By Brad Ireland, 4th VA, Co. A Gilham’s manual is designed so that each command for the manual of arms is broken down into two part; a prepatory command and an execution command. The prepatory command lets the soldier know what he is to do. The execution command tells him to when to do it. …
Reenacting has gone from a pastime where participants were only expected to “act” like soldiers for a few hours over the course of a weekend to one where living history opportunities are encouraged and fostered throughout the course of the event. In this atmosphere it is essential that each “soldier” is aware of and practicing …
By Erik Mink, 4th Virginia Many articles have appeared in The Camp Chase Gazette concerning the usage of “correct” drill manuals by reenactment groups. These articles have down-played the importance, and even the utilization, of William Gilham’s Manual of Instruction for the Volunteers and Militia of the United States [Confederate States]. I remember being asked …
By Eric Mink Over the past few days there has been a very active thread concerning Gilham’s manual, its usage and comparison with Hardee. The constant concern seems to be how heavily Gilham may have been used and where its usage compares with Hardee. For the past six years, I have been chasing Gilham’s “ghost” with …
The following write-up is of a talk delivered to the Rappahannock Valley Civil War Round Table by Eric J. Mink on January 10, 2000. The January meeting began with the audience being asked how many have heard of William Gilham. Only about 10% of the long time students of the war raised their hand. Yet …
By Austin Williams, 5th Virginia Few holidays have the emotional resonance in American society as Christmas—it is a cherished time to be among friends and family. For four long years, the men of the Stonewall Brigade’s 2nd, 4th, 5th, 27th, and 33rd Virginia regiments celebrated Christmas apart from their families. Their letters and diaries covering …
By Austin Williams, 5th Virginia What follows are the most salient points of guard duty, tailored to the circumstances we most often encounter during reenacting events. When improperly executed, guard duty is tedious and boring, but when following the period requirements, it can be a memorable part of your impression of a soldier of the …
Authentic food and correct food preparation enhances any living history and becomes quite an enjoyable activity for a mess of “possums” around the campfire. Still, for many members of the Brigade, authentic cooking is viewed as quite daunting and many are discouraged from even trying to cook while in the field. Fortunately, similar to learning …
By Eric Mink, 4th Virginia A wonderful memoir was recently published from a Mississippian who served under the commands of both Jackson and Longstreet, entitled “A Mississippi Rebel in the Army of Northern Virginia” (Batton Rouge: LSU Press, 1995). When reminiscing about his neighbors leaving for war in 1861, he described the material produced by …
By Eric Mink, 4th Virginia The most perplexing of the Confederate soldier’s outfit seems to be his uniform. As we struggle to come to some understanding of the clothing of the Confederate soldier, I felt I would contribute a few items concerning the usage of imported uniforms from England. Beginning in late 1862, and continuing …