A
few months ago I attended a historical conference. One of the panels
discussed popular perceptions of history. Little time passed before
historical re-enactment cropped up in the course of the discussion.
One of the panel leaders, a reasonably high-profile military
historian, was dismissive. "Really, what's the point of it?"
he asked the audience. "It can't ever be more than costumed
play-acting, nor can it be historically accurate."
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| I am actually in this picture... spot me... |
I
have been a re-enactor, on and off (currently off), since 1996. I'm
certainly not obsessive about it: I do not have a house filled with
costumes, gear, and weapons. I do not spend my weekends going out to
play, at least not any more. But I absolutely love re-enacting, and
not just because it's a bit of fun.
The
military historian I referred to above is not completely wrong.
Historical re-enacting does
have its limitations, and it's important to realise what those are.
But it's equally important to realise what re-enacting can
do, and what makes it such an amazing resource, whether for the
average member of the public looking to learn something about history
or for the historical fiction author wishing to add a dash of
authenticity to his/her writing.
What
historical re-enactment cannot do
- It's not a primary source
First
off, the most important thing to realise (and it's amazing how few
members of the public seem to get this): re-enactors are not
people
from the era they represent. In any given unit, you will have a
number of different people acting together. A few will be dedicated
historians, but the majority will be ordinary members of the public
with a vague interest in history who wanted to try out something
different. Most, hopefully, will be at least slightly familiar with
the period they re-enact, but this is not a given.
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| Events this large are rare |
What
you are seeing during a historical re-enactment is not "a battle
as it happened". It's an opportunity for re-enactors to display
some of the weaponry and drill from the era. Whatever the programme
told you, you are not watching "the Battle of Waterloo".
Some of the drill will have been misinterpreted (because sources can
be), nor can you recreate a proper battle with a hundred and fifty
re-enactors, none of whom are actually trying to kill each other
(....... probably).
- It's not "a snapshot of the era"
Something
of a trope this. Re-enactment (and its sister living history) can
create the illusion that what is being represented is entirely
faithful to the period. It's not. There is absolutely no way a
historical re-enactor can faithfully recreate the conditions of a
soldier who's been on the march for months on end. (Even the most
exhausted re-enactor's uniform would not reflect the realities of
that.) And yes, although we do
sleep in those tents, we don't sleep six men to a wedge tent, or a
dozen men to a bell tent. Nor do we rough it without tents.
Re-enacting
is about entertainment as well as history. It will reflect
preconceptions about the era, because that's what the public expects.
I've seen re-enacted floggings, desertions, courts martial, and even
wife sales and spy captures. These things did happen, but the history
behind them is rarely explored. It's put on for show, to capture the
public interest.
- It's not real
A
lot of re-enactors are former soldiers, but not all. We put the
uniform on at the beginning of the weekend and try to maintain the
character while the public are about, but after hours we do not, and
at the end of the event we all drive home to our 21st century homes.
We eat food cooked on the open fire and we don't show our polyester
sleeping bags to the public, but we are wearing a costume and acting
a persona.
Battles
are scripted, the winners usually pre-determined, and no live
ammunition is used (......... well, I did attend one event when
someone was found to be using live ammo, but the police stepped in
fairly early on). Operating real weapons is dangerous and people do
occasionally get hurt, but by and large they are used cautiously and
only after tons of training. There shouldn't be any casualties from a
re-enactment. At the end of the battle the dead rise, clap each other
on the back and walk away to enjoy a beer or two by the camp fire.
But
isn't this how it is with all secondary sources? They must always be
approached with caution. This does not mean they cannot be enjoyed.
Re-enactments can be very useful, and this is why.
What
historical re-enactment can
do
- It can inspire
In
many ways re-enacting is very similar to historical fiction. The
average member of the public, who has never been interested in
history before, might attend one purely out of interest and come away
with a curiosity for the era. He or she might even read a book or two
about it. They are fun and accessible, and a "way in" to
history for many people. It's a lot more immediate than watching a
film, and certainly a lot more interesting than a school lecture or
textbook.
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| From Wikimedia Commons, by Laurence Ferrett |
- It can teach
I
said above that very few re-enactors are dedicated historians, but
that doesn't mean they know nothing. Members of the public always
have questions, and re-enactors always know something about what they
are doing. Not everyone at a Napoleonic re-enactment will be able to
give a step-by-step breakdown of the Peninsular War, but they will be
able to tell you about how the weapons are fired, what food was
eaten, what kind of men joined the army, and what it might have been
like to be a soldier at the time. It's a tribute to soldiery
throughout history, and to the people who made our past.
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| Yes, we do sleep in those tents |
Some
will even be experts on an aspect of the period. These of course are
the "dedicated historians", and they are well worth talking
to. Women will have sewing, weaving, or cooking equipment laid out. A
barber might be giving a man a shave with period equipment. A
regimental surgeon might be sorting through his box of medicines or
laying out his tools. They are all well worth chatting to.
- It is hands-on
This
is where re-enacting is particularly good for the novelist. Short of
getting your hands on a time machine, it's the best way to get an
idea of how everything you have been reading about falls into the
"big picture". You've read about how a 17th century person
made fire? Ask a re-enactor to show you how to kindle a flame using
tinder and flint. Know how to load a musket? Get a re-enactor to show
you how it's done, step by step (and then watch how it's done with
ammunition, and hear what it sounds like). Want to see how a
particular military manoeuvre was carried out? Watch the drill. It's
all there.
And
no, you can't know what the battle of Waterloo would really have been
like. But you can get an idea.
You can smell the smoke, hear the sounds, see the chaos. Your senses
are engaged in a way they cannot be by reading a book. You can see a
few hundred soldiers moving about, using the weapons and acting out
the moves which, several hundred years ago, won and lost battles.
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| From Wikimedia Commons, by Wyrdlight |
Talk
to them. Ask to handle the weapons (they'll let you). Ask questions
about the tents, the food, the uniforms, anything and everything. If
a re-enactor doesn't know the answer, they will direct you to someone
who does. Where else do you get a chance to interact so thoroughly
with a historical exhibit?
- Bonus
It's
also mighty good fun ... but shhh, don't tell anyone.
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| By Onyx85 at the German language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4280924 |
Links
Wikipedia's
list of worldwide re-enactment societies:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historical_reenactment_groups
A
list of UK re-enactment groups and living history events:
http://www.historic-uk.com/LivingHistory/
The
National Association of Re-enactment Societies website:
http://www.nares.org.uk/
Reenactor.net:
http://www.reenactor.net/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jacqueline
Reiter has a Phd in 18th century political history. She is currently
working on the first ever biography of John Pitt, 2nd Earl of
Chatham. "The Late Lord" will be published by Pen &
Sword Books in January 2017. When she finds time she blogs about her
historical discoveries at
http://alwayswantedtobeareiter.wordpress.com/,
and can be found on Twitter as https://twitter.com/latelordchatham.
