Train Robbery, Again!!

October 1oth
Yet another train robbery. Look at the soldier nearest to us. He was impaled by a sword!
Once again Mosby's raiders and the Federal army met. I "turned on the blond switch" for this event, trying to confuse the Rebels. Thank goodness the surgeon had something to help my nerves!

Multiple Personalities

Many of the ladies who re-enact have multiple impressions that they "perform" during re-enactments. Each persona has their own background and behavior. I have decided that I would share my multiple personalities. Most are done whether I am Union or Rebel that day.

The Company Seamstress: The clue to this persona is that I have my tent and there is a sign on it reading "Seamstress". The funniest part of this is that I don't machine sew very well at all.
My "brother" Michael is in the unit I work for but is usually a prisoner of war. I usually have letters from him in my tent. Most import is that the Seamstress is true to the company and not a spy. Hey, come to think of it, there are a few privates that owe me money for sewing I have done!



Private Bergeron's Wife: I am a camp follower because we lost our farm when the private joined the war. He is never seen around camp because he is on picket duty or in the brig for drinking and gambling. I am not a spy.




Maryland Bible Society Member: This lady tires to ensure that the boys receive religious guidance and enters camp handing out cards or pamphlets. The truth is that she is a spy and is actually seeking information on where the troop is going. She also is the cousin of Rose Greenhow the Washington DC spy for the Confederacy. I only do this persona when I am with the Union. I have letters from Rose in my basket along with maps of the Railroads.


Sanitary Commission Member: Dressed as a local lady, I visit the local Union camp and inspect it. I have only done this once with the other ladies and it was sooo much fun!


Train Patron: This is the most fun and challenging persona because at these events both my companies are represented and fighting each other. Usually I am pro union and have some knowledge if healing skills. I use my knitting needles to remove bullets and have "morphine" tablets (Altoids actually) to help those in pain. I try to be nice to my Rebels too though they always outnumber the union at these events.


Well that's it, that generally what I do. I am planning another persona for the next national event. I will be dressed as a man and go onto the battle field with a first aid kit, Ice and water. Anyone got an AED I could borrow?

Confederates at Fort Knox!

For the first time I was 100% confederate at an event that involved the public. At Gettysburg the Blue and Gray were separated so there was not a lot of interaction for civilians, not in the true sense of being a person of the time. At the train events I go with the underdog, which is always the North. But at Ft Knox there was no question, I was a lady of succession, trying to get information from the 2oth Maine to give to the 15th Alabama.

The encampment had a beautiful view of the Penobscott Narrows bridge. We were on the eastern side of the fort overlooking Battery A. The Yankees were stationed in the fort itself. I visited their camp twice on Saturday, once before the battle (they won). I was invited back by a fiddler player who was willing to tune my dulcimer. When I returned with the instrument he used an electronic tuner and I was able to sit a spell with one of the men who enjoyed singing songs of the period. He knew many of them and even sang the first verse of a Rebel song or two.

During the Saturday skirmish, one of the privates was "wounded" and once again I was required to remove a bullet with my knitting needle.

Our Historian Taking Pictures

Sunday, there was another battle (we won!). No knitting needle required for the Southern Gentleman. One thing I learned about the Rebels, is that I have a lot to learn about the confederacy. Another thing I learned is that a lot of people thing the Civil war was just about slavery. Had I not been aware of the ongoing issue of state's rights as far back as when the country was formed, I would most likely think that it was all about slavery too.

(pictures to be posted once they are sent to me)

Gettysburg 2008 Part 1

The 145th Anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg took place July 4, 5th and 6th 2008. I was honored to be a participant and the next few blog entries will be about those three days.

I actually left Saturday, June 28th and drove to my sister’s in Maryland. Our car was stuff with all sorts of Civil war paraphernalia: Tent, table, crates, blankets, dresses, writing desk, small barrel...as if I was leaving for the real war!

We didn’t actually leave for Gettysburg until Thursday July 3rd. And as luck would have it, we were stuck in traffic and it took longer to get there then we hoped. We set up the RV and I quickly headed to camp arriving at 5pm.




Now finding the right camp was entertaining to say the least. At least I knew where my tent didn’t belong. I wasn’t with the cavalry or the artillery. That narrowed it down to a many acre field of Infantry. I circled the area, several times, and at last I stopped and called "Uncle Dick". Logically he asked to identify my surroundings. "I am near the flags" referring to the regimental flags. "And now you’ll tell me you’re by the white tents too!" he said...For the record, I thought I was quite clear in my directions. He saved me, led me to the Third Maine and helped me set up the tent. Good ol’ Uncle Dick!



Being a "Ramada Ranger" I of course headed back to the RV to sleep.

