Do you reenact in "flavor" skirmishes or do you reenact a specific battle?
Do the reenactors of the 153rd Volunteers have artillery, and if so, what types?
A bit of both. If it's a local reenactment, they may be general skirmishes. Bigger reenactments have specific parts of the battle done at specific times, as there's obviously no way to get full-size armies on the field. As for your second question, my particular regiment doesn't own any artillery.
Are you concerned about the Brits coming in for the South? If they do, do you think the French will support the North?
You've got it backwards, my friend. There was virtually no chance of the British throwing their lot in with the South. The Confederacy actually got a conditional offer of support from the French, but the condition was that the British had to join in as well, so it was really a moot point.
Don't you feel odd sometimes that you're celebrating and glorifying war?
Of course I realise that isn't the intention .... but I am wondering if mixed feelings ever enter into the situation.
Occasionally, yes. In real life, I'm pretty much a pacifist. However, we try to emphasize the whole of the war, which by necessity means mentioning the suffering of soldiers and civilians alike.
it's worse; he could be a neo-confederate.
serious: what kind of firearms do you use? are they replicas? are they legitimate firearms or more-or-less props?
I use a .58 caliber Enfield rifle. Perfectly legitimate weapon, though I admit I've never actually put a live round downrange. I'm a small guy, and it's a big gun. I'd probably end up on my backside if I tried.
Do you camp using only period technology/resources for the duration of the reenactment? How long are the reenactments; day, weekend, week? Do you substitute some items because of health concerns. Like modern spoon instead of pewter because of lead. Do you use period soap? Do you cook food/prepare meals on a campfire? Were you in the armed forces? What type of age group is responsible for most reenactments? Who comes? Family? Do you reenact at National Parks and deal with tourist? Does it feel odd being part of the totalitarian armies in the war of northern aggression?
Whoa, slow down there. Most of us use only period equipment for camping. I stay at home or in hotels rather than camping and have a cell phone with me, but those are both for health-related reasons. Equipment is made with modern materials, and we often have field-cooked stew, but there's usually home-baked goods available as well, and there's always modern food available for the spectators, who are mostly family and the portion of the general public interested in history. There's always public interaction, but virtually nobody reenacts at national parks to my knowledge. As for the age group, many of the old-timers will be retiring at the end of next year with the conclusion of 150th anniversary events, so there's kind of a changing of the guard feeling.
Give a guess as to what percentage of reenactors wear period-style undergarments.
Not going to touch that one, literally or figuratively.
