Reenacting: Vision and Reality
THE VISION OF REENACTING
"Who knows but again the old flags, ragged and torn, snapping in the wind, may face each other and flutter, pursuing and pursued, while the cries of victory fill a summer day? And after the battle, then the slain and wounded will arise, and all will meet together under the two flags, all sound and well, and there will be talking and laughter and cheers, and all will say: Did it not seem real? Was it not as in the old days?"
- Berry Benson, a Confederate veteran writing in 1880
REENACTING REALITY
"Who [other than the event sponsors] knows but again the old [nylon] flags, ragged and torn [from being thrown in the back of the truck after events], snapping in the wind [and getting ensnared in tree branches], may face each other and flutter, [the Confederates] pursuing and [the Federals] pursued [and withdrawing from the field in good order, as usual], while the cries of victory fill a [very hot and humid] summer day? And after the battle, then the [the very few] slain [who actually took hits] and wounded [who are leaving early to break camp and pack the cars] will arise, and all [but the ticket-holding spectators] will meet together under the two [hundred or so] flags, all sound and well [except for the guys suffering from heat prostration], and there will be talking and laughter and [anachronistic] cheers [and discussion of Monty Python films], and all will say: Did it not seem real? Was it not as in the old days? [Is there a big line for Hawaiian shave ice? - Can I get a beer from your cooler?]"
- as Berry Benson might write these days
