Wyvern in the American Civil War

[Wyvern]

As my friends on this forum might recall, I moved from North Florida to Northern Virginia in the summer of 2017. I live in the town of Herndon (coincidentally, where the annual Paper Modelers Convention is held, and I managed to visit last year, but had no builds to show off) not too far from Manassas National Battlefield. Last year, I became a volunteer Living History Interpreter at the park. The park offers Living History weekends once a month from May through September, and supports a few other functions during the year, as well- usually a Christmas fundraiser, and a School Day for Prince William County students. This year we also put on a display for some 400 Fourth Graders from Knox County, Tennessee- all of the county’s senior safety patrol members on their “See DC in Three Days” tour.



At each session, we do demonstrations of an infantry firing line, followed by firing two shots from a full-scale replica of a 10-pound Parrott rifled field piece. I do both infantry and serve on the artillery crew.
Living History is different from reenactment. Reenactors are literally “re-living” a specific event, staging a mock battle based on the real one (usually), along with living campaign life Sometimes the public can watch; sometimes not. Living History seeks to give the “flavor” of the period without re-creating specific events, and always takes place for public viewing. While we focus on the two battles fought at Manassas/Bull Run, we also illustrate the wider scope of the war, and attempt to give some context beyond the specifics of one battle. The other big difference is that Living History interpreters aren’t trying to re-create a specific unit, as reenactors do. We wear a variety of uniforms and apparel that are historically appropriate to First and Second Manassas (July 1861 and August 1862, respectively). Additionally, the U.S. Park Service doesn’t sanction or allow reenactments to take place on Park Service grounds.


Last year, I performed exclusively as a Union soldier. These first two pictures are me in my Union uniform, armed with a replica Springfield smoothbore musket which is owned by the Park Service. During the course of the season, I bought my own rifle-musket, a Pattern 1853 Enfield, the second-most used long arm of the war, used by both sides in all theaters. The pictures were taken on Henry Hill at Henry House, the center-point of the first Battle of Manassas.


I’ve since added Confederate garb to my collection, and appear as both a Union soldier and a Confederate soldier, sometimes “swapping sides” between the infantry portion of the demonstration and the artillery shoot, by switching coats and hats! From left to right, I’m shown in an early war “battleshirt”, and then in a butternut shell jacket with infantry trim- a nicer uniform than a lot of Confederate soldiers got issued. In both photos, I’m armed with my Enfield. The hillock I’m standing on is on Brawner Farm, where the first shots of Second Manassas were fired on August 28, 1862 by Stonewall Jackson’s artillery, engaging the troops of the 2nd Wisconsin, 19th Indiana, and Battery B, 4th U.S. Artillery, who hurriedly unlimbered and returned fire. They’d be at it for the next three days.

[Wyvern]

A group of us also performed as Ramseur’s Confederate skirmishers at the 1864 Battle of Monocacy in Maryland. I’m on the right of the group photo, and second from the left (the tub in the white hat) in the marching photo. The marching picture was actually taken by the staff photographer from the Frederick News Post newspaper, and appeared in print and online. I bought a digital copy. I also recently temporarily joined the U.S. Third Maryland for an event at Antietam National Battlefield, providing three infantry firing demos at platoon strength. I don’t have any pictures of that event, though.

[3Turner]

That looks like fun Bart.

My boys love to see that living history stuff. We didn't get to take them we wife and I went to Franklin, TN to see some civil war era history there and go on a short tour. We have been planning to head out that way again and take the boys this time. Perhaps we'll swing through there...we'll keep ya posted when we take our next vacation sometime next year.

[Vermin_King]

Ready for a tear in the eye?


When my step-grandma's sister died, they had a sale down at the old home place. I wish I'd known what I was looking at. The ugliest quilt I'd ever seen. Blue squares, gray squares, yellow strips and little red squares. Turns out it was made by Lavera's grandmother following the war from uniforms of soldiers and officers from both sides. There was also a list of who donated the uniforms and which regiments they served in. It went for less than $400 ... before I found out what it was. Why she didn't give it to a museum and take the tax deduction, we'll never know

[cgutzmer]

This is fabulous! Thanks for sharing!
Chris

[Texman]

Good stuff Bart!

[airdave]

You are an interesting fellow Bart!
So glad I got the chance to meet you in person.

[Wyvern]

Originally Posted by airdave

You are an interesting fellow Bart!
So glad I got the chance to meet you in person.

Likewise, Dave!

BW

[southwestforests]

Hat and coat swapping for being different sides in different settings is a practical and simple idea.

Dare I admit in public that my first mental image derived from thread title of "Wyvern in the American Civil War" was a Westland Wyvern in Confederate Navy usage?

But the imagination didn't settle on national markings for it in those brief seconds.

[ct ertz]

Awesome. So much fun. I don't get to do much reenacting these days but I do make clothing. Getting too old (and fat) for a line soldier but still have a respectable Confederate assistant surgeon officers outfit that I could use.

A short video of the construction of a shell jacket can bee seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zRlfLAcoWs&t=26s

A few of my reenacting pictures for your amusement...