Green shows a piece from his collection of his forefathers .
would conclude his reenactor days by participating in the 150th anniversary battle reenactments of Gettysburg , Antietam and others .
“ I started with the last of the 125th year events , and I ended with the 150th anniversary events ,” Green said . “ It seemed like a good way to bookend .”
As a hobby , becoming a reenactor is an expensive proposition . In the beginning , Green said , fellow reenactors were kind enough to loan him uniforms , rifles and other gear typically carried by the Civil War soldier . Over the years he acquired his own full “ kit ,” including not only the uniform , but a forage cap and an 1861 Springfield rifle , complete with bayonet . The rifle is a reproduction , however the bayonet itself is authentic , as is his collection of rifled bullets and other memorabilia . He proudly displays boots still covered in mud from Appomattox , Virginia where he took part in a reenactment of the Confederate Army ’ s surrender at the Appomattox Court House .
Green also proudly displays a reproduction of the Union Army ’ s flag , which contains 34 stars . The flag was in use at the onset of the Civil War , he noted , and President Abraham Lincoln ordered that it not be changed , in defiance of the Confederacy .
Battle reenactments were full-fledged events which typically stretched across a weekend , Friday through Sunday , and were always open to the public . Green and the other reenactors would set up a campsite and demonstrate how soldiers lived their daily lives , answering questions and sharing history with thousands of visitors . The battle itself would usually take place on Saturday morning . Green ’ s wife , Pamela , and their two children , David and Caitlin , joined him at most events . The special family time , plus the opportunity to share history with others , are experiences that Green treasures .
“ Over the years I began to enjoy not just the battles , but as time went on , I enjoyed teaching the living history ,” he said . “ Lots of school kids came through , and we would show them how ( soldiers ) moved around and marched .” Later , at a friend ’ s request , he would occasionally visit classrooms in Arlington , Virginia , in full regalia , to teach children about the war .
Something most people don ’ t realize is that reenactments are almost never held on the actual battlefield , but instead at a nearby site . That ’ s so that the participants won ’ t end up damaging the monuments and the original battlefield terrain itself . “ These sites are now national parks , so even with blanks there would be considerable damage , which is why we had to move to adjacent sites ,” Green said .
The exception to this rule was during filming of the 1993 movie , “ Gettysburg ,” in which Green participated as a soldier fighting in the “ Pickett ’ s Charge ” sequences . “ The National Park Service let us film this one scene on park land as a special exception ,” he said .
Reenactors also do a lot of behind-the-scenes activities , Green noted . His 15th New Jersey unit , for example , would always visit the Gettysburg site during remembrance days , arriving early to clean the monuments and lay wreaths on the soldiers ’ graves .
Sadly , Civil War reenactments are becoming
10 NormanMagazine . com | JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2022