I have found it rather fascinating, after moving forwards in the hobby late last year, the large amount of misinformation that is being circulated throughout mainstream Civl War reenacting about progressive living history. Even now, in a day and age where we are supposed to be practicing tolerance for others, C/P/H (Campaigner/Progressive/Hard Core) Civil War living historians are still considered a pariah in the hobby by many mainstream reenactors. Why is that? And, more importantly, what is it that they think about us that makes us a target for their hostilities?

Since I have been involved in mainstream reenacting for nearly 18 years and have only been a C/P/H for one, I have a unique insight as to why mainstreamers dislike C/P/Hs so much. I have to admit that, years ago when I didn't know any better, I, too, was equally as guilty as anyone else for allowing the supreme ignorance of a very few people influence my opinions about C/P/H living historians. I was guilty of the same disdain towards "stitch-counters", "hard-cores", "stitch-nazis" and "campaigners". What I was taught is that none of them know how to drill and worry more about sitting around, looking good, than being a soldier like the rest of us. I was taught that they obsess over the number of stitches-per-inch in their clothing. I was also told that they don't play well with others and hate mainstreamers and consider us Farbs. Finally, I was also told that they're in the hobby for themselves, nobody else; and that they don't like interaction with the public.

Boy, was I a total shithead! And so were the mental midgets that filled me with this pile of crap. They insisted that I should never associate myself with these "stitch-counters" as they would judge me harshly for my clothing and that trying to be like one of them would cost me a fortune. All I can say is that I am so happy that I have finally learned the truth and have discovered that those ill-informed "pards" of mine were only retarding my advancement and pleasure in the hobby. Long and short of it... they have absolutely no clue what they are talking about; and neither does anyone else who goes out of their way to bash a certain group of people simply because they want more out of the hobby than sitting around in a theme camp all weekend, discussing World War II battles.

 {mosimage}So, what exactly is it that mainstream reenactors are being told that has us at the receiving end of their ill-informed diatribes? I guess the best way for me to go about this is to post what it is that they believe and then follow up with the facts. I'm really doing this for their benefit as we all know what the truth is. I don't think they realize that the hostility is one-sided and that it eminates from the mainstreamers against the C/P/Hers. It's sort of like a witch hunt. If we don't follow their philosophy or mentality with regards to the hobby, then we are accused of being evil and are ostracized from events because of it. Good thing for us that the obligatory hangings are no longer in play! Enough about that; let's get started!

Mainstream belief:  C/P/Hers are stuck up and arrogant and look down upon mainstream reenactors and judge us because our clothes aren't as fancy as theirs. That's why they don't want to camp any where near us at events.

Fact:  Considering the attitude of many mainstreamers and how they generally treat C/P/Hers at events, would you want to camp anywhere near people who are hostile towards you? C/P/Hers don't camp or interact much with mainstream groups because they are generally treated like shit every time they try to work with maintstreamers. They camp off somewhere by themselves to avoid the hostility. Also, since they are trying to immerse at the event, they are also avoiding the cigarettes, cans of beer/soda, and modern talk that is most prevalent after 5:00 p.m. when it's "our time". When mainstream groups are "off the clock" for the day, C/P/H groups are still enjoying their hobby by staying in character throughout the night. Perhaps, more mainstream groups should try it before condemning it.

Perhaps it's the progressives' desire to avoid conflict and hostility that is misconstrued as being "stuck up". They're really not. Mainstreamers forget that most C/P/H reenactors were, at one time, involved with mainstream groups themselves, before moving forward in the hobby. They would like nothing more than to see more people join them and enjoy the hobby as much as they do. Also, they are not judgemental of reenactors simply based upon the quality of their clothing. They, like anyone else, judge people based upon their character. Whether you're in mainstream garb of the finest museum-grade clothing, if you're an asshole, you will be judged as such. It doesn't matter what's outside... it's what's inside that counts.

 Mainstream belief: If progressives are so damn good and want to see the hobby improve for everyone, then how come they refuse to attend more mainstream events where people will see them and they can expose more people to what they do?

 Fact: They have, for many years, tried to share what they know and what they are doing with the mainstream groups at events. But, because of the preconceived bias that mainstreamers have against progressives, they never stand a chance to share their knowledge and experience. Simply put, since they're basically treated like shit by mainstreamers at events, why should they go out of their way to attend any mainstream event? Again, the hostility is one-sided and until mainstream groups can get past that, progressives will simply avoid any hostility by kindly not interacting with them.

