Civil War Reenacting in Germany

My husband owns an independent record company. He brings bands over to Europe to do heavy metal festivals every summer. He's been going over there for like, the past 10 years and this year, if we can afford it, he would like to bring the entire family with him.
Metal Festivals in Germany
Heavy metal is his thing. I'm into Civil War reenacting and guess what? Not only is heavy metal popular in Germany, but I've recently found out that so is American Civil War reenacting!
German Heritage in the Civil War
I guess its no surprise since there were scores of german immigrants in the war, almost 200,000 I've read. It seems they reenact for similar reasons as we do and they're just as enthusiastic as we are.

Germans love American Civil War Reenacting

Confederates on the Rhine

The South Rises Again

I wonder if they have women and civilians and if the same us against them authentic/progressive/mainstream thing is going on there as here.

This and That

I started to go through my gear in another effort to lighten up my load. I'm not really finding much to toss that would add any more room. Surprisingly folding my sheets and laundry items actually does create a little more space. I decided until I can actually put the tent up and all my stuff with it, I really can't judge it.

I found quite a bit of sturdy white fabric on a roll at a thrift store. I'm going to try and make some of sort privacy curtains for the inside of the tent. Again something I'll have to do when the weather gets better.

I must dress in the dark and never look in a mirror! My blue dress is dreadfully faded! I don't know why I'm surprised because I'm out in the sun so much but the old thing has been ravaged by the sun! Other than the sun its fine and dandy so I'm going to try to dye it. I really don't have a lot of luck with dyeing stuff. I dyed another dress a year or so ago and the color was great at first but then kind of faded away.

My children got me a chimney iron for Christmas. It looks like this one. I kept telling myself I wasn't going to get another sad iron,

I have 8 1/2 of them already but like the Mrs. Potts style one I bought, its a completely different style and it was a gift from my children so I'm allowing it into the collection as a "must have" as opposed to an over indulgence.

Research: Laundress Documentation

Okay, I was at a company meeting a few weeks ago and something came up that needed a vote. It would be a vote that only the military would be able to vote on. I raised my hand and said, me too right? Someone automatically responded, "no, you're a civilian." Well of course I argued going through my time worn "I'm the first woman with official status in the US Army" spiel "I get paid by the army. I've got documentation that I'm military." By now,everyone already has a natural reaction to ignore when I'm on a tangent, but one of my beloved company members piped up and said "Hey if you're paid by the Army, it's good enough for me!"

So, what documentation do I have that I'm in the military? Exhibit A is the House of Representatives 49th congress Report No. 204. If laundresses weren't in the military, then why did the house of representatives think they were and spent so much time talking about how they either loved or hated them and then have to vote to discontinue them?

Laundresses in the Army
Yes, its entitled Laundresses in the Army. They were not camp followers, no matter how lousy they they were treated in some cases.

Still not convinced?

Well take a look at this. It is a document containing information of the discharge of Benjamin F. and Catherine Oliphant. This is from the Library of Congress: Laundress discharged

Yes it said laundress/nurse, however, laundresses were called upon to do nursing duties, helping the cook and whatever else was needed at the time. A laundress would do nursing, if needed. Its sad that they ended up a jenny-of-all-trades and weren't given the admiration and respect they deserved. But,the fact is that she was hired in as a laundress and wouldn't get a pension. In most cases, laundresses were from the lower class. Nurses wouldn't call themselves laundresses. You have to remember social class was the know all end all in Victorian society. Notice she went for a pension. I've yet to see if she got it as laundresses with few exceptions didn't get pensions like nurses did. That was 100 shades of wrong. Those women worked their bustles off!

Okay, I'm no expert so if anyone has any corrections, opinions or new information. I'd sure love to see it.