Camp Pratt, Farmington Maine

Camp Pratt May 2-4th 2008

Well, for me preparation for Camp Pratt started several days before the event. In April, I purchased a tent from birthday money (Thank you Dad!). So I needed to make tent poles. My Hubby cut them for me (Thank You Honey) and I needed to paint them. Off I went to the paint store and wanted brown paint...Who Knew??? there were so many shades of brown to choose from: Seal brown, Sand, Taupe...All I wanted was mud brown. Thank goodness they had that!

Camp Pratt, My tent's the second from the Right

So I packed the car Friday night and headed for Farmington, Maine at 6:30 Saturday morning. It was misting in Berlin, drizzling in Rumford and continued to do so all weekend!

They southern gentleman were kind enough to set up my tent for me and cart my belongings into camp.

And they cook too! Capt Mike made ribs using his special recipe. Though it was kind of creepy how he treated them with such love.

After a camp fire dinner, they gentleman were kind enough to let me and Miss Sara fire the guns at the Union picket line. It was so much fun trying the guns.

The evening was spent chatting at the camp fire. I headed to the local inn until morning returning to the cold, muddy camp for breakfast and clean up.

So are you saying...Miss Deb, it rained all weekend, how could that be fun? Cause those southern gentleman can keep you entertained with their stories, impersonations and jokes!

The Spring Gala

Andre and Miss Deb

For the first time, Andre joined me at a civil war event. I think the troop thought he didn't exist.

We had a friend take care of the kids and headed to Brunswick, ME. (We arrived around 2pm and visited the Museum at Bowdoin College. Just having some time to walk around the artwork and not have children to worry about was a real treat!)

Contra Dance

We checked into the hotel and I started getting ready. It takes no less than 30 minutes to get ready. The funniest part was Andre laying on the bed, her feet on my back as he pulled the corset strings!

The Gala Committee

The Gala itself was delightful! Almost 40 people attended. The music awesome and the dancing lots of fun!

The Maine Rebels

Ear Muff Parade

December 1st, 2007 I drove 70+ miles one way to walk in the Chester Greenwood Parade. This gentleman invented the earmuff and Farmingtom Maine takes great pride in this. So with 8 Soldiers (2 were Rebels) we walked in cold (17 degrees) and windy (15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph) with wind chill at a -10 degrees, weather ...How can we possibly do this you wonder? The answer is a word known to all re-enactors. FARB..

Farb is a derogatory term used in the hobby of historical re-enacting for participants who exhibit less commitment to historical authenticity (Thank you Wikipedia).

Now some events are strictly period correct, that is, those running the show may come over and note that you do not have hand stitched button holes...hence the term "Stitch Counters". Antietam was an example of a period correct (as far as the Third Maine was concerned) event.

Now 17-19 degree weather is not an event where as a civilian I can not have Farb...Oh yes I made a valiant effort to hide what I could, but alas it was there. The list included:
Fleece Socks, Ski Pants (under every petticoat I own), multiple shirts, a fleece lined jacket with a zipper and even the little pocket hand warmers. Ashley was no better. Oh well...it is a hobby

after all.

After the parade we did get hot chocolate courtesy of Matt B. Huzzah!

We even made the news (hope this link works!)

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=75786

The Great Train Robbery-More Pictures

I love this picture...Brenda and I talking of course!

The battle



Steve warning the train riders



Lady of the Third Maine

The Great Train Robbery

Treating the Wounded

The Rebel Ladies

Private Cylik

It was a warm and sunny day when Miss Brenda and I took our wagon to the train depot in Manasses Junction. The children, Ashley and Benjamin we alight with excitement at the thought of a train ride through the Virginia countryside. To our delight, traveling on the train was my cousins, Private and Mrs Cylik. We were quite flustered to learn that the train had been commandeered to carry the Unions pay for soldiers station near Harper’s Ferry. I had traveled there many times with Papa in my youth and was familiar with the small town. The train, as often is, ran late leaving the station and it was easy to determine there were many Southern sympathizers aboard. We barely had time to settle in for the long ride when a group of Rebels were spotted near a key bridge. I thought I would have the vapors when the gun fire started. But when our daring boys in blue were wounded, I had to put aside my own fears to aid them. Poor Private Henry had a bullet in the chest which I removed with Mrs. Cylik’s knitting needle. The rebel ladies only flirted, shouting cheers to the Johney Rebs!. The Rebel surgeon, would only give out poor wounded opium tablets...not even a drop of whisky! Thank goodness for Mrs Cylik’s medicinal elixir. Private Bray and Private Cylik’s wounds were not as severe. Bravely they refused to allow the surgeon to touch them. Our lads were paroled to return to Manasses Junction and in the end, Brenda, the Children and I decided we would make the trip home by wagon from now on.