1st Minnesota Light Artillery Reenactors
Pull up a log or stool, bring your tin cup and stick around a bit, we are the 1st Minnesota Light Artillery Reenactors. We usually show up along with the 3rd Iowa Lt. Artillery and Battery H 2nd IL Lt Artillery.
* The Scrapbook
Mandy's first Civil War reenactment
If you are here looking for information on the original First Minn.... make sure and visit the First Minnesota Battery of Light Artillery History page.
The 1st Minn Light Artillery Reenactors as far as I know has just formed in the year 2000, it just me, myself and I... family included. My GGrandfather Maj. WZ Clayton was the Cpt of the unit, originally Emil Munch's Battery.. Perhaps this page will produce more reenactors interested in the 1st Minn Lt Art, or another group which reenacts them... if you have any info for me please email me...
Reading material & information
* Gardner's Photographic sketch book of the CIVIL WAROriginally published in 1866, this two volume works features some 100 prints (called plates back then) taken in the field. Dover Publications Inc. New York
* Guns of the South by Harry Turtledovefor us sci-fi fans (altered history book)January 1864 - General Robt. E. Lee faces defeat. The Army of Northern Virginia is ragged and ill equipped. Gettysburg has broken the back of the Confederacy and decimated it's manpower. Then Andries Rhoodie, a man with a strange unplaceable accent, approaches Lee with an extraordinary offer. Rhoodie demonstrates a most amazing rifle: it's rate of fire is incredible and it's lethal efficiency is breathtaking - and Rhoodie can supply unlimeted quantities to the Confederates. The name of this rifle... an AK-47.... A Del Rey book published by Ballantine books
* Dixie Gun Worksa 2 inch thick catalog with all sorts of historical replica, black powder guns and parts...1-800-238-6785
* Camp Chase Civil War magazine.. I'll have the address up here as soon as I get my issue back
What is the draw for so many to be reenacting the Civil war?
What would cause a perfectly normal person to go out on a weekend & dress up in hot wool. Well, I guess one could compare it to collecting and proudly displaying fine antique crystals, priding oneself in a restoring a vintage car (67 mustang!!), or a showpiece of hand-crafted furniture in the house. Along these lines if you have ever served wine out of that 100yr old wine goblet, drove a model A in a parade or discussed the history of the antique desk in your house handed down a few generations… I think your getting closer to understanding the drive and pull of reenacting. Why just collect old civil war era items, why have a blackpowder rifle on display on a rack, why keep an old kerosene lamp hung as a decoration? Why have the knowledge of history in your head (especially if a descendant was involved), when you can go to a ball of period music or sit around a fire wearing the clothes, drinking out of the cups and shooting the rifles of the era. Doing all of this with others of the same interest. There are other anachronism societies, I was also in the society for creative anachronism (medieval period), there is the western, WWII, Indian encampments and buckskinners among others.
Rogers page
rogerlc@mchsi.com