What is Civil War Reenacting?

A Hobby With History

The American Civil War was one of the most important events in the history of this country. It has made us what we are and can teach us many lessons. It ushered in the end of romantic warfare and ripped the country in half. It was fought by brave and dedicated men and women on both sides, who valiantly struggled for what they believed was right.

Civil War reenactors are men and women who strive to relive the experiences, hardships, and triumphs of the times. To go back and retell the story of the Civil War, in all its glory and tragedy. Armies in Union blue and Confederate gray on the march... bacon and beans cookin'.... cannon roaring.... cavalry on the gallop..... the glint of sunlight on bayonets..... the noise and tumult of a smoke shrouded 19th century battlefield..... the hardships of surviving in a country at war while constantly wondering if the ones you love will survive the struggle to come home again..... We strive to recreate all of these experiences and understand what it was like to live during the war between North and South.

A Few Good Men and Women

The Texas Rifles are seeking men and women of valor to join us and thousands of other history-minded hobbyists to experience, first hand, one of the country's fastest-growing, most unique recreational activities. As a Civil War reenactor you will become a soldier, or a civilian, wearing authentic 1860s period clothing and learning to live as they did. Those who choose to reenact the battles will be carrying equipment and a weapon which match those used over 130 years ago, bivouacking in historically authentic encampments, and marching beneath treasured regimental battle flags. Those who choose to portray civilians will also bivouac in these authentic encampments as refugees or family members. You will be reliving this pivotal time in history.

At reenactments of famous battles such as Gettysburg, Shiloh, Manassas, Sharpsburg and the Wilderness, you will participate on the field with as many as 30,000 other reenactors at one time... creating and enjoying spectacles of sight and sound, frequently in front of many thousands of spectators. Or you may participate with other members of your unit in smaller activities, appearing before school groups, marching in parades or meeting visitors at battlefield parks.