The Civil War News & Views Open Discussion Forum

Re: Fort Sumter Reenactment
In Response To: Re: Fort Sumter Reenactment ()

As a whole this video didn't impress me that these people were well drilled in the drill and ceremony of a memorial service or for that matter their military drill. Their volley fire were as ragged as I have ever seen from first time raw recruits to the re-enacting hobby. It impressed me as just people in suits who have never done this before and as in the manner of the Black Union soldier that "layed" the wreath in the water they didn't seem to care.

BUT on the other hand I am finding that there are a lot of organizations that really have no idea what they are doing in these ceremonies. My group does them all the time, with the libation ceremony and folding of a flag Rifle and artillery salutes and we play tattoo instead of taps because that was the most popular period piece since Taps was developed during the war. Of course for the modern day services we do play Taps because that is what the people expect.

What surprises me is that quasi military veterans groups like the Veterans of Foriegn Wars and the American Legion with ex-military officers in their groups have no idea of the proper sequence of the elements that make a proper memorial service. We do the local Memorial Day Service for our local VFW chapter, but each year they (not us) want something done differently. It seems that to most it is a carnival show that a memorial service. Last year they had us fire the rifle and artillery salute before the ceremony began to draw attention to their services as they begun. It wasn't about honoring the veterans. We have thought about not doing these services because of that reason.

It is a shame that a group of Civil War re-enactors with no military experience are better educated in these types of services than ex-Army, Navy and Air Force officers and military personal.

Messages In This Thread

Fort Sumter Reenactment
Re: Fort Sumter Reenactment
Re: Fort Sumter Reenactment
Re: Fort Sumter Reenactment
Re: Fort Sumter Reenactment
Re: Fort Sumter Reenactment
Re: Fort Sumter Reenactment
Re: Fort Sumter Reenactment
Re: Fort Sumter Reenactment
Re: Fort Sumter Reenactment
Re: Fort Sumter Reenactment
Re: Fort Sumter Reenactment