BCU - Spirit
Re-enacting the War of 1812-14
I feel it is necessary to point out that I was not associated with any organizations along the lines of the Society of Creative Anachronism ("If they had it they would have used it"), or the numerous American Civil War groups (the only war the U.S. ever won!). I ran with the 49th Regiment of Foot, based in Fort Erie, Ontario at that time, and our period of interpretation was 1812-14.
This was a very rewarding hobby, but can also be very expensive. You must make or aquire your regimental uniform, work clothes, boots, cross belts, pouches, packs, tents, cooking/eating/sleeping gear, canteens, bayonets, and most importantly a working and reliable musket. This hobby is where I first discovered the method of overlapping hobbies and crafts to achieve more than I originally set out to. Due to the costs involved you learn very quickly to work with leather, wood, fabric, hard and molten metals. You end up learning a lot more than you expected to, and it's totally worth it.
Then there are your costs for firearms courses and licences, black powder (aka gunpowder), travel, lodgings, meals when on the road, and all of the neat things that the suttlers are selling at the events. Normally, the events I would attend were all within a 500km radius, but you still end up with some hefty expenses.
My little brother introduced me to re-enacting shortly after he had taken a job at Historic Old Fort Erie. That was many years ago (10, maybe 12 years). The photo on the left shows me and my brother in the Glengarry Light Infantry uniform. This is the unit we started out re-enacting, but then the regiments began to get organized and more politics came into play. It was decided that our group should be doing battalion instead of light, and we switched to the red coat with green flashings of the 49th Regiment of Foot (The Green Tigers). Heather (photo on the right) became involved as a 'camp follower' while we were still dating.
This is a photo of my father, myself, and my brother (in that order) in Belgium, preparing for the re-enactment of the Battle of Waterloo. That was an incredible trip that left us exhausted, hungry, and aching.
This is a view of the battlefield at Waterloo on the day of the event. It was truly staggering to see thousands of re-enactors on a field at one time. An advancing French column is a sight that is difficult to forget, even when you're only playing 'silly-buggers'.We did the Battle of Waterloo in 1995, and I think that was the last year I went out to events. I still have all of the gear safely tucked away (some of it is still in use), it's just that around that year the politicking within the various regiments of this area had reached an all time high. The original members, that had taught me everything and each of whom I respected, were in total disagreeance on any given point. A couple left to start their own units and if I recall correctly, the 49th Regiment shifted into re-enacting the Princess Pat's in World War 1. Also, the ever changing gun laws have made it nearly impossible for an average person to afford to re-enact.
I have many happy memories of these events, and I am saddened that my son won't be able to experience it as I did. There is a level of friendship (kinship/understanding/whatever the word) that can be achieved for a short time when you sit by a fire surrounded by strangers after a long hot day in a wool uniform, when all you can taste is the saltiness of black powder and sweat, when you are grimey, itchy, and sore, when the tourists have all gone home and the camp is dark, when the musicians have reached for their bagpipes, drums, fifes, and tin-whistles, and the guy sitting next to you hands you a cold beer, a warm smile and asks you're name. I am sure that with my blood in him, my son will find his own version of this, but it would have been nice to share it with him myself.
Should you wish to look into the current state of re-enacting a little further, here are a couple of links that I found of Regiments in Southern Ontario. Re-enactors love to talk about it, so don't be afraid to send them an email for more information.
The Glengarry Light Infantry
Fort Erie War of 1812 - Re-enactment Units
Enjoy,
Brett