 calls that are used a lot, so I've never had to learn to more obscure ones. Beats screaming orders and losing your voice--the bugle really carries. (My bugle has gotten really banged up on my saddle, however.)
michickenwrangler, there are members of the "Guard" in Michigan. If you're interested in the hobby, you'll want to get involved now, because most of us are dropping out of the National Events after the 150th Gettysburg, July, 2013.

 

[michickenwrangler]

I don't think DH would let me, between distance riding, dairy goats & cheesemaking, chickens, gardening, orchard, braiding rag rugs, housework, being a mom and working, he'd say I have too much on my plate. I said something in passing once about felting and he said "NO! You do too much now!"

I know some guys in the Gladwin area that do Revolutionary War stuff, but I don't know if the two groups cross paths or not. A few of them were extras in "The Patriot"

Because of Ft. Detroit, Ft. Michilimackinac and Ft. Mackinac here in Michigan, there's quite a few 1812 reenacters too.