Mainstream belief: Progressives aren't very public friendly and are only into the hobby for themselves and refuse to break character to talk with the public.

Fact: I'd like to know where this comes from. Of the nine or ten events that I have attended this year, over half of them were public-oriented. If there is a group of people that are less public-friendly, then I would have to say it's the mainstream groups. Over the past couple of decades, I have witnessed a very distinct pattern with mainstream groups. They set up camp, which, by it's own nature, is a barrier between the public and the reenactors. Only when somebody is bold enough to enter the camp does a person from the group approach them and offer to teach them. Oddly enough, it's almost always the same one or two people from each group who engages the public. The rest of the unit is content to talk among themselves and act as if they don't want to be disturbed. Body language is very powerful, especially if you're sitting in a circle with your backs to the rest of the world. 

Now, the same one or two people who do all of the talking for the group eventually move on to progressive living history. If you take that into consideration, then nearly all progressives were, at one time, their old mainstream group's mouthpieces and, therefore, are always more than willing to grab the public by the hand and bring them into camp and talk with them. So, the belief that progressives aren't public friendly has absolutely no basis and is, in fact, just the opposite of the truth.

As far as progressives being into it just for themselves, this is a misconception about what progressive living history is about. Of course they try to get as much out of an event as possible -- shouldn't we all? I mean, if you're only into Civil War living history solely to teach the public, then it stops being a hobby and becomes a volunteer job. I don't know about you, but I already have a job. A hobby is something that we should be doing for our own enjoyment; and not simply to pander to the masses. I agree, instructing the public is important; but it can be also be accomplished in a way that the living historian also has his/her opportunities to experience moments for themselves. That's why progressives don't hang up their hats when the event closes to the public for the day -- they are still in character and continue to immerse themselves until it's time to go home. Perhaps more mainstream groups should try it. I think they'll find the hobby far more enjoyable and fullfilling if they did.

Mainstream belief: Who cares if our costumes are museum quality or not? The general public can't tell the difference anyway — so why does it matter?

Fact: This is another misconception. The public is far more history savvy than many of us give them credit for. They most certainly can tell the difference between the two grades of clothing — especially if you have both groups present at an event and can compare them side-by-side. I've been told by many fellow progressives that on numerous occasions, the public has asked them why the other (mainstream) groups don't look the same as they (progressives) do. 

The fact is that the weight of the fabric and the cut of the pattern are going to cause the garments to hang from the body differently. A 19-ounce wool sack coat is going to wear much differently than the correct 5-1/2-ounce wool flannel sack coat. Also, the patterns from which progressive vendors work are exacting to the original garments worn by the soldiers during the war. They aren't based upon photographs, but on originals. The litmus for this is the wet-plate images that many of us have taken at events. If you have an ambrotype or a tin-type struck of you in mainstream garb, the image looks like a tintype of a reenactor. But those of us who research what was worn and have the correct clothing, the image looks more like an original, rather than an event momento. Part of what progressives research are the photos from the period, and they strive to duplicate that look as much as possible.

Also, the fact that many mainstream reenactors refer to their clothing as "costumes" should tell you something. They are, quite honestly, being accurate with that reference. They are "costumes" — not the real deal.  For example, if I wanted to dress as a firefighter for Halloween and I rented a high-quality costume for the occassion; if you stood me up against a real firefighter (body weight not withstanding) would you be able to tell the difference between the two? Of course you would. Unless I am wearing exactly the same clothing and equipment the real firefighter is wearing, I'm going to look like I'm wearing a costume — no matter how well-made the costume is. The same holds true with Civil War-era clothing. Unless it's made exactly the same way and with the same materials as the originals, we simply look like we're wearing costumes. That's why progressive groups look so good and, possibly, part of the resentment that mainstreamers have towards them. 

 Mainstream belief: Progressives are too regimental — too hard core. They don't let their people sit back and have any fun after the public leaves for the day. This 24-hour first-person crap is way over the top and it takes the fun away from anyone who gets stuck with them. They should learn to relax at the end of the day and crack a couple of beers and enjoy themselves.

