9/28/'19 CivilWarWeekend

Blippers seemed to like some previous images of our Civil War re-enactors. Somehow, there is a fascination attached to the spectacle that catches the attention of non-Americans, especially Europeans and Australians. So I have decided, on this Veteran's Day, to do a series of back Blips taken at the Wade House in Greenbush, Wisconsin during the annual Civil War Weekend.

CW buffs from around the country assume the identity of an actual Civil War participant and portray that individual during a re-enactment of the battle....which changes every year. Different battles are re-enacted and it is the "job" of each re-enactor to research his character and portray him/her as accurately as possible. They spend then entire weekend, Friday through Sunday setting up camps exactly as they would have been at the time...weather not-withstanding. They provide all their own costumes, food, utensils etc. right down to weapons and horses and cannon. This series will be from 2019 as this autumn's event was canceled due to the Covid-19 experience.

Just to start the series, I have selected the "actor" portraying Union Gen. U.S. Grant. It's amazing to talk to these individuals as they remain in character and speak about what is/will be happening that day. This is the General in front of his tent waiting to inspect his troops. 

EXTRA: Shot in color but converted to period sepia tone with a little vignette added as might have been done in the day by period photographers the likes of Mathew Brady, Alexander Gardner and George W. Barnard. I wonder how many Blippers prefer the sepia to the color rendition.

For those interested, I can recommend the best book ever...a photographic history of the Civil War: "CIVIL WAR A Complete Photographic History" by William C. Davis and Bell L Wiley. Tess Press under the direction of the National Historic Society.

It contains over 4,000 actual photographs complete with all the information you'd want to know about each of them. If you are a Civil War buff, you really need this book.