Highest Regards,

Mrs. Peters

Reenactment: ZOAR, Ohio

It's funny, Zoar was kinda like Hale Farm except not sucky. We were all psyched up to go and expected a chorus of angels, to be pitching our tent on a cloud, all the gods and goddesses would be in uniform... It kinda didn't happen that way. Don't get me wrong it was great. We had a really good time, lol, too good on Saturday night I must admit with a shamed blush.

See, what it is , is that Zoar was the second reenactment we'd ever participated in. We were mustered in at Hale Farm ( We were spectators) in August of '09, did a small reenactment in Hartville, now its called 'Black Horse' in Ravenna, Ohio. So the second re-enactement we did was Zoar. Zoar is a big deal in Ohio, its the biggest event in the state. I took Friday off from work so so we could go in early. We ended up getting there around 7pm I believe, and no one was there to direct us to where we were supposed to set up, It wasn't too long before we were shown where though. I was set up near the water source but away from our unit. I don't like being away from my unit. I am a company laundress! I am in the military! I am the first woman recognized by the US Army, I am the first woman with official status in the camp! I am not a civilian! I am a rock! I am an island! And, I'd be lonely so far away! I like my unit! They are all a great group of people and I am probably the biggest whiner you'll ever meet, so they gave me a really great spot on the edge of camp. lol, honestly I think they all humor me so they'll not have to listen to me any more than they have to! So anyway, we ended up putting up the tent in the dark. Yes, they all made sure my tent was up and my stuff unloaded. IMHO, they treat me like gold and for that I am very grateful.

I cooked for Lyle and myself at Zoar. Ok, well I guess I must admit this up front. Lyle/Lily tends to sneak off to the Flying Turtle to indulge in a few bottles of rootbeer and other goodies while I'm not looking. So, I'm guessing they're feeding her/him more than I am...No worries, Lyle/Lily has a good appetite while reenacting. It was tough for her. In this event, there wasn't enough guns to go around. Lyle uses a loaner when she goes to battle. Because of this she was not included in a couple of cool military things that weekend and ended up with a bad case of hurt feelings. Being the trouper she is, she got over it fast. She's a great kid. Like I said in previous posts, I miss having her around Suds Row.

I thought I was going to be able to try out some of the things I've been neglecting this time, but as usual, I didn't. I have a laundry list of things I need to learn and practice like: starching, ironing, Oh, one thing I did finally get the hang of was tending the fire. As a matter of fact everyone said I was practically glued to the fire! Ha! At least it didn't go out! Lyle got into it too!

We borrowed Doreen's fire blowey thingie. Roy said he was going to make one for us as well. Roy is a camping guru I kid you not. He made my stakes for my tent, is going to make the fire thing. He also made a stove for Doreen to cook over! Pretty cool huh? One cool guy that Roy!

I got to use my yoke again! Boy did I haul water. I'm telling you, I felt like thats all I did the whole time! You'd think with all the non stop activity at a Civil War Reenactment, one might shed a few pounds, at least water-weight! But NOOO! As you can see in the picture, I've shed nothing but dignity.

You can't see him but my husband is the one taking the picture and the whole time he is reciting that Dane Cook thing about how the victorian people didn't smile on purpose. I'm trying not to smile and he's in front of me yelling, don't smile, look she smiled! She looks like she's happy to be alive! She ruined the picture!

See that brown and white apron? =======>>

That is made from one of those incredibly cheap (at a thrift store) button up, sleeveless 100% cotton summer dresses! All you have to do is cut off the buttons and then cut off the bodice leaving a bit of fabric for a waistband. Cut the skirt part to the fullness you desire. Then fashion the ties from the left over material and sew them into the waistband. Some dresses actually have ties on them so all the work is pretty much done! Lazy, cheap and easy! See? I actually took one of my irons out of the fire!

Okay, so Saturday night. I love the campfires. I love sitting around the campfires talking. I especially love it when someone has an instrument and plays and when sometimes there is singing! At Zoar there was good conversation, good Jagermeister and a few other yummy things. Life is good at reenactments, very good indeed.