Fact:  What mainstream reenactors fail to realize is that when the public leaves for the day, that's the time that progressives have the opportunity to immerse themselves at an event. That's what they do for enjoyment. Having the attitude that enjoyment after the public leaves should involve breaking character and sitting around the campfire swilling beer turns a living history experience into theme camping. Progressives want to get as much out of an event as they can, and that opportunity happens when the public is gone for the day. 

This is not to say that progressives don't like talking to the public or that they feel that the public is intrusive. Not at all. What I'm trying to say is that we devote seven or eight hours of our day to instructing the public, but when it's our time, it's time to immerse and do our own thing for ourselves. That's where progressives get their enjoyment at events. This may be one of the key differences between reenactors and living historians.

Mainstream belief: Maybe more of us would look into progressive living history if the clothing and equipment wasn't so damn expensive. Who the heck has $3,000 laying around for Civil War stuff anyway? It's just a hobby and all of this "museum-grade" crap is just over the top.

Fact:  Paul Calloway wrote a great article a long time ago about this very topic. Mainstreamers and mainstream vendors (sutlers) perpetuate this myth that museum-grade clothing and equipment costs thousands of dollars. The reason is that they don't want people to progress in the hobby and learn the truth — because if they did, mainstream groups would lose members and mainstream sutlers would lose customers. The fact is that you can purchase much of what you need at or below what mainstream sutlers are selling their wares. 

For example, you can purchase a 19-ounce "consumer-grade" sack coat from a mainstream vendor for $110; but for $15 more, you can purchase a correctly-made sack coat from a reputable progressive vendor for $125. Also, if you carefully monitor the Buy, Sell, and Trade forum at the Authentic Campaigner, you could kit yourself out entirely in museum-grade clothing and equipment for what it would cost you to purchase from mainstream vendors. The beauty is that a majority of the items up for sale at the AC have only been used once or twice (or never) and the seller will pass a substantial discount on to you just to move the item so he/she can purchase something else.

When I first got into the hobby back in 1987, a full uniform and accouterments cost me around $800 (musket not included). Last year, I purged my entire collection of all mainstream-grade items and re-outfitted myself for around $1,300. The latter investment also included an additional sack coat and a frock coat. If you take into consideration the amount of inflation between 1987 and 2005, I probably invested less money with the upgrade than I did with the original purchase. So this whole attitude that it is far more expensive than it's worth also holds no water.  

Mainstream belief: It's pointless to purchase museum-grade kit since they are always changing the rules each year. How do I know that this year's sack coat won't be obsolete next year simply because some stitch-counter found some new research about one particular coat which will be the rage next season? It's not worth the risk.

Fact:  This is also a myth that was born from the very early days of the hobby. True, there may have been a time when hard cores were discovering new facts about certain items of clothing and equipment and then sharing this information which, later, changed what was considered acceptable. But that was in the early stages of the hobby. All of the uniforms and equipment that are being produced today have been carefully researched from originals and, therefore, can be documented. Certainly, there were many differing contract variants of certain clothing items, but what a soldier was issued depended upon what the quartermaster had on hand. Maybe the soldier was originally issued a Schuykill Arsenal sack coat, but had to draw a new coat and was given a J.T. Martin contract coat. Or, perhaps, a soldier's state contracted a manufacturer to create uniforms for its regiments and a soldier would be wearing a state varient. There are a lot of factors involved, and today's vendors adequately cover all of these variants — so there is no fear of purchasing something this year that will be considered wrong next year. 

Conclusion:

What I was attempting to do here with this article was to put to rest some of the misinformation that many mainstream reenactors have about progressive living historians. Progressives aren't bad people; to the contrary, they are the best the hobby has to offer. All progressives are looking for is a little understanding about their form of living history and for the hostilities towards them to cease. Progressives aren't hostile towards mainstream reenactors, nor do they judge them; as many progressives, themselves, were once mainstreamers. All progressives are looking for is a little more out of the hobby than what the mainstream offers them. They are looking for the experiences that come with living history, so that they have a point of reference when they read books and personal journals/diaries of the people who actually lived the experience. But, because mainstream groups tend to be more hostile towards the progressive mind-set, the progressives will simply continue to create their own events so that they can avoid being the target of hatred and discrimination. 

Hopefully, some day, this can all change and we can all get past the politics and posturing and work together for the common good of all.